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

Sansei Seafood Restaurant & Sushi Bar - WAIKOLOA, Hawaii

4.1
4.1
1626 Reviews
$31 to $50
Seafood

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 41 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 1,626 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
  • 3.7Ambience
  • 3.7Value

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.

1,626 Reviews
  1. Dominic

    VIP

    Calgary

    21 reviews

    4.0

    21 reviews

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 3
    Service and food was excellent from the sashimi to the soup we couldn’t fault it. The service was swift and efficient and knowledgable and the cocktails potent and quickly delivered. The only downside is the run down state of the seating and decor which was reminiscent of transport cafes in Europe. I absolutely recommend eating here but bring a cardigan or sweater as the A/C makes it chilly and try not to be put off by your surroundings when seated as the food and bill at the end will certainly make amends for it.

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  2. Kanekoa

    Hawaii

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    If you’re looking for sushi, this is the PRIME spot! With spectacular wines, fine sake, and the highest quality of food, you’ll have an amazing dining experience. Stop by on Sunday’s and Monday’s for 50% off on certain menu items!!!

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  3. Hannah

    San Francisco

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Excellent food and service. Love the miso butterfish and the mango crab roll. The fryer wasn’t working today so couldn’t get my usual shrimp dynamite but it’s ok. Enjoyed sushi! And my service dog loved the clean floor to relax while we ate.

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  4. Amy

    VIP

    Denver

    10 reviews

    4.0

    10 reviews

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 3
    Restaurant is a bit dated, they move people in and out very quickly. However, the spicy salmon was amazing!

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  5. Rosalie

    Washington DC

    6 reviews

    3.0

    6 reviews

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    The good: The host was incredibly courteous and brought great energy to the experience right from the start. The Ono Mama's Teriyaki and Holy Cow Roll were absolutely standout dishes—fresh, flavorful, and beautifully presented. The challenges: It was an extremely busy night, so a couple of items we wanted were unavailable. Service was understandably a bit slow; I didn’t receive my drink until my meal was nearly done, and water refills didn’t arrive until then either. That said, the server handled the situation like a pro, comping the drink without hesitation. Another small hiccup was the miso soup being overly salty, but the manager addressed it promptly and professionally. Overall: While there were a few stumbles, the team’s positive attitude, excellent food, and commitment to resolving issues shone through. Busy nights can be tricky, but this is still a spot serving good food with good people. Definitely worth another visit!

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  6. Matt

    Cleveland

    3 reviews

    1.0

    3 reviews

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 1
    We had a more fine dining experience in mind and this was not it. Sushi was good. But their fryer was broken for two days and couldn’t provide anything on the menu that was fried food. Ordered a filet medium. It came out hard as a rock and well done. Didn’t want a replacement. Just asked for the steak to be removed from the bill. It was, but the server took a good 20 min after removing my steak from the table just to get us our bill. The chairs and tables were all uneven and would tilt from one leg to the other. Uncomfortable, poor service, even worse entree. 0/10 would NOT recommend

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  7. Kristine

    Hawaii

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on December 14, 2024

    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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  8. KC

    VIP

    San Diego

    14 reviews

    5.0

    14 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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  9. 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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  10. 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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FAQs

Sansei Seafood Restaurant & Sushi Bar - WAIKOLOA, Hawaii is rated 4.1 stars by 1626 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 41 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
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