Kawa Ni in Saugatuck - Phone Number, Reservations, Reviews

This is probably my favorite restaurant in CT. We went for our anniversary dinner last night and we haven’t been in a few years because we live far but it is SO so worth it. The server helped guide us through the menu and he suggested the salmon Nama, which I probably wouldn’t have ordered on my own. It was my FAVORITE thing we ate. It melted in your mouth and the sauce it came in was insane. I tried beef tartar for the first time which my brain struggled with but it was very good especially because I love truffle and crispy rice. Every single thing we ordered was completely delicious, thoughtfully crafted, and fresh. Truly outstanding overall 10/10.

Amazing food. Truly spectacular

Delicious and totally addicted to the addictive salad. It top choice for my 20yr old daughter! It’s often busy. Ordering takeout tonight before she goes back to college!

I’m incredibly disappointed that the food quality has decreased or that there are new kitchen cooks. The last two times my husband and I went out for dinner at Kawa Ni, we left very disappointed. The food quality has either gone downhill, or the kitchen staff does not know how to cook. We have been going to this restaurant for years and have never experienced this before.

Not authentic Japanese. For heaven’s sake, you don’t put a whole egg in the ramen. The idea is for the yolk to soak up the flavor of the ramen. They also include a 20% tip charge! Be aware. Service was fine.

Thank you Stephanie! Awesome food, service and vibe.

We enjoyed an excellent lunch here. The service was kind & attentive (both server and bartender) and all of the dishes we ordered were fantastic. We especially enjoyed the great local beer offerings and just being in such a casual and comfortable environment where we could enjoy such high quality food. Definitely order the spicy miso ramen and kimchi carbonara! So much flavor!

Please try the pork ramen! We go to get ramen at different places every other week as a tradition. This is our favorite ramen we’ve had. We even spent a month in Japan and STILL think this is the best ramen we’ve had. The service can vary in speed because they are rightfully always full but the atmosphere is wonderful and the food is amazing and authentically Japanese. We love this restaurant.

I had the best experience last night at Kawa Ni. Our server Denis was able to recommend us so many delicious items on the menu, he did not miss, everything he recommended was 10/10. He even recommended we order after dinner drinks /espresso martini's, these were the BEST I've ever had, kudos to the bartender. The food was amazing and the service was next level. Thank you Denis for such a great experience!! We'll be back!

Five stars isn't enough! Everything was amazing!

Promising up to the moment the first dish came. The shaved broccoli was bitter and extremely salty. The tofu pockets felt like a bland mix of coleslaw and surimi with extra soggy oily tofu, the same type of filling was used for the so called crab rangoon's. Spare yourself the trouble and make some frozen gyoza at home, they will likely taste the same. The rice was a horrendous mix of oil and reheated fried rice. We also had the chicken karaage which I have to say is the worst we ever had. Avoid the snap peas and the eggplant, entirely uneatable. A total disaster topped off with lukewarm service, loud music and upset stomach.

If I had to eat at one restaurant for the rest of my days, it would be this one! We ordered a plethora of food and every time something new came out, it was better than the last dish! Phenomenal food/experience! Karaage Don & the pork ribs were my astounding favorites but we dug right in so didn’t take a picture 🥲😅 We also got the crab fried rice, gyoza, crab Rangoon, the biang biang chicken bao, 4 strawberry mochi, & matcha tirimisu. As for drinks, my fav was the sake-it-tumi!! Everything was soooo delicious and beautiful and the whole experience was fabulous! Can’t wait to return!

This restaurant is definitely worth the hype. The food was outstanding as were the cocktails, and it’s very atmospheric!

Great place for Japanese/Asian cuisine. The “Addictive Cabbage” is. Noodle dishes are great too. Everything we have eaten there over multiple visits has been excellent. No disappointments.

Service is literally amazing! The drinks are so good!! The vibe of this place is so sweet!! The food….is edible!!

My FAVORITE restaurant in CT. Wow. Somehow they blow my mind with their culinary marvels (definitely do chefs choice!) and manage to play all the songs from my sweetest memories. Love you guys.

Staff here is AMAZING - food is generous & very tasty. I would recommend this to anyone as the must go to spot in the area.

This is a great restaurant - great food, great service. And the atmosphere is great - lively and young - but, I'm an old guy and it is noisier and a little darker than I like! Give it a try and you'll like the exotic dishes!

Crab fried rice was too salty. Also they charge a mandatory 20pct tip irrespective of the number of guests.

Food: crazy beautiful recipes/designs, reading the menu is a real treat. Eating: wow ok some of these flavors and experiences are unexpected! Overall delicious. Let me emphasize high quality food and ingredients. Expect strong flavors! I ordered the Kim Chi Carbonara and I loved it. Others thought it was way too complex and dense. HA. Drinks: I ordered a cocktail - it was done exactly to my specification TWICE. Excellent bar, excellent bar tenders. and the bar setup itself is very very nice. SERVICE: 1000% here - why : we didn't have one waiter or waitress - many people came to our table and they all were familiar with what we had on the table and asked about our needs, they all knew every menu item enough to discuss it if questioned, but above all the staff seemed happy to be there and serving us, what an UNUSUAL experience in this day and age ATMOSPHERE: really nice and laid back, house is full everyone talking at full volume no pretenses, lovely, we made immediate friends with our neighboring table as we were first-timers and they were old-timers.. Will be returning here for sure to test every menu item

My wife and I are foodies. For the past five years, this is our favorite restaurant in Connecticut, worth every penny. The tables may be small and crowded and the wine selection is very limited, but flavors are amazing, as is the variety of unexpected choices. We're hooked on some dishes, but I encourage you to explore the entire menu. You won't be disappointed.

Cute and comfy Izakaya style place! Chicken Karaage, Szechuan Dumplings, and Bahn Mi are delicious! As are the drinks. Excellent service too!

Things have changed here since pre Covid. Totally different service. Surly waitress made us feel uncomfortable and served and checked on other people before us. Food we ordered (had pork) we believe gave us food poisoning. Never coming back.

One of the best restaurants I’ve ever been to. Food, drinks, atmosphere, and service were all top notch. I’d take the ferry from Long Island just to eat here again.

Loved the food and service here. Every dish we had was tasty, and the staff was very friendly. Our favorite dishes were the addicting cabbage, and crab fried rice. We’ll definitely be back!

What a wonderful place! Excellent service and the food was delicious. They have a nice variety of sake. We were sat at the bar, the bartenders were friendly and you could tell they put great effort in creating and delivering their drinks.

Kawa Ni in Westport delivered on its inventive and creative Japanese cuisine. We started off with the Kani salad, chicken karrage, and crab dumplings. The salad was beautifully balanced with mango and a hint of mint. The chicken was tender and yet crispy on the outside and the crab dumplings were light flavorful and had the perfect delicate balance of crab in a crispy light fried wrapper. The Szechuan dumplings with shrimp were a hit - spicy and flavorful, delicate in texture. The salmon temaki was a unique experience with everything seasoning. It was definitely the highlight of our meal. Highly recommend you make a ressie and check this place out!

Amazing bone marrow old fashions

Food is not Japanese. It’s an interpretation of Japanese cuisine based on a short holiday. The flavors pack initial intrigue but lack depth and authenticity. Sometimes the flavors are too cross cultured. Cultural appropriation that seems to be standard and acceptable in this area. Won’t see many Japanese, if any, at this establishment. Saving grace is solid crafted drinks, fun atmosphere, and attentive service.

Wish they would change the menu more often but otherwise very good

Restaurant is located in Lo Hi, on a corner spot. If you are looking for it you can’t miss it! It has patio lights outside with a single walkway with black railings. If you are planning to come to dinner here I advise you to arrive 30 minutes earlier to find parking! It can get packed! As per usual with going anywhere in lohi. This restaurant has a good atmosphere and vibe. Perfect for date nights. Staff was very friendly and helpful. My favorite was the beef temaki. Crispy Spicy Tuna was good, salmon temaki was really good too! We also got the kani salad it was good but after a few bites it got over powering due just too much schriracha mayo drenched in. Den den lamb noodles were okay not the best. Don’t recommended that. Their truffle butter edamame had an interesting taste. I am not too sure what I think about it good or bad. Doesn’t taste like truffle but it’s one of those type of snacks you just keep eating. So maybe a mix feeling towards it? It just tastes like salt with butter. The dessert was good! The matcha tiramisu! I highly recommend it. Also keep in mind they do auto grat 20% even if it’s a two top! Nothing wrong with that either! You should always tip at least 20% to your server or above!

Food was delicious. Drinks were made deliciously as well. Loving the vibe/ the candlelight/soothing music/the ambience! A really nice place for a date night!

Had an AWESOME time here. Owen, the GM, is a fantastic guy. Took great care of us, and it was clear he cared deeply for the establishment and for the customers dining in. Our service was great, the food was amazing, and we will definitely go back (and we recommend Kawa Ni to a lot of folks by word of mouth because we had such a great experience).

Fantastic experience, great food, and excellent service. It was hard not to order the entire menu.

During the summer when the roof deck is open, I highly recommend checking it out for the views over the saugatuck. Otherwise, I've enjoyed kawa ni for lunches, dinners, and after dinner drinks. So do a lot of folks in Westport so seating during peak days and times may be tight - but find it generally worth it!

This is one of our favorite restaurants in Fairfield County. Love the variety of specials and the food is always delicious. The tofu pockets are a must try!

I visited this place a couple of times with co-workers and in general I was quite excited by the food. Last time I was with my wife, and I can tell that we liked only half of the dishes we decided to try. Anyway, I can recommend this place for visiting. PS: lamb dan dan was really bad to my taste. Felt kind of a bitter taste (were peanuts burnt?). It was the first time I tried dan dan, so it might be that it was ok, don't know. But I didn't like it so much, that I didn't finish it (it's rare thing that I dislike food that much).

This little hidden gem is a total 5 star spot! Starting with the staff and service - excellent! The drinks are delicious and the bartenders are very friendly. The food is amazing. Highly recommend: - edemame - bao buns - cabbage The yuzu cocktails are delicious as well!

Kawa Ni is the best restaurant I have ever been in to in my entire life. Not one bad thing on the menu. Definitely recommend that karaage don.

Foods are creative and taste good. Only down side is things are on the salty side of scale.

Food was very very unique! Me and my partner loved it, we are vegetarian and the options were like no other place I've ever eaten before, definitely recommend.

Outraged at the non food charges… The food was good and the service was also good. It was acceptable that the restaurant, tacked on a 20% service charge to the overall bill. What was unacceptable was that thereafter they then taxed the service charge and the bill. When I asked, the manager why tax return service charge, he indicated that the reason they had to tax the service charge was that they use that to cover their cost. Beware of this trick as it is a way for the owner to take a lot more money out of your pocket. I would have given five star reviews all the way through were it not for this slippery move.

Food is great. Go see for yourself.

Easy to work with when it comes to any dietary restrictions. The tequila drink with the coconut cream sesame oil cucumber and pineapple was literally the best drink I have ever had. All the food was great - the karaage and the little raw tuna appetizer were amazing.

Really good food and good vibe. I had the pork and garlic ramen and the seasoning is just perfect, you can taste all ingredients. Size is fair. A little bit pricey though. Bao was good too but they are quite small for the price. Staff is super kind and place gets busy all the time so I strongly suggest to make a reservation beforehand. Definitely worth visiting.

Asian tapas, and high quality cocktails with attentive waitstaff was a wonderful experience. The Bahn Mi is sublime. I have been thinking about the sandwich ever since the last bite. The one knock is the place is small and a little cramped, and because it is so damn good it is hard to get a table. Made a reservation a month in advance for a Friday at 7, but well worth the wait.

Great vibe (shout out to whoever was DJing) and excellent food. Staff was amazing. All around highly recommend.

Lovely unique Japanese, mostly non sushi restaurant.

No doubt I’ll be back! Kawa Ni was the perfect lunch spot for a refreshingly delicious bite. The salmon temaki couldn’t be any fresher. Their take on crab ragoons left me speechless and I wished I had ordered them too! My main course was the Dan Dan noodles and I couldn’t believe how delicious the lamb was. This is will my spot any and every time I’m in the area.

Been here many times and never disappoints. Best ramen I’ve had in the states, the pork is delicious

Amazing food and vibes found in CT. Truly felt like a Japanese izakaya with amazing food and drinks. As a New Yorker would definitely consider driving up for a good izakaya vibe!

Always delicious, rotating menu. Not cheap but worth it!

This an exceptional restaurant. Everything from the service to ambiance to the food to the bathroom (yes, the bathroom!) is 5-stars. Came here for a lunch so I didn't get to try all the drinks but that'll be for next time. The recommendations our server gave us were great and my family and I loved all of the food we tried save for two dishes that were extremely salty. However, when I mentioned this to the server/host when they came by to check on us the host immediately said he'd take both dishes off the bill and apologized. We didn't even ask for this but they did this voluntarily. This is the first time a restaurant did something like this for us and because of that honest gesture I had to give this place 5 stars because honestly mistakes happen and it speaks to the high-class management and hospitality exhibited in this restaurant. I would gladly come back here again and I plan to next time I am in the area. I'll definitely bring other friends and family to share this place with them.

This an exceptional restaurant. Everything from the service to ambiance to the food to the bathroom (yes, the bathroom!) is 5-stars. Came here for a lunch so I didn't get to try all the drinks but that'll be for next time. The recommendations our server gave us were great and my family and I loved all of the food we tried save for two dishes that were extremely salty. However, when I mentioned this to the server/host when they came by to check on us the host immediately said he'd take both dishes off the bill and apologized. We didn't even ask for this but they did this voluntarily. This is the first time a restaurant did something like this for us and because of that honest gesture I had to give this place 5 stars because honestly mistakes happen and it speaks to the high-class management and hospitality exhibited in this restaurant. I would gladly come back here again and I plan to next time I am in the area. I'll definitely bring other friends and family to share this place with them.

Absolutely amazing food and drinks and incredible service!

Excelente comida japonesa…espectacular el ramen, los cangrejos y la ensalada. La atención del personal muy buena

This place is amazing. We live in Brooklyn but stop here every time when we drive up to CT to visit family. We literally plan our trip home around Kawa Ni every time, that is how good it is. The owner/creator behind it Bill has worked his magic around the westport area with other spots but this one is near and dear to my heart. During the winter the Trout Mazeman is our jam. Enjoy.

The food was okay, if a bit overcomplicated. It felt very much like a Westport restaurant, and we weren't blown away by anything in particular. The mushroom fried rice was pretty good and the drinks are strong. It felt a bit too far removed from true Japanese.

The food here is truly spectacular and last time we visited the lunch was absolutely delicious. The spam baos are a must!

Amazing service and even better food!!! Can’t speak highly enough about this spot

I have ordered 90% of the menu and have never once been disappointed. I would consider this to be one of the best craft Asian restaurants in Westport. The staff and chefs know the food and drinks to easily match your preferred taste at and the bartender will either whip up a drink or provide a tasting of saki so you do not order something you don't want to enjoy. I personally order 4 apps for my entire meal (2 for appetizer, 2 for entree) as I have serious fomo if I only order an 1 entree. Everything is so good. The atmosphere is amazing as well. Make sure to visit in the warmer months when the rooftop overlooking the river is open!

High quality japanese/asian food - a real gem in Westport! Their menu is unique and delightful. Perfect for a leisurely meal, a real dining experience. Had the freshest salmon roe and the tastiest shaved broccoli salad. The red curry onigiri was amazing but the least exciting dish we had. Will be back to try their noodle dishes very soon!

Surprised I have never gone here anymore. Just a block away and all the food is SO GOOD. Imagine any regular dish...their version is better! I thought I had good mochi until I went there...

Amazing izikaya inspired dishes and great cocktails. Newly expanded dining room.

Love the food, so different and delicious. The expansion/reno looks beautiful.

This would have a Michelin star if it were in New York City. Jaw dropping food.

一番美味しいスープをありがとうございました。 This restaurant reminds me of my time in Tokyo when I studied abroad. I have never had a more authentic sushi experience outside of Japan and I intend on recommending this sushi restaurant to anyone who will listen. Happy to spread word of mouth, it is the best way to spread the word about a business.

I was a big fan of the early version of this restaurant. The new version is a disappointment. Eventhough we went at a low traffic time ---lunch on a Tuesday we were sat three tables from the bathroom. The smell of feces hung in the air for our entire meal. Next, after waiting a solid half an hour the host came over tell us they did not have one of our main dishes. We order the bone marrow instead. The dish was barely edible. In, the past the dish had been family favorite. The waitress was so surly that we avoided asking for service. All to find out there is 20 percent service charge automatically added. Our waitresses said nothing. I was lucky to read the fine print. For a lunch that was over a hundred dollars. I can honestly say it is not worth it. RIP.

This had been a great place. The quality and service have gone way down. We had the most surly waitress. Only to find that the service was included in the bill. She also did not tell us. The family favorite was barely edible(bone marrow). This was generally an unpleasant and expensive experience.

Phenomenal! The food, the service, the ambience…all top notch! We came here after reading reviews on TripAdvisor and boy, was that a good decision! Thanks, fellow Trippies!

Great food and environment. Service was on top of it. They do charge an 18% gratuity which you pay taxes toward. Otherwise, no complaints.

Amazing as always! We met family there for lunch today and arrived early to sit out on the roof, have lunch, and celebrate. We have a baby and aren't going inside with him just yet. Our party didn't know that outdoor table service was only for dinner, but the staff made us feel welcome anyway. Without asking, the staff made an exception allowing us to bring takeout onto the roof. They even brought it up to us! They couldn't have known that we were celebrating two separate father's days (my first) as well as a 56 year anniversary for one couple. One of us even traveled despite being in the middle of chemotherapy. Despite the confusion on our part, we made the best of it. We were able to enjoy the amazing food, the beautiful day, and family we don't get to see often enough. Thank you for our "picnic on the roof" Kawa Ni!

Wow! Everything was delicious. Just go, you will not be disappointed!!!

Always excellent. It's a much larger space inside since the renovation.

I’ve heard about this place for years and finally got around to visiting… I’m disappointed it took me so long - this place is top of its class - highly recommend. Drinks and food are fantastic.

Very unusual unique food. Friendly people and great service

Must go!! This was the best meal I had in the longest time! Everything we ordered was so good and flavorful! I can’t wait to go back!

Everything was incredible. We tried at least 8 different dishes - every dish was a hit.

Some of the best Japanese food I’ve had! Also highly recommend the bone marrow bourbon

The menu was vague. Everything seemed to be a mixture of sesame and salt. The new renovation removes the life out of the old place. Feels more like a franchise. Underwhelmed by the multiple dishes we ordered. Added a 20 percent gratuity automatically to our table of two. 6 dishes and 4 drinks , won’t be returning.

They always have a great option of vegetarian and vegan food. They have expanded. When they are busy they don’t seem to take reservations.

Delicious! Fun take on japanese food with some other Asian influences. Got the crab Rangoon, confit ribs, chicken wings, scallop nigiri, and trout mazemen. All were yummy.

This restaurant lived up to the hype and more. Walk in and you’re instantly transported to an extremely intimate dining experience. Everything on the menu made it difficult to make a decision so we went with the recommendations from the chef. Favorites included the duck dish and the chicken wings. Definitely gained 10lbs from dining here as the food was delicious and I couldn’t stop eating. Highly recommend this establishment to everyone. Would also like to thank Chef Will as well.

I went to this restaurant with my family (3 kids -2/5/3) and the staff was very Accommodating to our kids. The food was 5 stars plus, fresh, flavorful, and you could tell it was made with purpose; hats off to the chef. Our waiter was attentive, he had excellent manners, and he clearly explained the description of the food we ordered to make sure it was going to satisfy our palate. I highly recommend this place.

Easily my new favorite restaurant. Food was delicious, cocktails were great and the service was fantastic. The only thing I didn’t like was our table. It was up against the wall and next to host stand and gets extremely cold. But as soon as I got the food I could care less about the table. Highly recommend this place.

Always excellent, every…single…time. Have had everything on the menu many times.

Keep this a secret... - this is one of the best Japanese restaurants in the area

The food was outstanding and our server was fabulous. I would have given 5 stars if they did not add 20% to my bill setting their own tip. Tips are to be determined by the customer. For large parties I totally understand, but not for 2 people. Sadly despite the great food and friendly helpful server I most likely won't go again. I am a big tipper and always appreciate great service, but no one should have the right to tell me how much I should tip MY money. Sad.

Flavor in food was spectacular!!!! Service superb. Can’t believe I haven’t been to the restaurant before! Don’t miss this place.

This has to be, hands down, the most consistently delicious place on Westport -- explore the menu and share everything

Great food, great whiskey, great people edit: 3 years later and they continue to provide great food and a great experience.

This is the hidden gem of Westport! Best Asian restaurant in town. It’s not a huge menu, but EVERYTHING they make is beyond delicious. Don’t be afraid to order outside of your comfort zone.

The menu is very interesting. The chef has a lot of ideas and uses various ingredients. But generally the seasoning is too strong and not balanced well. It is too sweet and too salty. The duck on the noodles are quite stinky…

Angie is an amazing bartender and super fun to watch make drinks. The food was also really good. I like the atmosphere.

Really good ramen! Plus the waiter was cute😏😏

Wow. What a cool place. Server was extremely attentive. Food was great. Was not expecting paperware and bamboo spoons (read:spatula) while sitting on the deck, that made it interesting, but hey, covid.

Absolutely delicious meal! The miso eggplant and trout noodles were unreal. Staff is so nice, and Owen’s music taste is spot on!

Kawa Ni is singular. It is one of the best restaurants I have had the pleasure of dining in. The staff, owners, and co. put their heart and soul into the creativity they serve their patrons. Must go. And if you are not sold, go to their downtown Westport sibling, Don Memo for tacos

I came through this part of town with my bike packing setup after two days of riding. Pretty exhausted and in the need of food. The staff of Kawa Ni is super friendly and food came promptly. The recommendation on what dish to take was great. Also they refilled my water bottles and let me charge my devices! Great service and hospitality!

The BEST food. Our favorite place to eat in Westport. We come from the city and make it our first stop. It definitely is much better than any similar restaurant in NYC. The spicy miso ramen is my go to.