Kanpai Sushi On 8th

Came here for lunch while in Calgary for work. This place had really great daily deals, (the yam sushi was scrumptious). The regular fair was also very good. The service was quick and friendly. Yum, yum, yum. I Would come back any day.

We’re seriously big fans of this place. It’s a great little sushi place off 17^th and they have great service. It’s a no frills type place where they have the classic items at decent prices. we keep going back because of the service though. There is a waiter there that is very enthusiastic and we appreciate his energy. The food is okay. The daily specials are pretty good too!

The cucumber and shrimp tempura are the best tempura I have ever had! Wonderful restaurant! Best Japanese restaurant ever!

Stopped in for a late lunch. Had a roll. It was okay. I think I should have ordered something that had spice. I will def be back to try some thing else bc it is only a two block walk from my apt. Plus they have daily roll specials. Service was attentive and quick.

Friendly staff and great sushi! I absolutely love this place! The crunch and munch and crazy buster are my favorite! Always perfect presentation and the taste is outstanding.

I’ve eaten here more than dozen times since they opened last year and have never been disappointed; in fact it’s become, with Red Ember and Big Catch, among my favourite sushi places in Calgary. Nigiri is pretty inexpensive by Calgary standards and so the pieces are not huge but they’re very expertly made, and the unagi in particular is consistently outstanding. But it’s the rolls, especially the Rapture Roll that’s pushed it into my faves for me. First, it’s HUGE– it must have 12 good-​sized pieced on one plate. And it’s absolutely delicious– spicy tuna and salmon with tempura shrimp and this AMAZING sweet and spicy sauce that I almost want to drink. It’s one of the best fusion rolls I’ve ever had– here, in Vancouver, in LA, Honolulu, anywhere. Stunningly, crazy good. Oh, service iss friendly and fast, shockingly so if you do what I do and head there around 1 on weekdays.

RIPPED OFF. Our lunch here today was the worst dining experience we’ve had in Calgary. Our $ 15 chicken donburi bowl was literally white rice and three slices of chicken. Additionally the Bento Box we ordered had dry fish on the sushi and the edamame was soggy and brown (not crisp, green or fresh). The salmon teriyaki consisted of three quarter-​sized pieces of fish. For a $ 30 meal it looked like $ 5 worth of ingredients. We raised our concerns about the value and were told by staff that «we understand the portions are not fair, but we can’t do anything about it.» What kind of customer service is that? There was no attempt to offer us a discount or side item. Overall we felt extremely ripped off. Also, the quality was questionable — which is something you shouldn’t be thinking about when eating raw fish! With so many other restaurant options in Calgary, we highly recommend going elsewhere. We will NEVER be returning.

My wife and I have been here twice now and here is my qualification on Japanese restaurants: I’m Japanese, my mom was a general manager of a top Japanese restaurant in Toronto, my cousin/​uncle in Tokyo own a top Sushi restaurant and I’ve been to sushi restaurants considered the best all over Canada.
This place had pretty good sushi considering we are in land-​locked Calgary. Nothing here will be the same as BC sushi but still pretty good. The prices are slightly higher than average… welcome to downtown Calgary.
Among the highlights:
The SPICY AGEDASHI TOFU was worth ordering. The MENTAI CALAMARI was very good. AHI-​HAMACHI ROLL COMBO pretty excellent and didn’t include any of the «filler» that combos usually come with.
Living in Calgary for 7 years you get used to average sushi. This place is no different but you will enjoy you meal and won’t regret eating here.

I have gone to this place several times and today was the final time.
The first time I went I ordered a roll combo from their online menu (directly from their website) and took it back to my office. When I opened the container it was very clearly not what was listed. I called back and the woman said «oh ya, we posted the wrong menu.» I asked her to bring me what I had ordered (it was –30 and there was zero chance I was going back) but she said no. She did offer me my next order free so even though I was upset and hungry I felt like she tried to make it right.
A couple of times of decent sushi without any issues and I was thinking that they had worked out the kinks. Then I decided to try their rolls made with quinoa. There was an extra charge (a few dollars all together) but I was eager to try it. Again I picked it up and took it to my office and was really disappointed when I opened up my container. The rolls were about half the size as normal and even the fish was very clearly smaller. I don’t mind paying an up-​charge for something but when I am clearly getting a lesser product it makes me frustrated.
Had a hankering for sushi today so called and placed my order. I went with the Alaskan Roll Combo (Alaskan roll, dynamite roll and spicy tuna roll) and when I opened it things looked great! I tried all and they were very tasty. Until I got to my 3^rd piece of the spicy tuna roll. I dipped it in soya sauce and popped it into my mouth only to be jabbed with a large fish bone that cut my mouth. It felt like a shard of glass and left me way too sore and freaked out to try anymore. What a waste!
I gave them two stars because when they are on, the food is good. Unfortunately they aren’t on that often. Time to find a new sushi place in the Beltline area… Friends off Kanpai Sushi on 8^th!

For a quick lunch, not bad. Not great but not bad.
Upon entering the restaurant the sound from the TV was blaring Olympics coverage. We were the first ones in and they turned it down after we were seated.
Our server was competent and professional but lacked any enthusiasm. Only 4 tables seated and we didn’t get top up of hot water for our tea or cold water. Took a long time to get the bill. I would say service was 3 by 5.
There are two key things in sushi I look for. First is good rice. Second, decent and consistent portions of meat on said rice.
In my case I felt that for $ 2.45 for one Toro, the portion size was about 25% too small. And, the rice was mushy and starchy. Was hard to get past that texture for me. The hand cones came first and were not like that. The nigiri and subsequent roll was mushy, so likely got a poorly prepared batch of rice.
On the food I would probably say 3 by 5. There is a lot of sushi competition in the surrounding area and I would be hesitant to try Kanpai before any of the others in the area first.

Fresh, tasty and great selection. Relaxed atmosphere and very decent price for quality of food.

Reasonable prices AND delicious, fresh sashimi… i know, in CALGARY! Can you believe it?
The wild sockeye salmon sashimi was amazing and the toro sashimi melted in my mouth. I think we have found our new go-​to sushi place!

Good Sushi and it was a decent value at 11.50 for Salmon Bento Box. I would say that it is average for the quality and options of Sushi around Calgary.

I was here with a couple of friends on Sunday whom I was taking to Jelly Modern Doughnuts which apparently is next door to Kanpai Sushi on 8^th.
The doughnut was to be a pre-​lunch snack. As we marched on toward such sweetness, one of them had stated there was a new sushi joint somewhere on 8^th St SW not to far from 17^th Ave SW.
As we walked closer, we discovered it was Kanpai Sushi on 8^th. Sadly, I do not remember what was there before.
The interior is very clean, conservative, and not too bright. I can see this place would be a great first date if you are looking for something with simple elegance. Try to get a window seat so you can people watch while you wait.
The server was reasonably quick to approach us and offer us a beverage and a set of menus. I was sort of impressed with this as lately at other places, the server seem to be dropping the ball.
I ordered the Flames Roll Combo which includes Spicy Tuna Roll, Spicy Salmon Roll, Spicy California Roll. This was about $ 15 or so (now around $ 19 as of December 2015). The quality was very high and the fish very fresh (even on Sunday)! The server was even nice enough to bring an extra helping of spicy sauce. Hmmm. This dish in itself was enough to satisfy my lunch rumblings. The quality would closest compare to Towa Sushi on 4^th St SW.
I can honestly say if you are driving down 8^th St SW that you might miss this place as I did for both it and Jelly Modern Doughnuts. Even walking by could be easy to miss it. Parking in the area is very trying. If you don’t mind walking, you can park near London Drug’s (2 blocks away on 8^th St SW) or Analog Coffee (4 blocks away at the corner of 17^th Av SW and 7^th St SW).
I hope to make this a weekly stop on my tour de Calgary restaurants.