K
KUKAI
Authentic Japanese flavors in the heart of Tucson, serving ramen, onigiri, and hand rolls with a modern twist.
4.6(5 reviews)
japanese
$$
Authentic Japanese flavors in the heart of Tucson, serving ramen, onigiri, and hand rolls with a modern twist.
KUKAI brings the essence of Japanese cuisine to Tucson with a focus on fresh, flavorful dishes like ramen, onigiri, and hand rolls. Located in the vibrant MSA Annex, we offer a cozy atmosphere perfect for casual dining. Our menu features vegan options, including vegan ramen and onigiri, alongside favorites like takoyaki and karaage. With a 4.6-star rating from over 500 reviews, we're dedicated to providing an authentic and memorable experience for all food lovers.
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Handcrafted ramen with rich broths like black garlic and hakata tonkotsu, served with chewy noodles and toppings.
Freshly made rice balls, well-seasoned and available in vegan options, perfect as a snack or side.
Delicate and flavorful hand rolls made with quality ingredients for a quick, delicious bite.
Classic starters including takoyaki, karaage, and korroke, ideal for sharing.
Inclusive dishes like vegan ramen and onigiri, catering to diverse dietary preferences.
I liked the vibe of MSA annex, but the food did not meet my expectations. The extremely thin slices of chashu and lack of toppings did not justify the pricing of the ramen although the flavor was quite good. The tempura don portions were off ratio, with 90% rice at a high price point as well. Some cabbage, pickled radish and miso soup to accompany the dish perhaps would have justified the price but instead was met with overcooked, small shrimp. The tempura roll was also underwhelming, I would suggest to go to a different location for sushi. Finally, they were out of curry at 5pm, despite opening for dinner service at 5pm. I ordered a side of tonkatsu and for 10 dollars, I would have expected a bit better as it was overcooked. Overall, I would suggest the owners a trip to Japan as a refresher. Or even to Los Angeles, they have some really great places there for the same price.
We came here for the first time today based on reviews. EXCELLENT ramen! I got the black garlic ramen and my girlfriend got the hakata Tonkotsu. Both had great flavor, the egg was good, chashu was good, we do prefer thicker noodles rather than the hakata style but their noodles have a great chew and grab the broth very well. We also got the karrage and korroke and takoyaki. Takoyaki and karrage were very very good, the korroke was pretty good but could use a little more flavor in the potato mixture. Definitely will be back whenever we return in the future.
Some of my favorite Japanese food in Tucson!! I love the takoyaki and hand rolls but I've never had anything I didn't love. They have a vegan ramen option which I also appreciate, as well as some vegan onigiri (and probably other stuff)!
Love their menu! Simple but full of delicious apps and noodles. I am a big fan of the onigiri (rice balls). They’re made fresh and well seasoned. Can’t wait to come back to try more of their dishes.
Highly recommend!! Staff were super friendly. Ambiance was nice. Ramen broth was super flavorful. Pork was not too fatty and had good texture. Egg was perfectly cooked. Noodles were nice and chewy. Will be dreaming of this dish! Can’t wait to go back.
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