NARA
NARA, rated as one of the best Japanese restaurants in the area by Zagat guides, offers more than just a traditional sushi bar atmosphere in the evenings. Nightlife sparks when the sun goes down, with techno music and crowds dressed in club wear. Unlike many sushi eateries, NARA offers a daily traditional-time happy hour along with a "reverse" happy hour in the later hours of the evening. Guests can save money on everything from California rolls to shrimp shumai dumplings, not to mention a variety of sakes, wines, beer and martinis. Those not into the happy-hour lifestyle can still eat in a dining room or at the sushi bar for lunch and dinner and opt for choices such as edamame, seaweed salad, spicy tuna roll or vegetable maki roll.
NARA
1617 Main Street
Kansas City, MO 64108
(816) 221-6272
narakc.com
Kato Sushi
Kato Sushi is a traditional Japanese-style eatery with a sushi bar and separate dining area without any type of club atmosphere. Still, avoid showing up in your outdoor adventure clothes. The restaurants serves lunch and dinner daily and stays open all day on Saturdays and Sundays. Though Kato offers cooked dishes such as teriyaki, shrimp and vegetable tempura and dumplings, it specializes in sushi and sashimi. Eel, known as unagi in Japanese, comes slightly cooked with a sweet sauce by itself or on top of rice sushi-style. Guests can also sample a variety of rolls, including several varieties of tuna, salmon and crab. Dessert options include green tea ice cream.
Kato Sushi
6340 Northwest Barry Road
Kansas City, MO 64154
(816) 584-8883
katosushi.com
Kona Grill
Kona Grill, part of a small national restaurant chain, serves everything from traditional sushi to Japanese fare suited to both vegan and gluten-free dietary needs. Open all day, seven days a week, the eatery offers sushi roll choices ranging from the signature "Bama"---served with crab mix, cream cheese, jalapeño in soy paper with tuna, avocado, fish roe and spicy mayo---to the house specialty "Atlantic" with baked salmon, spicy aioli sauce, cucumbers, tempura flakes and eel sauce. Sashimi options include jalapeño yellowtail and albacore tataki. Those looking for gluten-free Japanese fare might consider edamame or chicken satay.
Kona Grill
444 Ward Parkway
Kansas City, MO 64112
(816) 931-5888
konagrill.com
