Kiki College Hill

Kiki’s is a cute ramen and brunch place. It’s in an up and coming neighborhood and the service feels more like an upscale restaurant. The shio ramen I got was good- one of the best I’ve had in the Midwest, but unfortunately was served without shio. I had to ask for the salt after the fact which was disappointing. Having been on a ramen pilgrimage in Japan, this store holds its ground to Japanese ramen shops- which says a lot because there really isn’t a ton of ramen places in the US that I can say that about. The ramen noodles were well cooked, the charsiu melted in your mouth and the broth was well balanced. Even their bamboo was decent. We also got the karage brunch bagel, which had a pomelo jam on it. While creative and fusiony- it wasn’t for me.

Kiki is Asian fusion done perfectly! 👌This place becomes busy for good reasons and I recommend a reservation even on weekdays. Street parking. The drinks are sneaky alcoholic (which is the best compliment) and I think the appetizers are a standout! Do order several! I cannot recommend this place enough and kudos to the chef/owner. His training in Japan definitely shows.

The combination of yummy Japanese food and the delicious allure of kimchi proved to be an outstanding culinary adventure.

Each component of the poke bowl worked together harmoniously, creating a symphony of flavors that left me in awe.

What truly set these dishes apart was the quality and freshness of the seafood. Every morsel was expertly sourced, ensuring that the flavors were pristine and the textures were impeccable - I could eat the scallops each and every day!

A beautiful gem. I appreciate how they do not have a large menu, rather, a small menu of relatively simple Japanese dishes done just right. The ingredients are very fresh, for example, I got the tamaki plate (d.i.y sushi rolls) as an appetizer and the raw tuna was very light and fresh. The shio ramen was perfect, again, not trying to do anything new or crazy, just making this classic comforting dish perfectly and with care. The handmade noodles were so good and perfectly chewy. A large alcohol selection including several types of sake and Japanese beers (I got the Red Rice beer and really liked it). For dessert that day they were offering raspberry cheesecake with matcha crust and matcha ice cream with bits of Kit-Kat in it. They were both delicious and fresh tasting, with a pure but not overpowering matcha flavor. I especially loved the ice cream. :) The space is very clean, cozy, and airy with a very pleasing design and beautiful, simple dishware. In a truly lovely Japanese way, every detail is done with purpose and beauty is enhanced by minimalism. The staff were all very friendly and professional, and seemed excited about working here. It felt like a place where appreciation for good cooking and simple beauty is shared by customers and staff as people come to enjoy these comforting and lovingly made dishes in a lovely space. I am looking forward to coming back here with my family. Thank you to the owners and staff!

Went on a Sunday evening right when the place opened and I ordered 4 different things off the menu. Our server Ryan was professional and had a good sense of humor and knowledge of the menu. And if you can’t get street parking you can park behind brink brewery for free. Definitely will go back

One of the best meals in Cincinnati. Every single course was incredible. The seared scallops, gyoza pork, seaweed salad, oysters... wow. I could go on and on. I would highly, highly recommend trying to reserve your table. It's a small spot so I don't think they usually take big parties. They do have a waitlist they can put you on. If you do have to wait, just go down the street to a bar and chill. It is worth the wait.

Our visit to Kiki for my birthday was met with exceptional hospitality! Joel did an amazing job wrangling our group. Despite having two vegans and a gluten-free person in our group, we all left feeling very satisfied. The vegetable tempura was definitely a highlight of the evening and one of the best dishes I've had this year. It's safe to say that everyone was raving about the delicious food.

Fantastic food — I haven’t had a single dish here that wasn’t great. The cocktails are inventive and so tasty. The flavors are unique and impressive; foodies will LOVE this place; and non-foodies can find great options to enjoy and return to over and over again.

The new brunch menu is a delight.

Husband and I went to Kiki for the first time tonight. The flavors were well balanced, the service was friendly and helpful, and the atmosphere was relaxed. We called ahead to make a reservation since it was starting to get busy (per their website.) We will be back!

A must go-to in Cincinnati.
Amazing food, great service.
Dont forget to ask for the specials and ask for the desert (gluten free which is a plus)!

Have been a regular for the last few years and love the unique menu and the staff has always been great to us. Have never have had a bad experience and I really enjoy trying the new menu items whenever there's a changeover.

Dined on Kiki's new patio last night - which just opened yesterday. The food, drinks, and service were as great as ever - but the option of outdoor dining took them to the next level!

Without a doubt, every dish we sampled here, from the sashimi salad to the curry pan and jackfruit Bao buns, was truly exceptional! Coupled with the outstanding service we received, this place is an absolute must-try!

Really great food here. Portion sizes are reasonable so we tried a lot of different dishes. Service is also excellent. Definitely worthy of the hype! Check this place out

This place is special. For our first visit, we selected 5 items from the menu for take out and each of them were very, very good. The only conversation we made for that hour was about the food itself. We were elated. Thoughtfully and carefully conceived and prepared, this food was a delightful experience.

Do you know how sometimes a bite is so good that it will cause you to pause from chewing any further until the quiet ahhh and mmmm you involuntarily uttered have passed and with another bite comes the realization some manner of stress has left you? Thankfully, dining encounters like these are on par with some spiritual and sensual encounters fleeting as they may sometimes be. We will return with the hope that Kiki might give us this again.

Our waiter(Logan) said we get one sauce with the item we order and $1 for additional.
We ordered 2 sauces each for the 3 items we ordered. He charged $2 for sauces on each of the 3 items we ordered.

Overcharged $3 in my mind.

Plus we were having a birthday celebration and called prior to arrival and told would tell waiter … he said no we don’t do that …. But someone finally brought a free dessert. Thanks you ..whomever is responsible. 😊😊

Please clarify

Thanks
Dennis Krabacher

I absolutely adore this place. I’m currently looking for a house near cincy and I have it in my search to tell me how far it would be to bike her because I love it so much.

The food has lovely flavor, the people you just can’t replace, and the atmosphere is comfy enough for me to feel at ease going alone and just chill.

Staff were Amazing! The Ryokucha Gimlet and Paper Crane were fantastic - bartender crushed it! And, all the food - Gyoza, oysters, wagyu, ramen, chicken kaarage, curry pan, whole fish, kimchi, green tea ice crème and even edamame - literally everything we ordered was beautiful & delish!! Cannot wait to come back!!

Kiki is truly a gem of Cincinnati. Hideki rules. His staff is excellent. The service is flawless, and so is the food. Always fresh, always simple, and ALWAYS full of flavor. A must visit for anyone looking for vegan options as HALF the menu is vegan. The curry pan is CRUCIAL and I cannot recommend it enough. They also have a few non-alcoholic options so non drinkers can still fully indulge in the izakaya experience.

FANTASTIC meal! Each dish was thoughtful, balanced, and inspired. Cocktails were delicious and unique. Space is adorable. 1000/10 recommend and will be back!