Ken Sushi in Nieuwmarkt/Lastage

In one word AWESOME!! You have to experience this at least once in your life. Heavenly sushi. Nice, cozy atmosphere.

What an unforgettable evening at Ken Sushi! We opted for the omakase for €150 per person and were treated to a culinary experience that was worth every penny. From start to finish, we were surprised with a carefully crafted selection of the very best that Japanese cuisine has to offer. Each dish was a work of art – refined, balanced and prepared with respect for the season and tradition. The chef served, among other things, delicate toro sashimi, perfectly prepared nigiri with wagyu, uni, and grilled eel that literally melted on the tongue. The rice was at the right temperature, the fish was super fresh and each dish was personally explained, which made the experience even more intimate and special. The harmony between flavours, textures and presentation was unparalleled. With the whole family, we enjoyed an evening full of wonder, hospitality and top quality. Ken Sushi does not offer a dinner, but an experience – one that you as a sushi lover must experience at least once in your life.

My wife organized a surprise dinner here. I didn't know what to expect, but I can say that my perspective of eating sushi has changed drastically. For the good.

My partner and I booked the €80‑per‑person Omakase in Tako Room 2, hoping for an authentic Japanese evening. Sadly, the experience fell short from the moment we walked in: The décor feels like a patchwork of clichés rather than genuine Japanese design. You walk through Koi Room 3, then Tako Room 2, and finally Lapu Room 1. The first two are overloaded with kitschy ornaments, while Lapu Room 1 looks comparatively tasteful. Our chef, a friendly Dutch gentleman, told us he’d been making sushi for just one year. In Japan it takes close to a decade to earn the title of sushi chef, so learning this was disappointing. The restaurant advertises a “true Japanese omakase,” yet the owner is Thai and most chefs in Koi and Tako rooms are non‑Asian. Authenticity clearly isn’t the priority here. The fish itself was fresh, but freshness alone doesn’t justify the price tag. Technique, seasoning, rice temperature, and pacing all lacked the finesse you expect from a proper omakase. At €80 per person, I felt more like I purchased an Instagram experience than a true culinary experience. If you insist on trying Ken Sushi, request Lapu Room 1—at least the ambiance there aligns more closely with what you might expect from a Japanese restaurant. Otherwise, skip Koi and Tako rooms and explore Amsterdam’s genuinely Japanese kitchens instead. Additionally, we faced two problems: • Drinks – My beer arrived with mysterious debris floating in the glass. The staff couldn’t identify what it was and simply swapped it for a new one. • Billing – At the end of dinner, the waitress handed us another table’s bill—significantly higher than ours. If we hadn’t checked, we’d have overpaid. Would I return? No. An “experience” that banks on stereotypes, mishandles drinks, and can’t even print the right bill is not worth my time—or yours. Note: If at the end of the dinner you don’t do the upgrade of €25 per person, you will find yourself waiting for the other couples to finish their upgrade before you will get your last sushi bite.

Had a fantastic evening at Ken sushi. Each course explains what you are going to eat and clearly attention and love is put into each course. I would recommend it to anyone who wants to eat a really good evening and wants to take the time to do so.

Good food. Both the crowd and performative parts of the meal were a bit “instagrammy” which I don’t love

What an incredible experience at Ken Sushi! From the moment we walked in, we were warmly welcomed and the atmosphere was immediately relaxed. Our chef, Jonathan, made the evening unforgettable. He was not only extremely professional and knowledgeable, but also incredibly friendly and funny, which immediately made us feel at ease. His passion for sushi and attention to every detail shone through. Each course was a work of art in itself, with beautiful, fresh ingredients and surprising flavor combinations that complemented each other perfectly. You feel that everything here revolves around quality and hospitality. Jonathan took the time to explain each dish and really enjoyed what he was doing, which made the whole experience even more special. We will absolutely be back! And if you get the chance, be sure to ask for Jonathan!

A very nicely decorated restaurant, with top sushi

absolutely amazing experience, can't imagine why someone would rate under 5 stars

Insane quality, service, knowledge and experience.

Cozy environment, excellent customer service, and the closest sushi experience to the one I had in Japan. Highly recommended.

Lovely omakase. Service was friendly. Pacing was great. We'll be back! We loved all the courses but the dessert was a bit odd. I like Japanese desserts made from azuki bean or sweet rice but this one was eggy with scallions. It tasted more savory than sweet to us.

Great food, great staff and just a wonderful night out!

Nice concept, delicious snacks, bizarre presentation of the 'wine list', a bit of a dinner show atmosphere, the place is not really clean and the interior is very untidy. But we ate really well.

One of the best sushi places I've ever been to. The quality of their produces is excellent combined with their great service makes for a great night you'll never forget. I'll definitely come back to this place.

Maybe my expectations were too high, but I was a bit disappointed. This was mainly due to the enormous speed at which the 20 snacks were consumed (the 'experience' was over in 1.5 hours). The explanation always went very quickly and the whole thing felt very rushed. At the end we were allowed to choose a favorite that we would get again, but we didn't even get a minute to think about it. There isn't even time to properly go to the toilet in between. The chefs do a great job, you can ask them anything, and the sushi is very tasty, but the snacks are very similar. Furthermore, I got the idea that it is mainly an Instagram experience. There are many (young) people filming/photographing each dish and the chefs also constantly jokingly say that you have to eat the dish quickly (due to the temperature), but that there is time for a photo. A ban on telephones would improve the experience a lot. Finally, it is a disadvantage that part of the table opts for the expansion of 5 more dishes and part does not, so if you do not do this you have the feeling that you are missing something / watching how others continue to eat. I don't think that would be very nice for the people who do order those 5 extra snacks either. Finally: at the beginning you are warmly welcomed, but at the end there is no one to bring your coat, etc. We had to ask ourselves where we should pay. All in all: fun and a special experience, but a bit too hyped and especially too rushed.

Brilliant sushi and great staff

Don't understand all the hype. this is not omakase, sushi "chefs" are playing with gas burners instead of focusing on the quality and width of the aisles. Oh yes, the sushi chef we were sitting at told us that he has been doing this for 3 months. At any other sushi place you are still mise en placing instead of serving guests

Yes it's tasty, yes it's also a bit overrated. Given the reviews, you have very high expectations, which means you are sometimes disappointed. We therefore did not take the 5 extras. Last rounds of fairly basic sashimi, tasty but not special. We sat in a room where the bar is located. Lots of noise and waitresses constantly walking by. Will I go there again? Yes and no. No, not on my own, but yes if someone I know really wants to go there and no one else wants to go. Still 4 stars for the chef and the delicious sushi snacks. And PS; please another dessert, this was really not tasty and this is not how you end your experience on a positive note (but this is my opinion).

Wow! I would never go to an all you can eat restaurant again or order sushi via Thuisbezorgd, it's not even comparable. What a nice, quiet atmosphere, delicious food and a clear, interesting explanation about the food. A very tasty and special experience, thank you Maurice for the beautiful evening!

Plus: # setting was fine with a maximum of 9 people at 1 sushi bar # pleasant layout of the restaurant # quality of the freshness products was certainly good # nice pace of eating (we were in the 1st shift at 5.30 pm) # from the GOLDEN upgrade of €25, you can only sit down and eat Minus: # you will be interrupted 25-30 times for the explanation of the preparation of the sushi, that is 'fun' the first time you come, but not anymore # we sat with our backs to a work bar and guest payment point and that was (this evening?) noisy, restless and cramped # Experience menu 20 snacks (80 euros) there were 2 snacks that really stood out because of their very good taste and the rest were quite basic and all had extra Japanese spices which predominated and took away from the freshness and quality of the dishes # wanted to drink sparkling water while eating, but it was not available nor were certain pouring wines #always nice that you are received nicely upon arrival and your coat is hung up, when you leave again that service is hard to find and you can find out where your coat hangs Conclusion; This could have been a bit better, especially for the price of 110 euros per person for dinner alone

Had a very nice and enjoyable evening with my girlfriend last night!! The food was very tasty, there was a story behind every dish, which made the food special. It was my girlfriend's birthday and the chef and team handled it very nicely, which made it feel even more special. Great chef Maurice, thank you for the nice evening!! 😁💪

Ken (or colleague) talks passionately about the delicious sushi that is prepared before your eyes. Every sushi is a surprise, and they are happy to think along with you to give you a great evening. Top business!

Always perfect, we enjoy coming there.

Great experience. Great food and the staff makes for a great experience. We enjoyed it very much

Really delicious food here! 10/10!! Definitely worth your money! Highly recommended for everyone❤️

Nice quiet atmosphere, delicious sushi, the King was our favorite. 19x sushi and a delicious small snack for dessert. I don't remember the names... :) Nice to see it made so fresh.

Fantastic night, the best staff ever and food is a great mix familiar and new tastes

Great quality of ingredients, authentic Japanese experience, we had flashbacks from our Japan trip :)

Great evening! Definitely recommended.

The experience was completely top notch, the fish incredible and watching the chefs do their job was amazing. I would recommend this to everyone who loves sushi

It was an amazing experience! Ken was explaining a lot about food but also sharing a lot of interesting facts. Sushi/omakasi was fresh and melted in your mouth. Our favorite was mackerel 🤤 Sake recommendations were ok, I didn’t feel like the waitress knew the menu. My boyfriend said that it would be better if mayonnaise used was homemade as well and not just from the bottle. Other than that we were very happy with the service and experience overall 😊especially when we got to know we have one extra round! Dessert was small but interesting, loved the combination of sweet and fried onion!

Jonathan was very friendly and extremely knowledgeable! This dinner was the highlight of my trip to Amsterdam.

This is one of my favorite sushi restaurants in Amsterdam. We had a delicious meal and it was always freshly prepared. Thanks again for the delicious food and see you next time! Greetings Hamza and Bilal

What can I say. I came here for my birthday dinner and this place is hands down the best place to eat in Amsterdam. From start to finish it was an amazing omakase experience. The ambiance, the food and the show from Maurice the man himself. I came all the way from Canada to see this man put on a show. I was not disappointed! Will definitely come back when I'm back in the city. Make sure to add the extra 5 pieces at the end it's well worth it! Definitely recommend!

After several recommendations, we finally had dinner at Ken Sushi. What an experience. We went for the full experience. Everything was fantastic, except the dessert. I'll leave that alone next time. Yes, there will definitely be a next time. Are you hesitating to go? Don't and go!

Had a great evening. Steijn who explained everything very well and was also up for a joke, highly recommended!

A fantastic experience every time! Friendly chefs who talk about the products with passion. The food is excellent, we had the idea that 1.5 years ago there were more premium products in the basic menu, but nevertheless it is a great experience.

Simply Awesome! After a warm welcome we were escorted to our place. Because we were a bit early, we were able to watch the preparations for our dinner while enjoying a drink. This scene already made our mouths water! The dinner itself was delicious! 25 courses where each dish was provided with a matching background story by Ken! The tastiest and most fun sushi experience we've ever had! The chef who prepared and served our sushi was very friendly and we enjoyed his work and the conversations! A complete experience that you should definitely experience at least once! Thanks Ken and all the other staff! We will definitely come back!

Divine food! Delicious sushi freshly prepared, you will never want another one ❤️

A wonderful experience! The chef will guide you through a omakase experience that explodes with flavor and textures. They use high quality ingredients and pay attention to detail in every piece of food. I especially love the story that they try to tell and the explanation that they give with every course. The staff is obviously passionate about their work. I went for the upgrade for 5 extra bites, and can say with confidence that this was well worth it. We will definitely be back!

Simply wonderful! The chefs really take you into the history of sushi and how they make the sushi. Every bit was a pleasure. Highly recommended if you like sushi!

Jonathan provided a fantastic evening! Many thanks. We will definitely come back.

A must if you live or are visiting Amsterdam! It was the best Omakase experience and they served the best Otoro I've had in a long time. Can't wait to be back for the 3rd time :)

Sushi Ken is a great option for delicious sushi. Value and quality are in perfect balance. The personal aspect makes it so special. We had Jonathan as our chef and we had some nice and fun chats. The foods is yummy and definately try some of the sake recommendations, they pair really well and may surprise you.

Best Omakase experience ever!! We had Jonathan as our sushi chef and you can really see his passion towards his craft.

Very yummy high quality sushi, but a bit too much overlap between standard (inc. upgrade) and advanced omikase. Hence, only 4 stars for food.

Wonderful experience & sushi dinner at Ken’s. Everything we ate was carefully & expertly prepared, fresh and delicious, thanks to Jonathan, our chef and edu-tainer. The place itself is cozy-chic, with the separate dining rooms, a bar (wish we knew so we could enjoy a drink before our seating) and a cheeky karaoke room tucked away in a corner downstairs. Looking forward to returning - maybe dessert will be part of the menu then…?

Had a perfect evening at Ken Sushi. The food was of very high quality and super fresh. Our chef Maurice created a good atmosphere at the table and was very friendly. He also explained in a fun way about the origin of the products and the dishes he served. All in all, an evening you will not forget, thanks to the delicious food and the enthusiastic chef!

Unusual experience in the crazy center of Amsterdam. Slow food, attentive service, delicious fish, and great atmosphere. Special thanks to chef Casper, who guided this journey. 20-bite menu is well worth the price 😋

Just wow. Amazing and balanced tastes, they explain how to eat each portion to maximize the flavor and why every ingredient is chosen and made the way they did it. Service was top notch, made sure we are satisfied and could enjoy it to the fullest. Overall the 4.9 they have is justified, (5 from me)

1 word: indescribable, best omakase I have tried it my life

Wow, what an experience, fantastic food in a nice atmosphere. Nice service. Truly the best sushi I have ever eaten

Great experience, had a lovely night. Thanks Jonathan!!!

Excellent experience, food and service. Looking forward to coming again

I visited Ken upon recommendation from my hotel butler. This was a fantastic experience - excellent service and very high quality ingredients. I highly recommend this place.

A wonderful sushi experience! One of the best culinary experiences I've had in the Netherlands and in general, and I've been to Japan! Everything was excellent from start to finish, the service was exceptional, the explanations we received about the dishes were fascinating and the food was 10/10…… Although not cheap, it's worth the price in my opinion. Highly recommend and will definitely come back again in the future!

I normally never write reviews, but Ken Sushi was totally worth it. Stijn, who helped us throughout the evening, was great – his humor and personal touch made the experience extra special. The restaurant has a cozy atmosphere and the food was delicious: fresh, tasty and well presented. Stijn gave us a lot of nice background information about the dishes. If you eat sushi here, you won't want it anywhere else. Definitely recommended! We will definitely come back.

For my son's birthday he invited me for an unforgettable sushi experience, and what an evening it was! Chef Tom excelled with his passion and craftsmanship. Each dish was a work of art, with exquisite flavors and a presentation that exuded nothing less than perfection. Tom's explanation about the origin and preparation of the dishes gave the evening extra depth. From the soft sashimi to the melting wagyu, everything was prepared with love and expertise. In addition to the great food, the warm atmosphere and the conversations with my son made the evening complete. The hilarious ending – a Zara paper bag tearing through the rain – provided a laugh we won't soon forget. Thank you, Atabey Can, for this wonderful memory and Chef Tom, for your masterful dishes! 🍣✨

Amazing evening. Great food, discoveries, originality and ambience. Can only recommend

Ok, I really WANT to give it a ten, but actually I think it's a 9.5. So rounded off, 5 stars 😊 An evening of omakase at Ken sushi is definitely worth it! The sushi is tasty and freshly prepared in front of you and you will try sushi that you probably haven't had before (for example the herring sushi was a first for me). The room is pleasant and quiet (Tako room) and I was very happy that they had taken into account the fact that I cannot tolerate loud noises and had therefore reserved a nice spot in the corner for us. I had a very nice evening and the girl serving was really sweet and did a great job. Jonathan, our chef, also did a great job 👍🏻 We had the upgrade of €25 pp for 5 extra dishes and we were happy that we did because we liked those 5 dishes the most of the entire evening 🙈 Even if you like sake's you can indulge yourself here! The only thing I didn't like was the sashimi course. I found the tuna varieties tasteless and sticky in texture. I didn't eat these either, I thought they were so 'dirty' actually... Apart from that, everything was great so for me a 9.5!

Been to Ken Sushi several times. Every time it is a taste sensation, nice relaxed atmosphere and good service. One real 10!

Best sushi experience I ever had. Will be back for sure!

Your view on Sushi will be changed forever! What an experience, what skill and especially what fantastic food. I can recommend it to everyone, although it is not cheap, but it is well worth it!

First of all, the food was very tasty. The selection is fresh and tasty. The experience at the bar with the chef in front of you completes the experience. You will receive explanations about everything. Also good advice about the wine or sake. Absolutely recommended.

Great food, super nice atmosphere and very nice staff.

What an amazing experience we enjoyed the food, Ken's enthusiasm and especially his love for the beautiful ingredients. Absolute gem of a restaurant! We will definitely come back. The fact that we were served the Kamatoro was absolutely spectacular and possibly the only time we have ever been able to eat this. Thanks Ken and team for the wonderful and fantastic experience!

Jonathan provided a wonderful evening with so much pleasure and skill. As if we were back in Japan. Tastiest sushi in the area.

Had a fantastic evening here. Chef Jonathan at Omakase EXPERIENCE 2, Tako room, gave us a very nice experience. He talks very well about the dishes and is very enthusiastic. The atmosphere in the restaurant was great anyway, the staff is very sweet. I recommend everyone to eat here, it's really 10/10! The 5 extra dishes are also definitely worth it!

The staff was very nice, the ingredients were very fresh, and the texture was so delicious that it melted in your mouth!

Great omakase, or “I leave it to you”. Here you simply choose the number of dishes in advance and then the skilled sushi chefs take you on a tasty journey. You are absolutely in good hands. The tastiest sushi, mainly nigiri, is prepared in front of you. Fresh, tasty and also a feast for the eyes. As a less experienced sushi eater, you will also learn how to best eat sushi. In addition, as the evening progresses, you will be introduced to all kinds of stories and backgrounds while eating. A sake recommended by the staff completes the experience, although there are also plenty of non-alcoholic and non-Japanese drinks available. All in all it was a great experience.

The sushi were fantastic. One of the best experiences in the Netherlands. The service was also great, with the chef explaining each sushi and a helper with the drinks All seats are on sushi bar. After 20 pieces and €100 later with drinks, I didn't feel full though. Great experience.

Amazing spot for Omakase. Ken and his team were great, describing each dish and it’s origins before presenting it. Everything tasted amazing.

Very nice and friendly atmosphere. Everyone comes to serve your food and drinks professionally and with passion. We went for the advanced and I really enjoyed it. I'm a big eater and for me it was enough. Thanks

Great omakase, great storytelling and passionate and professional staff loved every sip and bit of it

Amazing place, everything was very fresh. Would recommend 🤍

Went there for the omakase experience for my birthday and had a great time - the food is exceptionally delicious and Maurice was a wonderful host and very thoughtful and accommodating of our dietary restrictions. For anyone looking for an authentic and special omakase in Amsterdam, we would highly recommend!

It was an amazing night! We were very pleased by the quality of each meal prepared by the chief Ken! Good surprise at the end of the night you get to decide which was your favorite and you enjoy one last perfect sushi of your choices! Wow! You know how to make us happy!

Got Ken Sushi as a gift, never had Omakase before. It was amazing. Jonathan was a great host and the food was delicious. Pricey, but we'll be coming back.

I love Omakase. Im such a snob when it is about sushi and Japanese food in general. If you love omakase this is the place that you have to go to. It was wonderful. I the prix fixed menu and wow 🤌🏻 I can’t even express how good it was. Ken explained with such a detail every plate and ever fish we were having. This will be one of my favorite restaurants, sad that I don’t live here.

Amazing sushi omakase experience, definitely worth repeating! The +5 expansion is highly recommended and takes the experience to an even higher level. I can hardly wait to go back!

This is a nice omakase experience where sushi chefs make sushis in front of you while explaining the details of every sushi they make. Staff are very friendly as well.

Great top quality sushi. The chef explains everything about the dishes and also has a chat in between. In short, we had a wonderful evening.

AMAZING. Chef Ken is top notch. Delicious food. Why doesn't this tent have a Michelin star yet?

Amazing experience. The tastiest sushi we have ever had and we also learned a lot in a fun way. We will definitely come back! They also have delicious and special sake.

This was a delightful experience. Our chef explained each dish patiently. And the 20-pc set was really good.

the best sushi experience you can get and we've been to Japan. 10 out of 10.

A Fantastic Omakase Experience We recently had the pleasure of dining at Chef Ken's omakase, and it was amazing. The quality of the food was superb with every dish showcasing fresh, flavorful ingredients. It was impossible to choose a favorite dish. Chef Ken and his team were impressive. Highly recommend it for anyone seeking an authentic and memorable omakase meal!

An experience not to miss. Focus on the food and an intimate atmosphere.

Great food, excellent quality and perfect service.

Had a really great evening with delicious food, good service and fun to hear the explanation of the food and see its preparation. Recommended!

Speechless at the passion and hard work that goes in to the meals here. That's all that needs to be said. Simply exceptional.

I've been going to Ken's since his old location and I'm happy to see the new location allowed him a bigger stage for his showmanship and craftsmanship. Ken is very generous and honest, and i think that's what make people feel not only satisfied with the food but understand how it's made with his background. I loom forward to many visits ahead.

Fantastic. We were served by a young chef, Maurice. He was amazing, friendly and very kind, and most importantly, the food, was incredible. I enjoyed every bite to my heart's content. I'll definitely be back!

Jonathan explains dish by dish how the fish is prepared and where it comes from. How it should be eaten. Everything in a professional but relaxed atmosphere. Perfect for a culinary evening with drinks, good food and a comfortable amount of humor. Not too much, but certainly enough humor Create a nice, casual atmosphere. Thank you Jonathan!

It was a beautiful night out. The setting of the restaurant is really stunning. The food was prepared right in front of us and the chef talked about everything he prepared and he instructed us on how to eat it. The fish were fresh, the combinations of flavors were complex and we tried something new with almost each bite. There was a Thai dessert, that the owners wife prepares. It was really refreshing. The service was always super attentive and very friendly. We took the 20 bite omakase for 80€ each. At the end we both felt satisfied but we could have maybe gone for the upgrade of 5 more bites. Those looked delicious too (someone else from our table took them).

The food was so good, the experience made it even better. Every piece of sushi was so fresh and good. Our chef presented it in such a good way and was a great storyteller. It’s pricey but was totally worth it, especially for a special occasion.

Had a great evening with our family. Not cheap, but a unique experience, TOP quality dishes and friendly service

Excellent sushi, great chef, friendly atmosphere

Absolutely amazing experience and food. Good sake, too. 100% recommend the upgrade as well.