Grand Strand Restaurants Review

Kono recipes are accented by specialty drinks

Anyone who has visited an upscale restaurant in Japan knows the aura of polished woods and soft lighting. The Kono café and steakhouse in Myrtle Beach has all of that plus an unusual menu that is not limited only to Japanese cuisine.  One reason is that it is located in the same building as two other restaurants and it shares a kitchen with a Brazilian steakhouse.

“It’s more of an Asian fusion. You take the best Japanese and the best Chinese and you combine them and come up with what we have here,” said Thomas Ermmarino, the General Manager of the Myrtle Beach Dining Group which owns and operates many restaurants on the Grand Strand.

The favorite item is more Japanese than Chinese and it’s probably because the customers gets a chance to do some of his or her own cooking.  It’s the Hibachi grill which sits right on top of the table and customers have the opportunity to cook their favorite bites and eat them piping hot right there.  Some of the offerings include lobster tail, chicken and filet mignon.  “Actually it’s not just dinner, it’s a show as well,” said Ermmarino.

Prominent in the large dining area is the Sushi Bar and what makes it special is that Kono Sushi chefs start out with whole fish, not some frozen package shipped in from a warehouse.  The only exception is Tuna because the fish is so large and as a result Kono gets the tail section, which then can be cut into servable pieces.

There’s more to Kono Sushi than what’s on the menu, however.  The chefs prepare a number of specialty recipes including one called the “Torch Roll,” which is finished off with a blow torch just before it is served.  Something that is not served, but may be in the future, is a dessert sushi.  Ermmarino said he’s working on that, but it’s still in the planning stage.

The specialty of the house, and what appears to be the most popular, is the fish of the day. In fact, it is the whole fish of the day, whether it’s a Red Snapper, a Flounder, or other fish, it is cooked and served whole, the head included. 

There four different restaurants in the complex that houses Kono, all of them owned and operated by the Dining Group.  There is also the Kono lounge which has regular live entertainment and a dance floor.

The restaurants are all together and share outside verandas and during the height of the tourist season provide more than 120 jobs for restaurant workers. 

The complex is located at 19th Avenue North and Kings Highway and is easily spotted by the brand new four story “Pagoda” structure that has been added to the roof of the building.

There’s more to come for the Dining Group according to Ermmarino.  He said a new “all-you-can-eat” restaurant is being planned to replace the fish restaurant located at about 67th Avenue North and Kings Highway and another Soho restaurant is planned for the Coastal Carolina University neighborhood in Conway. 

KONO ASIAN GRILL
1901 North Kings Highway
Myrtle Beach, SC 29577
(843) 445-7646 | Menu

Restaurant Type: Bar/Pub, Casual, Diner, Family, Seafood
Meals Served: Lunch, Dinner, Late Night
Food Type: Asian, Japanese
Features: Alcohol Served, Child Friendly, Early Bird Specials, Entertainment, Full Menu, Group Discounts, Group Seating, Handicap Accessible, No Smoking Area, Open Holidays, Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Smoke Free Facility, Take Out, Vegetarian Options
Avg Cost: $10-$20. Location: Central