I don't really know where these poor reviews come from - I've been eating at Kiku for years and have never had a bad experience. Yes, the lighting is dim and it's not exactly chic, but the food is excellent. Kiku was where I had my very first sushi, and it's hard for any sushi to live up to it.
The tuna and salmon rolls are always very fresh with the perfect amount of wasabi and their entrees are great, especially for those who don't like sushi or even Japanese food. And one of my all-time favorite foods is their tempura ice cream, with its sweet buttery tempura crust and fresh vanilla bean ice cream. Mmm. Delicious.