My co-workers wanted to try this place so bad that I ended up going here for my second time. We went there for lunch and it was rather empty and that is what it felt like. When you walk in, to the left there is a restaurant and to your right there is a bar. Both have completely different conflicting styles. The place should just decide what it is going to be, either a huge sushi dinning hall or a modern bar. There were large flat panel TVs all over the place, so maybe the owners are just in it to cash in on the sporting events.
The sushi was not impressive. It was not fresh but as another comment said, it was in fact chewy. The edamame was over cooked and had a weird smell to it as if the pot it was cooked in had not been washed. The California rolls tasted like they were made from fake crab. The miso soup had a weird flavor too. It is sad to see such corners cut which could have otherwise made this place better.
We were told by a fellow co-worker that it was cheap, however when we got there I found that not to be the case. The prices are a bit higher than RA Sushi. Check splitting is really easy, they do it for you automatically. Our waitress was lighting quick.
When you open up a sushi restaurant on Mill Ave right next to RA Sushi expect to be compared to it. Hands down I would rather go to RA Sushi or Kabuki (near Tempe Marketplace) than to Kanpai Sushi & Bar. Given Mill Avenue's track record for shops/restaurants that go out of business, I don't give this place very long.
Note: We did not drink alcohol. You should take that into consideration when reading other reviews.