Kiyoshi Omakase

Kiyoshi Omakase is an intimate 8-seat omakase counter in downtown Overland Park, opened April 2026 by chef-owner Jerry Cao, bringing Edomae-style sushi and a live chef performance format to a format he describes as “the first and only dedicated omakase destination” in the Kansas City metro.¹

Description

Kiyoshi Omakase offers a single nightly format: up to eight guests seated at a counter, watching chef Jerry Cao select, slice, torch, season, and plate each of 14 courses in real time. There is no printed menu — the progression is driven by daily ingredient availability in the Edomae tradition, which emphasizes the relationship between chef, ingredient, and guest. The experience is priced at $98 per person and typically includes an A5 Wagyu beef course, a foie gras dish, black truffle, and premium caviar alongside the nigiri progression.¹²

The restaurant operates at 8016 Santa Fe Drive in downtown Overland Park — the same stretch of Santa Fe Drive that has become one of the denser concentrations of independent restaurants in the southern KC metro. Kiyoshi is reported to be fully booked every night within its first month of operation.³

Ownership and history

Chef Jerry Cao trained in sushi for 15 years in New York City, working in renowned sushi establishments primarily on the Lower East Side and co-founding Zen Sushi Omakase in New York with his brothers. He relocated to Overland Park approximately three years before opening Kiyoshi, drawn by family ties in the area. After relocating, he opened a smaller, informal sushi restaurant in Overland Park — a “hole-in-the-wall” concept that earned a 4.9-star Google rating and consecutive Yelp awards.³

After selling that business, Cao pursued a format better suited to his training: a fully chef-driven omakase experience. Kiyoshi Omakase opened in April 2026. Manager Yuanyuan “Haley” Li, who brings nearly two decades of restaurant industry experience, co-runs operations.⁴ Cao’s stated motivation for Overland Park specifically: “The Midwest doesn’t have a lot of omakase-style restaurants right now,” making Kiyoshi a genuinely distinctive entry in the Kansas City dining landscape.⁴

Links

• KiyoshiOmakase.com
• Resy reservations

Sources

Disputes

None at this time.

Footnotes

1. https://kiyoshiomakase.com/ — Official website. Asserts: 8016 Santa Fe Dr address; 8-seat format; 14-course $98 omakase; A5 Wagyu, foie gras, black truffle, caviar courses; Edomae sushi style; live chef performance. ↩ ↩²

2. https://voyagekc.com/interview/hidden-gems-meet-jerry-cao-of-kiyoshi-omakase — VoyageKC Magazine. Asserts: Jerry Cao as owner; 15 years NYC sushi training; co-founded Zen Sushi Omakase in NYC; prior OP hole-in-the-wall restaurant (4.9 stars); Kiyoshi fully booked within one month. ↩

3. https://voyagekc.com/interview/hidden-gems-meet-jerry-cao-of-kiyoshi-omakase — VoyageKC. Asserts: fully booked every night within first month; prior OP restaurant sold before opening Kiyoshi. ↩ ↩²

4. https://johnsoncountypost.com/2026/04/21/kiyoshi-overland-park-284566/ — Johnson County Post. Asserts: opened April 2026; Jerry Cao and Haley Li as co-operators; family ties to OP; “first and only dedicated omakase” in KC metro claim; 18+ years chef experience. ↩ ↩²