Reviewing KazuNori: One-of-a-kind sushi experience in Los Angeles.

At KazuNori, they believe “the experience of eating hand rolls is truly something special and worthy of its own restaurant”. Their commitment to quality is unwavering, as they only serve the freshest fish, along with specially harvested seaweed, housemade sauces, and their signature warm rice. From the same creators as Sugarfish, Kazunori is the first restaurant of its kind, as the warm rice is served in crispy nori with delectable ingredients. They do not take reservations, so upon walking in there was a short line of people waiting to be seated. We observed the space– how it was dimly lit, how fast everyone in the open-air kitchen was working, as well as how fast each customer was devouring the hand rolls– which confirmed our decision to dine there, especially since we were waiting to eat next! After about 15 minutes we got a spot around the sushi bar, and were immediately greeted by our server with a menu and request to put in our drink order. 

The setup of the bar-style service means the rolls come out as they are made. There are two sushi chefs devoted to creating the hand rolls and three waiters who are in charge of taking care of the customers. We felt this was the perfect number of people in the kitchen and serving us– especially since we were able to observe every move they made since the kitchen is open-air in front of all the customers. We both ordered the 6-hand roll set which consists of toro, yellowtail, salmon, bay scallop, crab, and lobster hand rolls. You definitely get a big bang for your buck by ordering this set because of the diversity of the different types of fish served, as well as the quality of the hand rolls served. My favorite rolls are the crab and salmon ones. The flavor in the crab roll is unmatched! I am not the biggest fan of the bay scallop and lobster rolls, but my friend dining with me enjoyed them for me.

The staff is fast on their toes, attentive to details, and you can tell they enjoy what they do as you watch them make each roll right in front of you. I really liked the vibes of this location because it was dimly lit and intimate. There are only about 25 seats around the sushi bar. I appreciate how the restaurant feels high-end yet does not put too much of a dent in your wallet– KazuNori has mastered the high-end vibe on a budget! And because of how fast the service is you can be in and out of there in an hour  without feeling rushed at all. This location is ideal because of the easy, safe, and free two-hour parking with validation from the restaurant. I have ordered takeout from KazuNori before, but dining in is a next-level, top-notch experience because of the contrast between the warm rice on the crispy nori, as well as the quality service. Next time, I will certainly be ordering more than one crab hand roll because that is my favorite and other restaurants do not compare to the way KazuNori prepares them. I certainly cannot wait to dine in again soon!