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Bozu was everything you'd hope for when thinking of a true Japanese izakaya experience. Every dish we tried was full of flavor, the service was amazing, and the atmosphere was warm, welcoming, and authentic. If you're in the Moiliili area and craving quality Japanese food, look no further. Whether it's sushi, chawanmushi, sashimi, kama, or just about any traditional Japanese dish, Bozu delivers. This is definitely a spot where you can sit back, enjoy the experience, and know you're being taken care of.
Food was good. Ordered lobster dynamite, pork belly, tako, spicy tuna sushi, hamachi , unagi and avocado roll, shrimp tempura, grilled moi, salmon skin salad. My favorite was the salmon skin salad. Would have given another star but the service by one server was not satisfactory at all. We asked her what type of seafood was in the seafood dynamite and she said any kind . We asked what types? She said she didn't know and changes everyday. We were hoping she would say let me check but she didn't . We asked what was most popular and she basically said everything. I would say she wasn't much help. It is a small place so I would recommend making a reservation.
My buddy and I decided to get some sushi for dinner, after a tiring Friday. We hadn't been to Bozu in quite some time, since the last several times we tried, they were fully booked and the wait was going to be 2 hours. This time we lucked out, and it was only 45 minutes for the counter, so we headed over to the McCully Shopping Center and found parking fairly quickly. We still had about 30 minutes to kill, so we went to Osaka Teppanyaki downstairs to have a beer, while we waited. Ms. Akane was so gracious, as always, and sat us at their bar and we enjoyed a couple of draft beers, before heading upstairs. We were seated right away, and ordered the 5 assorted sashimi platter. My buddy had a salmon skin hand roll, which was stuffed with crispy salmon skin, a fair amount of salmon meat, thick slices of avocado, sprouts and rice, wrapped in crisp nori. The sashimi platter was amazing, and included thick slices of Salmon, Ahi, Hamachi, Scallop, and Snapper; all beautifully arranged and served with shredded daikon garnish, shiso leaves, red radish slices and washing wasabi. I was surprised that they didn't include and pickled ginger (and forgot to ask). Of course, we also had a couple of their oyster shooters; fresh, raw oyster on a bed of yamaimo in a light sauce, topped with a raw quail egg; so yummy. I ordered the chawanmushi (savory egg custard), which was served cold, topped with a grasping scoop of Ikura, crab and a small piece of uni; also great. A copious amount of sake accompanied our dinner, and we exited 90 minutes later, very satisfied. They were pretty busy on this Good Friday, and service, even at the counter, was a bit slow, but it was still a good night, and I'll definitely be back again, dinner, rather than later, hopefully.
My absolute favorite izakaya spot! I literally have cravings for the chilled/cold chawanmushi! It's topped with ikura, real crab, uni, and Shiso. A must try! I usually need to order more than one. I have gone numerous times and have tried many dishes.... Everything is delicious! There is something for everyone. (Their menu is pretty extensive) Some of my favorites include: -chawanmushi -chirashi -pork cheek skewers -seafood and vegetable kakiage -uni beef Shiso yamaimo rolls The staff are always very nice and attentive. The spot is clean and cozy with the standard Izakaya restaurant ambiance. It isn't large and fills up fast during prime dinner hours, so reservations are highly recommended. Tips: parking can be very limited during dinner hours. Going before 6pm of after 745pm will make parking easier. Also, many of the stalls are extremely tight. Large vehicles will have more difficulty with parking.
Treated to a scrumptious Japanese dinner. My wife and I were invited to dinner at Bozu. Thank you to Craig C and wife Keli. Craig who had been here, raved about the Burdock tempura and stuffed Jalapeño. Both were excellent choices. The sushi that we ordered were all top grade. The restaurant is located on the second floor of the McCully Shopping center. I suggest making reservations. Enjoy
I came upon this place on a random night and may have found my new favorite place to eat at. The food was so good. I wish I ordered more food. The workers greet you when you come in and when you leave. There's a good amount of seating inside and the price is reasonable for the quality. This place also has parking outside too. I recommend coming here if you're craving japanese food or want to try something new. i'll be back!
Because it has a good reputation, I went there with a female friend. There are two parking spaces available, and there's also parking under the building, which is convenient. I had a hard time choosing from the menu. However, my friend only eats fish and vegetables, so we chose from those options. The presentation was beautiful, and the food was delicious. If you want to enjoy drinks, appetizers, and sushi, this is a recommended restaurant. The only thing to note is that reservations are required. We ordered tomato salad, seared mackerel sushi, chicken meatballs, bozu-style chawanmushi, fish sashimi (we were also able to eat the fried fish bones!), an octopus dish, and pickled bitter melon. 評判がよいので、女性の友人と2人で、いきました。ここは、パーキングスペースが、２つあり、ビルの下にも、スペースがあるので、便利です。メニューは、迷いました。しかし、友人は、魚と野菜しか食べない人なので、このメニューから、選びました。盛り付けも、美しいし、美味しいです。お酒とおつまみ、寿司を食べたいなら、おすすめの店です。注意点があるとしたら、要予約ですね。 我々が、オーダーしたのは、トマトおひたし、鯖のあぶりずし、鳥のつくね、bozu style chawanmushi. お魚の刺身(これは、骨の唐揚げも、食べれました！).タコのメニュー、ゴーヤの甘酢漬けでした。
Hole in the wall. Totally authentic. Great food. Excellent sake menu. Wonderful service. Filled with locals.
Bozu is a fun japanese izakaya with a well rounded menu offering great drinks, sushi, yakitori and even pastas! Started the meal with the skewers which were perfectly cooked and seasoned. You can choose to have it with soy sauce braise or salt. The pork cheek and jowl were really delicious but better with salt in my opinion. The jidori chicken I preferred with soy sauce. The squid tempura was a stand out for me. It was with dried squid which made it unique and different from calamari. Its fairly salty so better with a drink. The mentaiko pasta was solid and at a fair price! I would get it again
Update on Bozu it's been awhile before pandemic I order take out for lunch now Bozu is only serving dinner . Tonight my 2 good friends decided to go out for sushi one of my buddy knows the owner so we sat on the bar and enjoyed all kinds of sushi . The fish was very fresh and all the side dishes were on Par . My favorite was the deep fried burdock (Gobo) . Along with the lobster dynamite . We all walked out happy campers definitely will be back . Support local
It was really nice to return to Bozu after so long. Seeing the familiar faces behind the bar and on the floor really brought warmth to our already special evening. We started off with oysters and they were so good we finished with them as well. Then we had uni shooters to really kick off our celebration. There was something lemony and bright in one of the layers that made the sun shine in the creaminess of the sea urchin. Is this what led to the beef watercress salad just HITting? I mean she has been a winner every time but I think they also changed something in the recipe. I could be wrong. But the beef was especially tender, too. I was super moved. I didn't take a picture but the Tsukune (jidori chicken meatball) is a must. Select Tare (sauce) when asked. They make most of their sauces from scratch and yes, winner, winner chicken dinner. Best on island! Actually best I've ever had and I just got back from 3 months in Japan. Maybe one day I can be shown better, but as of right now, best. The last thing I'll mention for now, cuz I'll likely write another review, is the "yam" or nagaimo uni beef roll. Amazing! It was light yet grounding at the same time. And maybe it was a sleight of hand or tongue or cheek but the chew in the beef made me feel like there was more uni than there actually was. Talk about magical! I have this almost absurd thing where I feel ultimate forms of luxury when enjoying land and sea (surf and turf) and to get it in one well executed bite was metamorphic. I am changed. Thank you time and time again for such a great dining experience. We love you!
Thanks to my brother Craig and hes wife Kelli for a good Christmas dinner treat . Wow amazing that burdock tempura called gobo I really loved it. The sushi was good too. The negitoro ahi, the ikura the salmon skin roll was outstanding. Everything was so good I was so full it must cost them a fortune but worth every penny. You'll never had sushi like this kind sushi grade A top notch. It does get crowded so make reservations way in advance. My brother said he had to check back 2 weeks before the event to make the reservations confirmation. Thank you Craig and Kelli again.
After being curious about this place for months now, I'm so glad my friend and I finally decided to try Bozu! Contrary to what you'd normally do at an izakaya, we only ordered two dishes, but we were definitely impressed by both of them. The Agedashi Tofu comes with 5 pieces and was light and freshly made, creating the ideal crispy exterior and soft interior that you'd expect. The Mentaiko Butter Pasta was perfectly cooked, decadent, and flavorful without being too rich or heavy. Already looking forward to going back to try their other items! Service was great here as well. We were greeted warmly and politely told that, because we didn't have a reservation, we'd have to be finished by a certain time. It seems the restaurant quickly fills up even on weeknights. We're definitely grateful they were still able to accomodate us as walk-ins, but note to self--make a reservation ahead of time if possible!
2 months ago
3 months ago
Bozu is a local Japanese restaurant where all the locals seem to go. It's located in an unassuming strip mall (reminds me of LA's Koreatown) and we were able to walk there from Waikiki. We ordered a bit too much food and spent a little under $200 for two people after tax and tip. Some dishes we ordered: 1. Spicy tuna and salmon with garlic roll ($26.50) - massive roll and quite heavy...this was the last dish to come out and we were STUFFED by then. It's good, but I would have preferred to start the meal with this roll, not end with it. 2. Atsuage natto ($9.50) - ordered to hit my protein macros. It's literally fried tofu topped with a generous serving of natto. 3. Eggplant in dashi sauce ($6.50) - light appetizer, and seemed fairly healthy. 4. Miso chilean sea bass ($30) - very flaky and fresh. I was already getting full by this point after our apps and nigiri came out. 5. The nigiri and rolls were all fresh and ranged in pricing. We each got 3 pieces of nigiri and split a couple small rolls in addition to the aforementioned spicy tuna and salmon. Service was decent. We sat at the counter and the chefs were all very nice. read more
5 months ago
Best service, even when we showed up right before last call. Thank you! Most places don't look too happy when you walk in right before last call. We are always looking for a quick night cap after UH games and Bozu has both good drinks and quality sushi and sashimi. read more
Bozu was everything you'd hope for when thinking of a true Japanese izakaya experience. Every dish we tried was full of flavor, the service was amazing, and the atmosphere was warm, welcoming, and authentic. If you're in the Moiliili area and craving quality Japanese food, look no further. Whether it's sushi, chawanmushi, sashimi, kama, or just about any traditional Japanese dish, Bozu delivers. This is definitely a spot where you can sit back, enjoy the experience, and know you're being taken care of. read more
Food was good. Ordered lobster dynamite, pork belly, tako, spicy tuna sushi, hamachi , unagi and avocado roll, shrimp tempura, grilled moi, salmon skin salad. My favorite was the salmon skin salad. Would have given another star but the service by one server was not satisfactory at all. We asked her what type of seafood was in the seafood dynamite and she said any kind . We asked what types? She said she didn't know and changes everyday. We were hoping she would say let me check but she didn't . We asked what was most popular and she basically said everything. I would say she wasn't much help. It is a small place so I would recommend making a reservation. read more
My buddy and I decided to get some sushi for dinner, after a tiring Friday. We hadn't been to Bozu in quite some time, since the last several times we tried, they were fully booked and the wait was going to be 2 hours. This time we lucked out, and it was only 45 minutes for the counter, so we headed over to the McCully Shopping Center and found parking fairly quickly. We still had about 30 minutes to kill, so we went to Osaka Teppanyaki downstairs to have a beer, while we waited. Ms. Akane was so gracious, as always, and sat us at their bar and we enjoyed a couple of draft beers, before heading upstairs. We were seated right away, and ordered the 5 assorted sashimi platter. My buddy had a salmon skin hand roll, which was stuffed with crispy salmon skin, a fair amount of salmon meat, thick slices of avocado, sprouts and rice, wrapped in crisp nori. The sashimi platter was amazing, and included thick slices of Salmon, Ahi, Hamachi, Scallop, and Snapper; all beautifully arranged and served with shredded daikon garnish, shiso leaves, red radish slices and washing wasabi. I was surprised that they didn't include and pickled ginger (and forgot to ask). Of course, we also had a couple of their oyster shooters; fresh, raw oyster on a bed of yamaimo in a light sauce, topped with a raw quail egg; so yummy. I ordered the chawanmushi (savory egg custard), which was served cold, topped with a grasping scoop of Ikura, crab and a small piece of uni; also great. A copious amount of sake accompanied our dinner, and we exited 90 minutes later, very satisfied. They were pretty busy on this Good Friday, and service, even at the counter, was a bit slow, but it was still a good night, and I'll definitely be back again, dinner, rather than later, hopefully. read more
My absolute favorite izakaya spot! I literally have cravings for the chilled/cold chawanmushi! It's topped with ikura, real crab, uni, and Shiso. A must try! I usually need to order more than one. I have gone numerous times and have tried many dishes.... Everything is delicious! There is something for everyone. (Their menu is pretty extensive) Some of my favorites include: -chawanmushi -chirashi -pork cheek skewers -seafood and vegetable kakiage -uni beef Shiso yamaimo rolls The staff are always very nice and attentive. The spot is clean and cozy with the standard Izakaya restaurant ambiance. It isn't large and fills up fast during prime dinner hours, so reservations are highly recommended. Tips: parking can be very limited during dinner hours. Going before 6pm of after 745pm will make parking easier. Also, many of the stalls are extremely tight. Large vehicles will have more difficulty with parking. read more
9 months ago
Treated to a scrumptious Japanese dinner. My wife and I were invited to dinner at Bozu. Thank you to Craig C and wife Keli. Craig who had been here, raved about the Burdock tempura and stuffed Jalapeño. Both were excellent choices. The sushi that we ordered were all top grade. The restaurant is located on the second floor of the McCully Shopping center. I suggest making reservations. Enjoy read more
2 months ago
I came upon this place on a random night and may have found my new favorite place to eat at. The food was so good. I wish I ordered more food. The workers greet you when you come in and when you leave. There's a good amount of seating inside and the price is reasonable for the quality. This place also has parking outside too. I recommend coming here if you're craving japanese food or want to try something new. i'll be back! read more
Because it has a good reputation, I went there with a female friend. There are two parking spaces available, and there's also parking under the building, which is convenient. I had a hard time choosing from the menu. However, my friend only eats fish and vegetables, so we chose from those options. The presentation was beautiful, and the food was delicious. If you want to enjoy drinks, appetizers, and sushi, this is a recommended restaurant. The only thing to note is that reservations are required. We ordered tomato salad, seared mackerel sushi, chicken meatballs, bozu-style chawanmushi, fish sashimi (we were also able to eat the fried fish bones!), an octopus dish, and pickled bitter melon. 評判がよいので、女性の友人と2人で、いきました。ここは、パーキングスペースが、２つあり、ビルの下にも、スペースがあるので、便利です。メニューは、迷いました。しかし、友人は、魚と野菜しか食べない人なので、このメニューから、選びました。盛り付けも、美しいし、美味しいです。お酒とおつまみ、寿司を食べたいなら、おすすめの店です。注意点があるとしたら、要予約ですね。 我々が、オーダーしたのは、トマトおひたし、鯖のあぶりずし、鳥のつくね、bozu style chawanmushi. お魚の刺身(これは、骨の唐揚げも、食べれました！).タコのメニュー、ゴーヤの甘酢漬けでした。 read more
Bozu is a fun japanese izakaya with a well rounded menu offering great drinks, sushi, yakitori and even pastas! Started the meal with the skewers which were perfectly cooked and seasoned. You can choose to have it with soy sauce braise or salt. The pork cheek and jowl were really delicious but better with salt in my opinion. The jidori chicken I preferred with soy sauce. The squid tempura was a stand out for me. It was with dried squid which made it unique and different from calamari. Its fairly salty so better with a drink. The mentaiko pasta was solid and at a fair price! I would get it again read more
Update on Bozu it's been awhile before pandemic I order take out for lunch now Bozu is only serving dinner . Tonight my 2 good friends decided to go out for sushi one of my buddy knows the owner so we sat on the bar and enjoyed all kinds of sushi . The fish was very fresh and all the side dishes were on Par . My favorite was the deep fried burdock (Gobo) . Along with the lobster dynamite . We all walked out happy campers definitely will be back . Support local read more
21 days ago
It was really nice to return to Bozu after so long. Seeing the familiar faces behind the bar and on the floor really brought warmth to our already special evening. We started off with oysters and they were so good we finished with them as well. Then we had uni shooters to really kick off our celebration. There was something lemony and bright in one of the layers that made the sun shine in the creaminess of the sea urchin. Is this what led to the beef watercress salad just HITting? I mean she has been a winner every time but I think they also changed something in the recipe. I could be wrong. But the beef was especially tender, too. I was super moved. I didn't take a picture but the Tsukune (jidori chicken meatball) is a must. Select Tare (sauce) when asked. They make most of their sauces from scratch and yes, winner, winner chicken dinner. Best on island! Actually best I've ever had and I just got back from 3 months in Japan. Maybe one day I can be shown better, but as of right now, best. The last thing I'll mention for now, cuz I'll likely write another review, is the "yam" or nagaimo uni beef roll. Amazing! It was light yet grounding at the same time. And maybe it was a sleight of hand or tongue or cheek but the chew in the beef made me feel like there was more uni than there actually was. Talk about magical! I have this almost absurd thing where I feel ultimate forms of luxury when enjoying land and sea (surf and turf) and to get it in one well executed bite was metamorphic. I am changed. Thank you time and time again for such a great dining experience. We love you! read more
9 months ago
Thanks to my brother Craig and hes wife Kelli for a good Christmas dinner treat . Wow amazing that burdock tempura called gobo I really loved it. The sushi was good too. The negitoro ahi, the ikura the salmon skin roll was outstanding. Everything was so good I was so full it must cost them a fortune but worth every penny. You'll never had sushi like this kind sushi grade A top notch. It does get crowded so make reservations way in advance. My brother said he had to check back 2 weeks before the event to make the reservations confirmation. Thank you Craig and Kelli again. read more
After being curious about this place for months now, I'm so glad my friend and I finally decided to try Bozu! Contrary to what you'd normally do at an izakaya, we only ordered two dishes, but we were definitely impressed by both of them. The Agedashi Tofu comes with 5 pieces and was light and freshly made, creating the ideal crispy exterior and soft interior that you'd expect. The Mentaiko Butter Pasta was perfectly cooked, decadent, and flavorful without being too rich or heavy. Already looking forward to going back to try their other items! Service was great here as well. We were greeted warmly and politely told that, because we didn't have a reservation, we'd have to be finished by a certain time. It seems the restaurant quickly fills up even on weeknights. We're definitely grateful they were still able to accomodate us as walk-ins, but note to self--make a reservation ahead of time if possible! read more
1 year ago
We actually tried to walk in on a weekday and they said they were full so we called and made a same day reservation for 6pm the following Saturday. Spicy Tuna & Seared Salmon Garlic Roll - 4/5, similar to a baked roll, very good, just overpriced at $26 Spider Roll - 5/5, good ratio of soft shelled crab Nigiri 10 Pc Combo - 2/5, can name more pieces we disliked than liked, not fresh, fried shrimp head was delicious though Salmon Skin Salad - 3/5, lots of salmon skin, good variety of assorted vegetables, salad dressing was lacking in flavor and there was a seafoody aftertaste Chicken Thigh, Pork Jowl Skewer - 5/5, honesty regret not ordering more skewers, the highlight of the meal, seasoned and grilled perfectly read more
3 months ago
I told my husband if he want to make me happy just take me to BOZU!I love the foods, drinks and services! read more
4 months ago
Bozu has such good vibes and makes you feel like you're in Japan! The atmosphere is cozy and authentic, making it one of our favorite spots. The Bozu chawanmushi is a must-order and always my favorite. Great food, great ambiance, and a place we love coming back to. read more
2 years ago
5 stars for food, service and environment! Don't let this bustling casual restaurant fool you - they serve delicious food and good quality sushi! We tried a variety of dishes and enjoyed most of them! One thing that I loved about this place was how much garnish they used whether it be nori, green onions, shiso, radish or whatever. It just adds more depth to any dish. My favorite was actually their agedashi tofu. I can't remember the last one I had that tasted right before I tried Bozu's. The batter was good, the sauce was amazing, and it came with a lot of green onions! I also enjoyed their baked rolls. Their fish was fresh and buttery too so you can't go wrong with the assorted selection. I had high hopes for their beef tongue and cold chawanmushi, but turns out those were my least favorite. I prefer the egg hot, but I get it because they put uni and ikura on top so the egg had to be served cold. So I think I'll just prefer having the seafood on sushi and not steamed egg. The chilled steamed egg just didn't have the smooth silky texture like hot steamed egg. The beef tongue was too chewy for me. I'm not sure if it's the cut or the thickness of the tongue. Beef tongue dish tends to be a hit or miss item from my experience. Other places do it better. If you could get a counter seat, do it! The sushi chef was nice and friendly, and it's always fun to see how the food is made. There's extra parking at the back for free if the front looks a little chaotic. read more
Stopped here for dinner one night, it is in a strip mall just off Ala Wai canal, easy walk from the Hilton resort complex. We arrived at 5:30pm shortly after it was opened, asked to be sat at the bar. It was fun watching the chef preparing our food. The menu was so huge it was almost overwhelming! Every dish was excellent, sushi was very fresh, Yakitori skewers were great! We loved all the dishes we ordered and would definitely return again! read more
Ordered to go, miso, butter, fish, spider, softshell, crab, edamame! Late night snack lol Food was ready as soon as I pulled up and the cashier was friendly and asked me if I wanted some of their other selections which was the edamame! I will definitely return to try some more entrees! read more
5 months ago
Starting off 2025 with a new fave. I've had Bozu bookmarked for ages and were happy to finally have the opportunity to eat here. We did not have reservations but came when they opened at 5pm, and were able to be seated right away, as long as we left by 630pm. Ok! I saw others being turned away while we were there because they quickly got packed! Service was very nice, attentive and friendly. Our sever made great suggestions! Chawanmushi- cold Chawanmushi which is a savory steamed egg topped with ikura, uni, and a dashi ponzu sauce. 8/10 Bozu roll- special roll with ahi sashimi, real crab, cucumber, topped with ikura. 9/10 Hamachi Kama- cooked just right with crispy skin and tender meat, we asked for a "smaller" one and it was still quite big. 10/10 Squid tempura with mentaiko mayo- crispy and delicious, the batter had furikake flavoring too and the mentaiko mayo went perfectly with it! 10/10 Lobster dynamite- real lobster, slathered with mayo and tobiko. Not my favorite item but I'm not a huge dynamite person to begin with 7/10 Garlic butter ahi- very tender and saucy, the ahi was bathed in a rich and buttery sauce 8/10 Prices are reasonable for the quality and portion. Definitely recommend. I want to come back to try more. Their menu is huge! read more
1 year ago
This is my first time here but my friend who live in Chinatown and Kauaʻi always meet here when they have time to hang out. Lot of Izakaya menu and the dish I like the most is Grilled stingray (Eihire) which refers to the dried and lightly grilled fin of the stingray, typically served with Japanese mayonnaise, shichimi-pepper. I never try this dish before, and I couldn't find this menu in NYC. All food is super fresh and good quality; the restaurant is busy all the time. Great food, good service and great option. read more
A REALLY REALLY good Japanese restaurant. I think they're fairly new? Never heard or saw them before. My husband & I was craving for sushi & oysters and I found this place through yelp. Service is friendly but a little slow... totally understandable if they're short staffed (since everywhere these days is short staffed) and they are pretty new. Food was AMAZING! The bozu chawan mushi was just above & beyond my expectations. I'm a huge fan of chawanmushi but they had a twist. It was a cold chawan mushi with uni, crab & ikura. Everything was paired so nicely and complimented each other. I would come back to again just to get 5 orders of this! All the sushi & raw fish items were also super fresh! We also ordered the oysters, oyster shooters, soft shell crab, lamb chops, beef intestine skewers, hamachi carpaccio & clam miso soup. There wasn't a dish that we didn't like. I felt like we literally ordered everything on the menu. It's a small cozy restaurant with very limited seating so I would recommend making reservations ahead of time. Overall I really enjoyed this place and hope to see the service improve during my next visit. read more
1 year ago
Lots of old school local patrons who come here for happy hour! I do like the ambiance. Wait staff is polite and efficient. Definitely try to make reservations ahead of time and try to book a slot earlier during opening hours - they tend to sell out their most popular items quickly. I have never tried this place and walk-ins are nigh impossible during the evening hours. I had a gf visiting from NY and so booked this place in advance after sunset views in Hawaii Kai. Sold out of their salmon skin and seafood salad (*at 7PM!!!!) and their taro chips and spicy tuna appetizer. Pretty disappointed to hear that when they open at 5PM. We opted for the beef and watercress salad, nigiri combo, red snapper kama, tempera fried dried squid, and some yakitori (meat skewers). The nigiri was fresh, watercress salad was okay *beef was way too chewy, snapper was okay. I mean, the food is all decent but nothing spectacular for the high price points. I would say I paid double this night than the other night at another popular izakaya place in Kapahulu and was full. I wish I could have tried the two sold out dishes. Maybe it will be worth it to come here again? My friend was not impressed but she was nice about it and enjoyed herself - since it's mostly about the company you keep! I probably wouldn't come back again unless I do light apps at 5PM-6PM and no full meal. read more
I enjoyed this place but it was extremely crowded when I went. I was sat at the bar with two other friends and it was pretty tight. I wouldn't recommend their bar seating since the restaurant itself is pretty condensed. Parking is atrocious at the time we went, I think I spent about 10-15 mins just to find a parking spot. In terms of the food, I thought the sushi was fresh and the pasta had a ton of flavors. I enjoyed the food that I ordered. I will say that it is a little bit pricey and you can get the same quality sushi at other restaurants for cheaper. read more
5 months ago
9 months ago
Food was amazing as always! My bf and I love coming here for special occasions or those I want really good sushi moments. My bf and came here for our Christmas dinner bc the actual Christmas Day and eve will be spent with family and friends. Everything was so fresh! We got the oyster shooters, the butter mentaiko pasta and the 10pc nigiri combo. Service was also very very good! Wait staff and sushi chefs were so nice! We left very full with our tummies nice and happy! read more
On the second floor of a plaza, very unassuming and a hidden gem. Immediately welcomed by everyone when we entered, sitting by the bar was fun to order w the chef and watch them cook and hand each dish to us! Every dish was meticulously made. + Cold Style Eggplant in Dashi ($6): about 7 chunks of juicy eggplant in dashi sauce topped with bonito flakes, finely diced ginger and shiso leaves (8.9/10) + Negi Toro Cut Roll ($13.50): perfect ratio of rice to fish, delicious and love chopped up toro (9/10) + Tare Chicken Thigh Skewer ($5 each): Tare flavor is like a light soy, teriyaki sauce. Tender chicken, not too thick (7.7/10) + Tare Black Pork Cheek Meat ($5 each): more meaty and lean than the jowl, different kind of bite (8/10) + Tare Black Pork Jowl ($5 each): fattiest of the skewers we had, nice and "crunchy", juicy (8.5/10) + Beef Tongue ($18.50 for 8pcs): our fave!! Served a finely chopped red onions, green onions, cucumber, microgreens, and a lemon slice. Each bite of all components was amazing (9.5/10) read more
2 years ago
Great Japanese dinner at Bozu located on the 2nd floor of the McCully Shopping Center. Parking can be a little stressful in this busy lot, but much easier in their underground parking lot. The restaurant itself is very small with sushi bar seating as well as a few tables. It gets very loud in here with a lively atmosphere. Be sure to call ahead for a reservation as it's difficult to just walk-in. We had a delicious meal here! Everything we ate was great and super fresh. We definitely over ordered, but we were able to take out our leftovers for the next day! Favorites include: Spicy Ahi Donburi- large portion with fresh fish, sushi rice is cooked perfectly Potato Salad- so good! An absolute must Tsukune- One giant piece, but still very tender and tasty Chicken Thigh Crab Croquette- Two large pieces Seafood Dynamite- Filled with lots of different seafood like scallops and shrimp Fried Flounder- This was a special and was very tender. Spicy Ahi stuffed Jalapeno I wouldn't recommend this place if you're looking for a very quiet date night given the loud atmosphere, but it's a great place for a tasty meal! They are able to accommodate groups if you call ahead. read more
10 months ago
2 years ago
If you're looking for authentic Japanese sushi in Honolulu, I recommend this spot!! We came here for my boyfriend's birthday while on vacation and left feeling full and happy with the quality of food we ordered. We went an hour before closing on Sunday night before Labor Day and it was busy! However, we still got seated quickly (I called 30 minutes before to inform them) and food was served quickly as we sat at the bar. The seafood quality was very fresh and you can see how much effort and passion the chefs put into each nigiri and cut of fish. They even have skewers grilled over charcoal! (These were yummy but not my favorite) The prices are reasonable. The market price Otoro (fatty tuna) was $10 a piece but worth! Their scallops are slightly sweet and not too chewy. The fish roe is marinated in some light soy sauce and makes the umami flavor so tasty without being too fish oil tasting. They offer ice cream for your birthday and the staff is very friendly and hard working! It was a busy night so the waiters and waitresses took a while to help us close our check. The restaurant itself is small but has a lively and homey vibe. If you're unable to make reservations for other sushi restaurants but still want some fresh sashimi, check out Bozu! *there is free parking available and restaurant is on the second floor! Elevator and stairs available * read more
1 year ago
Bozu is a gift from a local friend. Note to yourself- we are from Los Angeles. We love experiencing things we cannot get or have not experienced in Los Angeles. Bozu has some of the most amazing dishes we have ever experienced. - Beef sashimi (not sure the name) -I cater Texas bbq, this is the best beef I have ever had. - scallop sashimi- best and most tender scallops I've had - firefly squid- great flavor, punch of spice, - toro- absolutely the most buttery fish I've ever had. Flavorful, solid and great serving of heaven. -deep fried squid- great flavor -sting ray- tons of flavor. Great appetizer. Sweet and chewy. My grand parents owned a sushi restaurant. My grandfather trained and was certified in Japan which took 7 years. This was the biggest eye opening sushi/ Japanese food experience I've had since I was a kid. Flavors are well balanced, fish is the freshest, best flavored and beats California 10/10 times. It's not on the strip but it's a diamond in the rough and is worth going to over the water front places were have are at over the years in Waikiki. Thank you Katsu! read more
2 years ago
Went here with friends to celebrate a friend's birthday and I could not get over how good everything was and the service. We had the last reservation of the night at 8pm for 7, but they continued to take such good care of us to past 11pm. First the table they originally wanted to seat us at was still occupied so they sat us at the high table top, but as soon as the other party left they asked if we would like to move since it was bigger. We ordered apps with the mentaiko pasta, bozu rolls and tempura basket. They were attentive to come back when it looked like we were ready for the next order and always were refilling our water. It's not often when you're the last party at a restaurant that they don't inadvertently make you feel bad for keeping them working and that they show how much they just want to go home. The sake we had actually took me by surprise how good it was and it was so nice that they came in buckets with ice and towels. As the food came out, I was pleasantly surprised by their attention to detail, the quality of the fish and presentation. They brought everything out at the same time, my negi Hamachi bowl, friends salmon ikura and the 3 omakase. Hamachi is always my favorite and their quality was so good for such a reasonable price. The pieces were thick with great coloring. The ikura on everything was plentiful, from the bozu roll, omakase and salmon ikura donburi. I thought the omakase was gonna come out on individual platters but I loved how it was presented this way. You could see all the interesting cuts in the fish and look at it as well as it made it definitely a more fun family meal experience. What a steal for any omakase to have two uni dishes. We ended the night with ice cream for the birthday boy and singing amongst all the sake, so much fun! Thank you bozu for a great night. read more
Called to make a reservation for Feb 15 for a belated Valentine's dinner, super easy and nice over the phone! We were seated right away upon arrival and it was fairly busy. We ordered a Calpico Sour which was super refreshing and did not have that alcohol taste. We then ordered our food and everything came out super fast considering it was a packed restaurant! I highly recommend the oyster shooters, the fried chicken and eggplant, their squid tempura, and a few different yakitori sticks! Overall the service, and food will definitely bring us back soon! read more
Found this place walking around late at night in a plaza with ample parking. Cozy atmosphere on the second level. Great Amazing Chef. So is chef and staff from the moment you enter, during your experience and after you're done. Food: 5/5 Had an intimate dinner with myself () and it was worth every penny. Every cut was probably the freshest, firmest slice of fish you'd had in a while. Appreciate the smoked or grilled flavorings. As well as the combination of lime and minty flavors ! I kept on wanting to order more and more. I am definitely coming back and telling the world about this spot. Thank you Chef and staff for a wonderful palate experience. read more
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1960 Kapiolani Blvd
Ste 209
Honolulu, HI 96826
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(808) 955-7779
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