In the midst of a festival, this place had plenty of seats while others had at least 30-minute wait times. I'm guessing it was because of the prices. The plates on the conveyor belt were almost $10 each, but the portions were only half the size of a regular roll elsewhere. And down the street, the CA rolls were only half the price. I keep telling myself that I paid extra for the convenience of not having to wait in line. They have a conveyor belt that bring sushi around the middle of the restaurant that you can just grab from--like the sushi boats a long time ago. They charge by the plate based on color. If you order from the menu at the sushi bar, the food comes zooming at you on the track above the conveyor belt. read more

Haven't been here in years and it has changed, completely remodeled. Wasn't too hungry so I ordered a poke salad and tea, which hit the spot. Service was friendly and was happy to see they still have their sushi boat, which I'm looking forward to coming back with the family to enjoy. read more

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From Good Memory to a Very Disappointing Return.. Several, several years ago, I left a hi-star review for Kazoo, when it was still under its original owner, Kazoo-san (we all called her). My family has deep roots with this place, My father, who ran a Japanese engineering company on N First Street, would bring colleagues from Kyoto here in the '90s, and Kazoo-san and her entire staff always welcomed them with genuine warmth and kindness. Over time, it became a special place for our entire family, especially my mother. This past Sunday, I brought my mom back for lunch, hoping to revisit those happy memories. Unfortunately, the experience could not have been more different. It wasn't Sunday peak lunch time yet. So lots of available tables. About 11:30 only. From the moment we walked in, the service was cold and unwelcoming. Our server did not greet us, smile, or acknowledge us in any way that made us feel comfortable. While I understand everyone has off days, the tone never improved. Simple interactions felt strained, asking a question felt like an imposition rather than part of her role. What made this particularly difficult was that my mother had recently undergone knee surgery and was moving slowly as we were seated. In an effort to be considerate, I asked the server to simply hand me the menus while we settled in. Instead, she stood silently, watching my mother struggle to sit, without offering even the smallest gesture of patience or kindness. It was uncomfortable to witness. There were other moments that added to the experience, such as wiping down our table with a used, wet cloth after we had already begun our tea, despite there being little tea spilt onto the table. It felt unnecessary and oddly pointed. The overall atmosphere became so tense that we found ourselves rushing through a meal we would normally take our time to enjoy. When I asked for the check, the service became even more abrupt. The payment device was dropped off and then left unattended for several minutes while I was retrieving my wallet. When the server returned, there was no inquiry about our overall experience, only a blank gesture toward the device. When I said I would pay in cash, I was met with visible irritation, followed by a dismissive point toward the front to settle the bill. At that point, I felt it was important to speak with someone. I shared my concerns with a woman at the front, who I believe was part of management. She was receptive, apologetic, and handled the situation with care, which I genuinely appreciated. This visit was especially disappointing because of what this restaurant once meant to our family. My mother rarely complains, yet even she felt the discomfort. It's hard to return to a place filled with such positive memories and leave feeling the exact opposite. I truly hope management takes this feedback seriously. The food may still hold its place, but hospitality is what creates lasting experiences, and in this case, it was deeply lacking all thanks to that one server. Two stars because of sentimentality only. Zero stars for our Sunday experience. read more

Service was fast and food decent. I came for a solo dinner and they weren't as packed although a steady stream of diners. I enjoyed my meal and thought the price was reasonable. The salmon teriyaki was cooked well and was hearty piece. The sashimi tasted fresh. read more

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Nice casual sushi spot in Japan town. They have a conveyer bar area and regular seating as well. I like that you can order smaller rolls so you can try a variety instead of larger ones. Pricing was reasonable We got a few rolls to try. I don't remember the same of the one I got but it had soy paper and no rice with salmon and tuna. It has a ton of crab filling which was good, it was very creamy but didn't taste like a "roll". I got the party boat bento box, it was a ton of food and I was stuffed. The chicken katsu was super crispy. The edamame starter was bland and was just the beans, had no seasoning or event salt. Overall nice casual place for a quick and filling meal. Not the best sushi spot ever but for a variety and good service I'd check it out. read more

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Came here on a Saturday afternoon and it wasn't busy. We tried a couple of sushi dishes from the conveyor belt and got edamame and octopus as appetizers. Everything was tasty! My boyfriend liked the octopus dish a lot as well. The prices were a bit on the higher end but I would come back if I'm in the area! read more

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I'm always so surprised by the very low reviews of this place since this has become one of our go-to's for a quick cheap lunch! Will I go here for a sashimi/omakase vibe, probably not. But the items we do get always hit and are affordable! The space can get a little crowded especially during food rushes but service is fairly quick. We always get either a bento box or a happy boat for lunch. I've never been a fan of California rolls but I like how they make theirs here. If you want something cheap but also fairly yummy, this is a pretty good place for a quick eat! read more

Kazoo Restaurant - Salmon Teriyaki Boat - Japanese Near Me - San Jose, California

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Kazoo Japanese Restaurant - A Warm Solution on a Wet, Cold Night Some meals earn five stars not because they are luxurious, but because they answer a very specific need at the exact right moment. This was one of those nights - cold rain, soaked jackets, and an evening that ended earlier than planned. We needed somewhere still open, still cooking, and still willing to serve a proper meal. Kazoo had its lights on, a full menu, and a warm dining room, so we walked in. Given the weather, our order was intentional. When you're wet and cold, the body naturally wants heat, oil, broth, and rice - the core of Japanese 家庭料理. * Sukiyaki beef bowl - Sweet-savory, steaming hot, with beef, tofu, vegetables and rice soaking up the broth. Not flashy, but exactly the kind of stabilizing bowl you want after being out in the rain. * Ika geso karaage - Deep-fried squid legs, fried cleanly with good texture. High heat, high crunch, very effective at warming you up. * Chicken karaage - Classic seasoning, crisp outside, juicy inside. Reliable comfort food, well executed. * Katsudon & curry katsu - Two different ways of delivering warmth: soft, eggy katsudon for gentle comfort; Japanese curry over katsu for aromatic, spice-driven heat. Both did exactly what they were supposed to do. What really lifted the experience was the service. Even with guests coming in soaked from the rain, the staff stayed patient, polite, and genuinely kind. Hot food matters on a night like this, but warm service completes the equation. Kazoo is not trying to be a high-end restaurant, and it shouldn't be judged as one. But if you're cold, hungry, and looking for honest Japanese home-style dishes served hot and with care, this place does the job - and does it well. I would come back, for the same reason I came this time: sometimes the "best" meal is simply the one that brings you back to life when the weather doesn't cooperate. - Dr. C Writing for the meals that simply do the job when you need them most. read more

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This place serves their food in boats! I typically order the spicy tuna and the soft shell crab rolls. They are phenomenal and come out on a monorail! Its a little bright with lighting but other than that a perfect experience! read more

It was a visit from a long long time, I always come hungry as usual and full when I leave. Food was on point as always, no complaints and they serve with happiness. Lin was my server, he was kind, patient and attentive, and the service was great, no complaints. The ambiance of the place, very updated, clean and the bathrooms are nice and new. It's a treat to come to this place, you'd never go wrong with any order. read more

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Came here on a Tuesday evening hoping for a wonderful tasting. Back in the day ttheir food was so delicate and delicious but the food quality has definitely gone downhill. I was met with stinky salmon that has texture of leather, burnt an oily tempura which use to be delicate and flaky Is now doughy and rough, an then I got their assorted pickles which were lukewarm and left out, an malleable and bendy , absolutely no crunch and stale, tasting old with a very unwelcoming taste. I use to recommend this place to everyone but food quality is definitely not like it use to be read more

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Came here on a random weekend for a quick lunch and had a very meh experience. To be fair I've come a few times before and sometimes, it's ok, and sometimes it's not, though it's a small place that recently underwent a remodel so wanted to come back now that the sushi-go-round was working and try it out. That said, the experience was (well the last 2-3) was not great. I ordered miso soup, grabbed some sushi from the sushi-go-round, onigiri and chicken yakitori. The miso soup was pretty good and everything was just ok or worse. When I ordered the onigiri, I asked for broiled (which I've ordered before) and for some reason the server wouldn't let me order it. Even when I pointed it out on the menu, even when I said I've had it before, so I went with the salmon, which was not cooked well and basically fell apart. The yakitori was just chicken teriyaki. It literally was just teriyaki on skewers, not yakitori at all and the sushi was just ok. The service was just bad. It was never amazing, but this time was really bad. I had to get the server's attention several times and ended up getting a different server's attention to check out. It's really a shame because the sushi itself is pretty good, though there's pretty good sushi all over the neighborhood and MUCH better service. read more

Kazoo Restaurant - Ikura Onigiri - Japanese Near Me - San Jose, California

This my first time here with my monthly lunch group. The place is very bright and very clean. My friend had been here a long time ago and believes they had remodeled. I ordered the Bento Box C where you can choose one item from Bento Box A and one item from Bento Box B. I chose the mackerel and sashimi, which comes with miso soup, a salad, three pieces of gyoza, a wedge of tomato and lemon. It seemed like a lot of food but a managed to finish all of it. The mackerel was a little on the small side, IMO, but it was all delicious. Next time, I'll try their sushi boat that goes around in a moat. TLDR regarding parking: It was a challenge finding a parking spot. There are metered parking spots all along Jackson St. but were all filled. I found a spot off of Jackson St., so I parked. You log onto the website that's on the meter to search for the meter number but for some reason, it wasn't found. So, I decided to find another spot. I did go down Fifth St. which is a residential street, and there were no parking restrictions. One of my friends said she parked in a metered spot and saw our other friend, so they started chatting. After 10 minutes, the friend who parked received a parking ticket and she told the "meter maid" she just parked. The "meter maid" couldn't withdraw the ticket and that my friend had to contest it. The "meter maid" told her that there are certain times that parking is free, but my friend didn't see any signage regarding the restricted times. read more

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This location got renovated! Beforehand it looked more like a hole in the wall spot, which gave it some authenticity and now it looks very modern. It's still fairly clean inside. The service is really good. They're quick, patient and helpful. They have a lot of family item options which feels plentiful and they serve single rolls, we ordered the happy boat that says it serves one person but we shared it amongst two, but I would say the special rolls were OK. read more

Kazoo Restaurant - Family Boat - Japanese Near Me - San Jose, California

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I happened to stop by this area and wanted to pick up dinner for the drive. The display at the front drew me in. I was greeted and service is amazing. For take out, I ordered a chirashi zushi (which is assorted fish over sushi rice) and hotate nigiri (scallop sushi). Food came out fast and fresh. However, there is too much rice to fish ratio. The fish are very thinly sliced with a merely one slice each. The bottom is a hefty chunk of rice. For $24 I'm not expecting premium cuts at all but this is just barely any protein at all.. Same goes for the nigiri, for $6.95 this is just two buttons of mini scallop.. I didn't do research before coming in cuz I was in a rush so that is totally my fault. But I thought a sushi restaurant in Japan town of San Jose can't be sub par. My experience was not unpleasant at all but definitely didn't live up to expectations. I think if you don't mind hella rice in your sushi, this place is really clean and the interior is nice. read more

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I went here tonight for dinner with me mum. She hasn't been super impressed with any sushi spots we've gone to when she has visited me. It's a Wednesday night and they weren't very busy. There were 2 other parties in there and the service was stellar because of it. I haven't been to this restaurant in a while and I didn't know that they got rid of the sushi boats. I think the last time I ate there was before 2020. It seems like getting rid of sushi boats allows for more seating though. The restaurant is very well lit and they have a large menu. I ended up getting a bento box and hot tea. Everything was good. No complaints. read more

We had dinner at Kazoo in Japantown the day after Thanksgiving--it was the only Japanese restaurant open, so we were happy to find a warm, welcoming spot. We ordered the unagi don (grilled eel over rice) and the beef udon: The unagi was tender with a nice char and a sweet-savory glaze. Generous portion, and the rice was fluffy and flavorful. The beef udon came in a light, comforting broth. Noodles had a good chew, and the beef was soft and satisfying. Service was quick, and the staff was friendly. One surprise: if you sit at the counter, your sushi arrives on a little bullet train delivery system--super cool and fun to watch. Would we go back? Definitely, especially for the udon on a chilly night. Domo Arigatou! read more

Food: Food BIG PORTION! You pay for what you get!! And yummy!! Service/Ambiance: I feel like they did not check up on us as much, but I think the server was new that's why. read more

Kazoo Restaurant - Tempura Soba - Japanese Near Me - San Jose, California

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The menu is extensive and offers tons of different Japanese dishes. The fresh sake roll pieces were cute and bite size. Was the right ratio but I do wish they were slightly larger. If you're hungry, please pair it with another dish. I paired it with their ochazuke. It's similar to some ochazukes I've had. I do wish there was a bit more fish in the dish. Flavor is what you would expect. After finishing both dishes, I felt satisfied but I definitely could've ordered more. I wish I ordered one of the bentos or the kama. They looked delicious and my companions seem to be enjoying it thoroughly. I can only rate based on my experience and the dishes I ordered. read more

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We used to go to Kazoo Restaurant but that was awhile ago. So it was nice to visit again. They have upgraded and remodeled. It is modern with simple decor. The noodles longer have booth seating as the tables replaced them. The service is friendly and nice. It's a good place for sushi/sashimi combinations, bentos, or Entrees. I remember we ordered a family boat filled with sashimi and sushi rolls which were fresh & delicious. Today, i only ordered takeout of California Roll: mayocrab, avocado, cucumber (3.5/5). I didn't sense any vinegar seasoning in the rice. Overall, 3.5 stars. Come check them out. read more

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Great bento options for around $20 each! Great deal with lots of protein options like sashimi, katsu, teriyaki and more! We were a little sad to see the sushi boat table gone, but the new automated sushi conveyor belt is a fun and tasty consolation! The convert belt only runs on the weekends but if you're stopping by for a weekday meal, they will zip your order rolls down the conveyor belt. read more

Can't here for lunch....food is good here simple but good... Pretty standard Japanese restaurant... I think they mentioned on weekends they have a conveyor belt for revolving sushi as well. Employee was nice and helpful. I would eat here again read more

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Bottom line, our server expected a tip!! Really? So the service was great, the food was good, but at the end when we gave them the signed bill back, we decided to give them a cash tip, but they came back saying "oh, this amount doesnt include tip." "Well yes, we know that, but we were leaving cash." We HAVE to give a tip? No, no one HAS to give a tip. Wow. Dont want to go back there again. read more

Great authentic Japanese restaurant. Super sweet staff great food. The boats are highly recommended. Cheers read more

Kazoo Restaurant - Japanese Near Me - San Jose, California

loved the restaurant! had a party of 14 people on a Sunday night and did not reserve in advance because it was a last minute choice for us. nevertheless, everything went smoothly! our orders were taken fast, the food came out quickly, and everyone enjoyed their meals a lot. the atmosphere was very nice and the total price was also reasonable. definitely will be back and highly reccomend! read more

Kazoo Restaurant - Bento box - Japanese Near Me - San Jose, California

We sat at the sushi bar at Kazoo. The items on the conveyor belt didn't look very fresh, so we ordered a la carte instead. Unfortunately, the hamachi maki had seaweed that tasted a bit off. A lot of the menu items also had mayo, which limited our options. The service was polite and fairly quick, but our tea was poured too full and spilled over. It was a small mistake, but it did affect the overall experience. The atmosphere was nice, but the taste and variety didn't quite meet our expectations. Maybe others would enjoy it more, but we don't plan to return. read more

Kazoo Restaurant - Sushi bar - Japanese Near Me - San Jose, California

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Food is consistently good and fresh at Kazoo! Everything! I've been going here since high school. Staff is super friendly and accommodating. The restaurant has remodeled since our last visit. They upgraded their sushi bar boats to the electronic modern style that delivers to your table. We'll be back! Street parking is available but not free. Meters do take cards! read more

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Kazoo continues to impress, although its rolls and sashimi pieces are not a large as others, it seems. The value proposition here is the Party Boat for one. Service is attentive, almost hurried. Parking is always a challenge in Japantown. read more

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The inside is newly renovated and it's a major upgrade, service is great too! Food however is mid. I like they have small portions so you can try different rolls. Each roll is around $7-8 with 4 sushi. We got the dragon roll, paradise and spicy San Diego. Paradise was unique and my favorite out of the all. Rest two were very salty without the soy sauce dipping. Vegetables croquette (deep fried potato with no seasoning) was also okay so were the Tofus (cold and fried). Miso soup was good. They were out of the tempura banana dessert that we really wanted to try so we got mango mochi and matcha cheesecake and they were delicious, highly recommend! read more

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Stopped in on a whim. The service was excellent but the food was below average. I had the yellow tail sushi and the fish was fresh but the rice portion underneath was too large and the consistency a bit off. I also had the katsu don, which is a fried and breaded pork cutlet over rice with onions and topped with egg. The katsu was very soggy as if it had been cooked earlier in the day and reheated, and the egg on top had areas that were severely undercooked. It came out in less than 5-10 minutes of my ordering, which there's no way it could have if it was cooked fresh. The two stars are for the fish being okay and the service being extremely kind and friendly. read more

Kazoo Restaurant - Japanese Near Me - San Jose, California

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My review is for my experience dining in and ordering sushi rolls. - I guess this place is sometimes a conveyer belt sushi place if and when they run it. It wasn't running when I dined here for lunch. If you sit on one of the tables by the belt, your sushi will be delivered on a "train" and you just pick it up. - Sushi rolls are smaller and vary in size but start at 4 pieces. It's pretty pricey for the portion and quality. - Rolls come with A LOT of rice...mushy rice. - Rolls are not tasty at all and they skimp on important ingredients. Ordered a spider roll that came with large pieces of cucumber, lettuce (first time seeing this), and not much soft shell crab. It looked like a sandwich wrap cause it was huge but it tasted horrible. - Miso soup was fishy. - Service was fine. Overall, I would not recommend the sushi rolls here. I doubt the sushi or sashimi would be any better either. read more

Kazoo Restaurant - Japanese Near Me - San Jose, California

Located in Japan town, the restaurant has a cozy vibe and cute conveyor belt style. They deliver some of the smaller rolls through a "train". However, vegans and vegetarians must be aware that the "vegetarian" bento on their menu is not vegetarian after all. The agedashi tofu comes with a dashi-based (fish) sauce, as well as the miso soup and spinach. I double checked when I ordered and the server was nice/knowledgeable enough to let me know there was dashi in the tofu and soup so I didn't get the sauce or soup, but I didn't know even the spinach was cooked in dashi. Pretty disappointing/traumatizing to find that out after my first bite. Service was very nice however, and the rating is solely based on the food and menu labeling. read more

Kazoo Restaurant - Japanese Near Me - San Jose, California

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I was hoping that Kazoo actually had boats/conveyor belt type sushi but it wasn't running as such when I was there for dinner on a Wednesday night. The rolls we did order came on the conveyor belt that runs through the restaurant and it's kind of a cute robotic thing how it stops right where you are sitting. But not the same as having a conveyor belt where you can pick up what you want! I'd love to find a place that does that. Overall the food was decent, as usual I prefer either sushi should be exceptional or AYCE, and this place was neither. It was decent quality and reasonably priced, but nothing amazing. The service was friendly and efficient and I appreciated their new decor. I will say the bathroom is very unusual, it says that it's not gender specific but basically an open area with a couple of closed stalls and a sink and no door to that area from the main restaurant. As I was coming out, a guy was coming in and he had that look of "oh no did I go into the women's room." read more

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I couldn't believe the rude service! We came in with 4 seniors who don't eat much and 2 small children who also don't eat much, and 2 adults. For that reason, we only ordered 3 bento boxes to begin with. The waiter (older lady) actually told us: "why are you only ordering 3 meals when we're using up 2 tables?" First of all, there were only 2 other parties in there, so there was plenty of room! Second, we did end up ordering more food, but it wasn't even good so we regretted it. I felt so awful that I wanted to leave, but we didn't due to the logistics of traveling with seniors and small children. But I would not return. The food was ok. We ordered bento boxes, then a bowl with veggies and meat. The salad dressing was too much. read more

After walking around Japantown on Halloween night, my friend and I wanted to find something to cap off the festive evening. I haven't been to Kazoo restaurant in a while and we decided to eat here. The prices have gone up substantially over the past few years but the bento box is still a good bargain. My friend and I shared the squid legs and he ordered the udon while I ordered the bento box. For my bento box, I opted for the chicken katsu and broiled mackerel. The bento comes with extra goodies like a salad, California roll, miso soup, gyoza, orange and tomato, and steamed rice. The broiled mackerel was tender and flaky, and with a squeeze of the lemon, it was really good. The chicken katsu was super crispy and was a really good portion. You can never go wrong with chicken katsu here. I absolutely loved the gyoza. It was crispy and lots of flavor on the inside and no need for any dipping sauces. I would pass on the squid legs next time, as I thought they were okay. Overall, the staff was really friendly and Kazoo is a great Japan Town San Jose institution. read more

Kazoo Restaurant - Japanese Near Me - San Jose, California

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*first bento, salmon teriyaki and sashimi- second bento grilled mackerel and sashimi: they had three different types of bento to mix and match entrees which is good to have variety. The bento comes with California rolls, gyozas, salad, and miso soup. The teriyaki sauce was very light and watery. It wasn't overpowering the salmon and it didn't taste overwhelming sweet. The sashimi however was a 50/50. The tuna pieces were fresh and tasted good. The other fish was a white fish that we did not know what it was. It felt like it was fresh out the freezer due to how watery the texture was. The gyoza was fine the first bite, however, it got salty the rest. This was because of the gyoza sauce they have already drizzled on top and it marinated into the gyozas. Making it very salty and mushy afterwards. The salad and miso soup, you can't go wrong. The classic salad and miso soup does not disappoint. The California rolls did not have a lot of mayo (up to preference) but was not bad. Can't go wrong with a classic California roll. Inside they have a conveyer belt that is only available during weekends which we will definitely come back for. The staff was also very friendly, attentive, and accommodating. read more

Kazoo Restaurant - Japanese Near Me - San Jose, California

We went in mid-December, our first time since they opened after the remodel. The food was as good, if not better, than ever. The tempura was crisp and fresh, and the sushi was perfect. So helpful and nice. We'll be back! read more

I have been going here for years and love the remodel with the little car that brings sushi right to you. The rolls I ordered were excellent, Tempura California Roll, Unagi, Inari are my favorites. There is always a tv on playing videos of making food if that is something you enjoy. The staff is friendly and helpful. One roll I ordered was not correct and they fixed it quickly and apologized. read more

Been here a couple of times for lunch and dinner. Close to my work and always decent. I usually get the bento boxes for lunch. Order a couple of different rolls that have always been good. The food usually comes out pretty fast and the service is always friendly. This time I ended up just ordering takeout and it came out on time. Would definitely recommend two people if they were in the area. read more

Kazoo Restaurant - Japanese Near Me - San Jose, California

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Visited here with my group of 4 on a Saturday 12:30PM and were seated immediately. The restaurant wasn't too busy at this time, so most likely would be a great time to visit! Our hostess was very kind and gave us a very appreicated recommendation to downgrade from a Family boat (4 ppl) to a Love Boat (2-3) for the 4 of us, and we obliged. She was absolutely right! The Love Boat filled the 4 of us up just right and we all ended up full with no leftovers. For our Love Boat we chose the tempura and fried oysters with sashimi. The portions are huuge! Between the 4 of us splitting the Love Boat the value is astronomical. My group and I had a wonderful time, it was so great catching up with everyone while enjoying some delicious food at Kazoo. I would definitely recommend this place for bringing your friends and family to catch up and have a good time! read more

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