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    KazuNori | Pasadena

    4.5 (169 reviews)
    ModerateJapanese, Sushi Bars
    Open 11:30 am - 11:00 pm

    KazuNori | Pasadena Photos

    KAZUNORI | PASADENA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Trendy
    Intimate

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    Reviews With Photos - KazuNori | Pasadena

    lobster hand roll
    Angeline N.

    I am a huge fan of hand rolls and this place has been on my list for so long! After a long morning of thrifting at the Pasadena flea, we were delighted that KazuNori was only 7 minutes away. It's a small hand roll bar with limited seating, but we had no wait on a Sunday afternoon. Service was very quick and we were in and out in ~30 minutes! The hand rolls were so good and amazingly priced! The 6 hand roll set for each of us was enough to make us very full and satisfied. The fish is fresh and high quality, the nori is crispy, and my only slight complaint is that the rice is a bit on the salty side and is a bit too seasoned for my liking. It's a very simple but delicious restaurant and I can definitely see why it's so popular!

    Cynthia C.

    Love love love Kazu Nori! I was so excited that they finally opened a location closer to me! I've been here twice and have gotten the set of 5 both times. Very attentive staff - constantly checking in on you and refilling water as needed. Loved that the restroom had two separate soaps, one to use during your meal (unscented), and one to use after your meal (scented). Quality of the fish is great! One thing I always look for is good /fresh nori, perfectly cooked/seasoned rice, rice to fish ratio and they always deliver. Highly recommend - Price is pretty dang unbeatable for the sets or a la carte. We arrived on a Sunday afternoon and there was no wait! I also arrived on a Saturday at 11am and there was a short line, but I was promptly seated and served!

    Roll and Beer
    Kenny N.

    First time coming to this location. Went to the other location in Downtown LA. Seating is only bar style. Got there around 5pm on a Friday and waited about 15 mins or so. Not too bad considering a long line start forming outside. If you enjoy sushi hand rolls, KazuNori is the place to be. The design inside is very nice. Feels calm and the lighting was just right. Got their 6-hand roll set menu which included toro, yellowtail, salmon, bay scallop, crab, and lobster hand rolls. Can't go wrong with either one. All of them were fresh and delicious nicely prepared. Each bite of these hand rolls was satisfying to say the least. The staff were friendly refilling my water and asking if I needed anything from time to time. Really enjoyed coming here. Price isn't so bad also. Great experience and will definitely come again.

    Brian F.

    KazuNori is a restaurant opened but the same group as SUGARFISH. They specialize in hand rolls served one at a time across the counter. They have multiple locations across the Southern California area including this one near Old Town Pasadena. They do not reservations and you wait in line until there are open seats for your party. We came at around 6pm on a Friday evening and were seated immediately for a party of two. When we left at around 7pm there was a long line waiting so I recommend coming earlier. I recommend coming with a smaller party. They have different presets of hand rolls by count (3 to 6) where 6 is the most popular. The chef hands each roll to you individually and you're expected to eat it immediately to ensure the seaweed is crisp and the rice is warm. I got the 6-hand roll set ($29) which included toro, yellowtail, salmon, bay scallop, crab, and lobster. My favorites were the salmon, bay scallop, and crab. I also got the eel hand roll ($5.75) which was also good. If you want to be surprised, there's The Nozie which is their omakase style 6 hand roll set.

    Excellent service & delicious food!!
    Katrina T.

    I came here about two months ago when they first opened! I thought I had posted my review, but it somehow got saved to my drafts. I still wanted to leave a wonderful review based on the experience I had here. When arriving on a Saturday morning, there was a small wait - but it's completely understandable why. I ordered the five piece hand roll. Each hand roll was absolutely delicious and fresh. My favorite would have to be the yellowtail, lobster, & scallop. It's honestly the taste of perfection. My experience was made even more positive with service from Kyle and Eddie. They both were extremely friendly and always made sure that I was tended to. Their upbeat personality only added more my dining experience here. I will definitely be back soon.

    They thought of everything
    Jon S.

    Had the pleasure of dining here! Sushi Handrolls are quite the craze. And KazuNori did not disappoint (well, maybe except for one roll). First of all you're in the head of trendy old town Pasadena. So the vibe is there and this place definitely fits in. Clean, organized, and well lit. No load music or even crowd noise. I opted for The Nozie 6 handrolls. Chef's Choice omakase style. 5 of which were absolutely outstanding: toro, sea bream, monkfish liver, lobster, and the final unagi. The one handroll that was a let down to me was Jamaica with spicy roe. That was the fourth roll of the order and left like that unnecessary dialogue in the middle of an otherwise great movie. Attractive and attentive staff. Adriane (rocking the pink hair) provided great service, clear conversation, serious eye contact. Paying attention to customers with care. Waters and ginger were always full without asking. Clean bathrooms. 2 hour validated parking off Mason St.

    Annie Y.

    Our party of 3 waited around half an hour late Saturday night. I ordered the 5 piece set and added the sea bream roll! I think my favorite roll was the crab or the yellowtail. It's a tiny intimate spot with verrrrrry moody lighting, and service was efficient and great! Overall, pretty solid hand rolls and I'd happily come back!

    sushi set with lobster, cucumber, crab and toro
    Stewart L.

    I finally tried this popular handroll place that has multiple SoCal locations plus some in New York City. It's a pretty small space on Colorado Blvd between Star Leaf and the even more popular Cheesesteaks by Matu, whose line intermingles with KazuNori's line just before their 11:30 openings. I actually ordered from both buzzy spots on the same day. For dine-in, KazuNori is a counter-only spot that immediately fills upon opening. I did take-out, ordering online, which offers cut rolls only. There is a separate entrance. I ordered the 16-piece with lobster set menu. It came in a well-organized custom box that perfectly fit in the take-out bag. Service was friendly. Note KazuNori calls itself a "no tipping establishment", but there is a mysterious 16% fee added to each check. The sushi was delish, very fresh. The set included toro, cucumber, crab and lobster. I liked how they included a small aluminum dish to put your soy sauce and wasabi in, plus chopsticks and a wet wipe. I'd like to try their counter seating next, which has set handroll menus as well as individual rolls, tea, beer and sake. I now know which line to queue in.

    KazuNori Nigori Sake
    Valerie C.

    Dimly lit to create vibes, friendly staff, bomb hand rolls. First time visiting the Pasadena location and it did not disappoint. Just know the barstools are set in place which can mean you are shoulder to shoulder with your neighbor/ party especially because this place fills up fast. This place serves with ease, swiftness quality, and intention. Pricing is best on a set of hand rolls, and love the à la carte options. Tried the salmon, scallop, crab, yellowtail, and lobster. All were excellent. Something about that warm rice, cold fish, in a crispy seaweed sheet. KazuNori Nigori Sake was more expensive than the other sake offering but was sweeter so it had more flavor. Nearby parking lots and street parking to choose from. I would recommend and come again since it felt more accessible than the LA location that I previously visited.

    John D.

    First time coming here, parking was available right out front on a Saturday afternoon. The inside was nice and clean. Was seated right away. Ordered The Nozie, overall, the hand rolls were delicious. For the size and amount of seafood in each roll, $30 is a little steep. The restaurant is a no tip restaurant but automatically add 16% to the bill.

    16 pieces
    Christopher L.

    I order the mobile order 16 pieces. The mobile order menu is different then the inside dining menu. The rolls were different. I would recommend if you want something quick to eat. The restaurant was clean and quiet. The rating is mainly due to the wait time to receive my order, which they said was delayed due to their systems not syncing.

    Megan C.

    Came here on a Saturday Afternoon with my two best friend. The wait wasn't that long, 15 mins tops and seated right away. The spot itself is small, cute, clean, with a simple yet beautiful interior. I ordered the: 5 Hand Roll -$25 which consists of: -Toro -Yellowtail -Bay Scallop -Crab -Lobster Iced Green Tea- $3 The hand rolls came out at a good pace and were all delicious! The Crab was my favorite. Every bite was fresh, flavorful, and perfectly satisfying! Would I come back? 100% yes!

    Michelle T.

    Visited with a friend and tried the $29 6 roll set. It was really good. Parking was street parking or their own lot in the back. I could not find their validated parking area so I parked elsewhere. I enjoyed the rolls freshly made rolls. Staff were attentive. They were made one by one. It is all bar seating so you will have to wait for a seat when it's busy. The restrooms were clean.

    Inside

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    Ask the Community - KazuNori | Pasadena

    Can I order to go?

    It doesn't look like you can place a to-go order online or by phone at the Pasadena location. Other locations, you can order by Postmates or KazuNori mobile, but they're cut rolls or a DIY hand roll kit.

    Does this location accept Apple Pay at the restaurant?

    Hi. Not sure. Check with the business. Eat Smaller, but Eat Better. 😎

    Are there reservations available?

    No, there are no reservations

    Does KazuNori serve Mackerel sushi?

    No, it's not on the menu. Sugarfish has it on a limited basis.

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

    Osawa Shabu Shabu & Sushi

    Osawa Shabu Shabu & Sushi

    4.4
    (2k reviews)
    0.7 mi
    $$

    My girls and I came here on a Saturday night with reservations. The food did take quite a while to…read morecome out, but the staff handled the situation so well. They were incredibly kind, checked on us every few minutes, kept us updated, and even comped part of our meal and surprised us all with complimentary dessert. That level of hospitality really stood out. A special shoutout to Sho, who took over our table. He was so charismatic, friendly, and genuinely made the whole experience so much better despite the wait. Honestly, if he ever decides to stop working here, he would make a great bombshell on Love Island The food was absolutely delicious, the ambiance was great, and everyone we interacted with was so sweet and attentive. Even though the wait was longer than expected, the amazing customer service more than made up for it. We really appreciated how much the staff cared about making things right, and we'll definitely be back!

    Love this spot. We came here for their shabu shabu and it was delicious and authentic…read more Please note, Shabu is only available at the counter due to limited 4-6 burner station setup at the counter. Shabu is fresh, delicious and authentic. The Kurobuta Pork Loin is very lean and tasty. The Black Angus Ribeye also very nice. Their ponzu has something else added but really nice. Not sure if it had a dash of sake but love their ponzu sauce. Lunch time at counter for shabu fills up quickly so be ready to wait in line if all shabu stations are occupied. Still worth the wait. Once seated, you'll get served fairly quickly. Excellent and very friendly service. Love our initial experience here. Definitely will be back. Happy Eating!!!

    Photos
    Osawa Shabu Shabu & Sushi
    Yellowtail
    Yellowtail
    Large scallop and large salmon sushi

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    Large scallop and large salmon sushi
    Tendon Tempura Carlos Junior

    Tendon Tempura Carlos Junior

    4.1
    (473 reviews)
    0.1 mi
    $$

    Came here with my friends and my son this past Wednesday for lunch. We arrived about 10 to 15…read moreminutes after they opened at 11 a.m., and it was the perfect time to avoid the lunch rush. I've been wanting to try Tendon Tempura Carlos Jr. for a while since their original location is in Torrance. I'm really glad they opened a Pasadena location because we're lucky to have one here in the 626 now. Parking was easy since there are spots right in front of the restaurant, but they are metered and cost $2 per hour. As soon as we walked in, we were greeted by the staff. Since the weather was nice, we decided to sit out on the patio, which was cool and comfortable. To start, we ordered the fried tempura mozzarella sticks ($5.99), onion kakiage ($2.99), and edamame corn kakiage ($5.99). Everything was delicious, but the mozzarella sticks were the clear favorite. They were fried perfectly with an amazing cheese pull and plenty of cheesy flavor. We decided to share all of our entrees family style. For my son, we ordered the plain hot udon, which was simple and perfect for him. For the rest of us, we ordered the Premium Tempura Bowl ($32.97) and added ikura ($4.98), the cold soba with dipping sauce and tempura ($19.99), and Carlos's Jewel Box ($31.99), which came with chopped salmon, toro, yellowtail, and popcorn shrimp over rice. We also added extra toro for $8. On top of that, we ordered a side of five slices of chu-toro for $15.49, which honestly felt like a great deal. The Premium Tempura Bowl was definitely the star of the meal. Every piece of tempura was light, crispy, and fried perfectly without feeling greasy. The fried tempura egg was absolutely chef's kiss, especially once the yolk mixed into the rice. The tempura dipping sauce was also excellent and brought everything together. The Carlos's Jewel Box was another standout. The fish tasted fresh, and the rice with their house sauce paired perfectly with everything. The added toro made it even better. The cold soba was well prepared, but it just wasn't our cup of tea. That's more of a personal preference than anything because the quality was still there. The restaurant has a modern look while still feeling like a cozy mom-and-pop shop. I really liked the decor and the welcoming atmosphere. Since we were the only table sitting outside, I can't really comment on the noise level inside, but the patio was peaceful and relaxing. The service was great. The staff brought out a booster seat for my son and even helped secure it to the patio chair. They also brought us all the condiments, including ginger and pickled vegetables, without us having to ask, which I appreciated. Overall, I would definitely come back. The tempura was some of the best I've had in the 626, and the rice bowls were just as impressive. If you're visiting for the first time, I highly recommend ordering one of the tempura bowls. You really can't go wrong. It's great to see a restaurant that started in Torrance expand to Pasadena because it's a welcome addition to the 626 dining scene.

    Got the premium tempura bowl, and it was kind of disappointing. The batter was not sticking to the…read moreshrimp nor the squid after biting into it. It kind of fell apart. There was also no crunch to it. I remember the Torrance location tempura had a very nice crunch, batter was light and airy, and it stuck to the food. The sauce is the same, as they put it in the rice instead of you dipping it into a sauce. I also got cold soba on the side since they can't substitute the rice for soba. Soba wasn't anything special. The noodles at the Torrance location is better I promise! The miso soup was okay, didn't really enjoy it that much. It's not your typical miso soup. It has mushrooms in it. The mushroom flavor was too strong for me. Service was meh since we sat down first, but they took the order from our neighbors before us. Their food came out first too. Most likely won't come back to this location again. Not sure if they just had an off day when I went, but I had a disappointing experience.

    Photos
    Front Entrance
    Front Entrance
    Uni Hand Roll
    Uni Hand Roll
    Mixed tempura

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    Mixed tempura
    Ichima

    Ichima

    3.9
    (2.5k reviews)
    3.5 mi
    $$
    Locally owned & operated
    Large group friendly

    I really liked this place! It's a solid and affordable sushi spot. The restaurant and food were…read moreclean and well served. Service was quick and the staff was very friendly. For ~$20, you can get a Bento Combo with +1-2 items in addition to rice, salad, miso soup, and tempura or gyoza. We got the Salmon Teriyaki, Mixed Tempura, and Sashimi/Spicy Tuna Roll. My friend and I thought this was a great deal and left very full! This place is a great, charming spot and a new go-to.

    Tuesday June 23rd…read more They were notified that we were coming in with a large group. Lady on the phone said no problem. We were probably about the only ones seated by 3:45. Ready to order, Waitress kept helping other diners that walked in... while we waited. By the time we ordered off the lunch menu we were told that we couldn't get the lunch prices. Yet we had been sitting there for a full 15 minutes waiting for one of the three servers speeding around. Finally one of the servers took our orders, couldn't understand her since she was taking very fast so we had to have her repeat herself several times. When we got our bills it didn't reflect the price for lunch. Server said because we put our orders in after 4..... after sitting for 15 minutes to have our orders taken. Lady in our party asked for the mgr, then the server decided to change the price of the orders. Our orders were slow to arrive

    Photos
    Ichima
    Amber Jack Sushi, first time trying and it's pretty good!
    Amber Jack Sushi, first time trying and it's pretty good!
    Spicy Salmon Roll

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    Spicy Salmon Roll
    Mills Alley

    Mills Alley

    4.7
    (394 reviews)
    0.8 mi
    $$

    6/10/2026 First time…read moreat Mills Alley. Decided to come here since this was close to the other shops I wanted to go to today. Also, the prices seemed great for lunch. HAKATA SET (Your choice of: Tonkotsu or Miso Ramen, comes with Mini Spicy Tuna Don, Chicken Karaage 2 pcs, Tsukemono) This was one of the set items for the lunch special. Chose the miso ramen. The miso ramen had a very strong white miso flavor. Didn't hate it, as I do love miso, but it was a little too much miso for my liking. Typical curly ramen and it was cooked well. Loved the jammy egg too. It was a soy marinated egg. There were also three pieces of chashu too! It was good, but slightly overcooked. The portion of the ramen was medium sized and was surprised they didn't bring a smaller size since it was a set meal. But happy they were generous! Spicy tuna don was a small bowl, but they gave a good portion of spicy tuna, which was delicious. Chicken karaage were two pieces of chicken and it was just okay. No tsukemono was served with the meal. Overall the meal was satisfying. I think the price was fair for what was given. CUSTOMER SERVICE Good, friendly and attentive customer service. No complaints! AMBIANCE / TABLES + SEATS Very calm and relaxing ambiance. It was quiet and no music was playing, which I liked. The restaurant was super clean and I liked how the tables were set. Large tables in the back and small tables were closer to the front. Bar seats on the side. It was a medium-sized restaurant, but the layout made it feel larger. Clean bathroom too. PARKING The closest and most logical parking spot was the one right across from the restaurant. School House Garage on 33 E Green St, Pasadena, CA 91105. Rates: $1.00 first 2 hrs, $2.00 for each additional hour. $12 for the full day. I liked the set menu, it was good for the price and I would like to return to try their other lunch menu items, whether it would be a set menu or a la carte.

    This is a bit of a mixed review. The service was friendly and attentive, which we really…read moreappreciated. However, we felt the food was a bit overpriced for what we received. We came expecting sushi rolls, but they only offer hand rolls, so that was a little disappointing since rolls were what we were looking for. We started with the fried squid, which was very chewy and just okay. We also ordered three hand rolls--the spicy tuna, salmon, and tempura. They were a nice size, tasted good, and the staff kindly cut them in half for us, which we appreciated. The yakisoba, unfortunately, was much sweeter than I prefer and wasn't my favorite. Overall, the service was the highlight of our visit, but the food didn't quite meet our expectations, especially considering the price.

    Photos
    Spacious interior
    Spacious interior
    Chirashi
    Chirashi
    Toki Old Fashioned

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    Toki Old Fashioned
    Haruka Sake and Sushi

    Haruka Sake and Sushi

    4.8
    (170 reviews)
    3.4 mi
    Locally owned & operated
    Minority-owned & operated

    I called a week ago to make a reservation for 10 of us to celebrate our family members 75th…read morebirthday And I called to add 5 more they were able to accommodate us No problem and so nice and ask us not to worry she said I'll be working that day for lunch We all were so happy with such fresh fish and ingredient Great lunch and drinks and I ordered #2 with ribeye steak teriyaki and Tempera excellent Combo But oh my the beef short Kalbi ribs is my favorite My our nephew ordered that and that looked amazing next time They have the most delicious food we love good Japanese and Haruka hits all the boxes for us I'm glad our family enjoyed and laughed and had a good meals here We'll be back soon Excellent service And Excellent food This one of the most authentic Japanese food as you can get!!! And it's so clean and the ambiance is so Zen here

    So far so good! This…read moreis our first time here at Haruka Sake and Sushi and it wasn't too crowded on a Thursday evening. I ordered the omakase A which came with 8 different assortments of sushi and a spicy tuna roll. They look super delicious and taste just as good! The fish is just fresh and I'll definitely say the prices aren't too bad for a sushi restaurant. The decor of the restaurant is modern and minimalistic which gives a nice upscale vibe. The servers were very attentive and even cleared plates very quickly that were in our way. My husband works down the street and I am so glad we took a leap of faith and tried a new sushi spot!

    Photos
    Haruka Sake and Sushi
    Haruka Sake and Sushi
    Haruka Sake and Sushi

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    KazuNori | Pasadena - japanese - Updated July 2026

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