Amazing Japan 7-11 quality experience; rice is hot and fish is cold, very authentic. Love it :)

Absolutely love Kazunori! So much so that we're here once a week, sometimes more. Consistently high quality, casual yet classy ambience, delicious authentically Japanese hand rolls, and great value! We love bringing guests to Kazunori too! read more

* KazuNori is known for having some of the best hand rolls. We usually go to the Downtown location, but this was our first time trying the Pasadena location. * The first big plus is parking. Parking is free with validation, while the Downtown location charges around $10 just for parking -- that's almost the price of two hand rolls lol. * The interior here feels cleaner, brighter, and more spacious compared to the Downtown location. * The quality of the hand rolls can depend a little on who makes them, especially when it comes to getting the right amount of rice. The person who served us knew exactly how to make them, and everything came out as expected. * Each hand roll is around $6-$7, so it's definitely not cheap. But it's hard to find hand rolls this fresh anywhere else, especially with nori that stays perfectly crispy. * The fish and rice were also perfectly seasoned. * We ended up really enjoying this location. If you want to try high-quality hand rolls, KazuNori is definitely worth checking out. read more

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Met my bestie on Tuesday late afternoon. I've been to other KazuNori locations for handrolls. The ambience is nice, there were 3 other couples besides us setting on the long L shape counter. But the place filled up really fast around 5:30. I order the Omakase 6 hand rolls. Everything was fresh & the rice was warm (signature of Sushi Chef Nozawa). There were two things in the Omakase that didn't I liked, Mountain yam with tiny eggs and the Monkfish liver handroll. I liked everything else except for 1) Mountain yam with the spicy tiny smelt eggs, it was too spicy. It was burning my mouth, very uncomfortable feeling. 2) Monkfish liver, it was minced up too much making it too mushy for my liking. I'm used to eating it whole or chunky bites. Normally, these two dishes are my favorites, but not here. My friend went on the safer route. She ordered Salmon, & Eel. She enjoyed it a lot. Not a big fan of the person behind the counter that was preparing the handroll. I couldn't understand his English. Next time I would just ordered individual rolls. Or sashimi style with ponzu sauce. read more

Love handrolls! They're delicious and make for a quick but filling meal, and you know exactly what to expect when you come to a handroll place. My friend and I came to KazuNori for Saturday lunch right when they opened at 11:30. Only one other group was there at opening, but it gradually got busier over the course of lunch. As is standard for handroll places, seating is all counter seating so that you can watch the chefs make and place each piece in front of you. I don't recommend coming here with more than 2 others, as conversation can be difficult due to the seating arrangement. I went with the 6 hand roll set for $29, which offers toro, yellowtail, salmon, bay scallop, crab, and lobster. Everything was good, and my favorites were the scallop, crab, and lobster. You can ask for less rice in each roll if you aren't super hungry or have a smaller stomach. They make everything easy when it comes to paying the bill by charging an automatic 16% fee, so you don't need to fill in the tip. I think that's fair given that each handroll is personally made for you by the chef. read more

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Walk up to the hand roll bar, no wait on a Wednesday evening. Great consistency of warm sushi rice and fresh seafood. I think it is a bit smaller than the downtown location. I didn't noticed this at the other location, but they have 2 types of hand soap in the bathroom! One unscented for before meal and one scented for after! Genius! read more

KazuNori | Pasadena - 2 different hand soap in the bathroom - Japanese Near Me - Pasadena, California

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! read more

KazuNori | Pasadena - lobster hand roll - Japanese Near Me - Pasadena, California

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! read more

KazuNori | Pasadena - Japanese Near Me - Pasadena, California

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. read more

KazuNori | Pasadena - Roll and Beer - Japanese Near Me - Pasadena, California

Yay I love kazu nori and am super excited about this pasadena location!! Parking is free, and i appreciate that the interior is a long bar compared to the square shaped bar seating that the downtown location has. ( i appreciate not having to look across the bar to other customers) The lighting is super dim inside and makes for a very romantic setting lol but it's great for catching up with a girlfriend as well! I love asking for lots of lemon to squeeze onto the rolls. I also eat the rolls immediately after it's served because the seaweed is the best when it's still crisp. the 6 roll set ends up to be a little less than $40 total :) 16% service fee added to the bill and that fee also gets taxed. No tipping ~ read more

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. read more

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This is a decent hand roll place, and reasonable prices when we came for a weekday lunch, at least for being in Pasadena. There was a short line that moves fast, but the entire party does have to be there as seating is pretty limited, just surrounding the middle kitchen area, seats about 15-20. We had the 6 hand rolls for $29, which includes tuna, albacore, crab, scallop, lobster. It was very fresh, wrapped neatly and done in front of you. The crab and lobster, and maybe the scallop too, had some mayo in it which wasn't my favorite, otherwise the sauce and flavor profiling was good. The soy sauce was not overly salty or overpowering. read more

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. read more

KazuNori | Pasadena - Excellent service & delicious food!! - Japanese Near Me - Pasadena, California

I always love coming here! It's one of my favorite spots. I'm so happy that there's one in Pasadena now. They offer two hour validation for the parking structure around the corner, which is great! The food is always delicious. I'm never disappointed. I took my dad for his birthday on Saturday. It was his first time ever having hand rolls, despite being a lover of sushi and sashimi. Huge shout out to Andres and Cesar (I'm so sorry if I spelled your names wrong)! Thank you so much for making his experience special. I appreciate you both. The bar seating makes it fun and allows you to interact with the staff or others around you. Can't wait for the next time I come back! read more

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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. read more

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KazuNori has become my daughter's favorite hand roll spot lately, and the rest of the family loves it too. The hand rolls are consistently fresh, delicious, and very reasonably priced. Our favorite is the Nagaimo hand roll--simple but incredibly refreshing and flavorful with the fish roe. The 4-roll set is only $20, which is an amazing value these days. They also allow some substitutions within the set as long as the replacement is of similar value, which is a nice touch. Service is always fast and efficient, making it an easy place for a quick lunch or dinner. I used to go to the original KazuNori location years ago, and this Pasadena location is relatively new to us. We recently started coming back because my daughter loves it so much, and I have to say I think it's even better than I remembered. The quality has remained consistently high, and it's now our go-to spot whenever we're craving sushi hand rolls. Highly recommended! read more

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. read more

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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. read more

KazuNori | Pasadena - KazuNori Nigori Sake - Japanese Near Me - Pasadena, California

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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! read more

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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. read more

KazuNori | Pasadena - Japanese Near Me - Pasadena, California

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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. read more

KazuNori | Pasadena - 16 pieces - Japanese Near Me - Pasadena, California

Been to Kazu Nori Pasadena twice now and both experiences have only solidified IMO that they are the standard for hand roll bars. The first time we went, the line was out the door & then some. The 2nd time we went, we were the only ones in line and were seated within 5 minutes. It didnt matter. The staff direct it well and the food is top notch. That's really it for me. Cant go wrong with Kazu Nori. Ever. Ever. I get the Nozie ($30), which is said to be the closest to what Chef Nozawa would serve his guests at the original Sushi Nozawa in Studio City. I cant divulge what it consists of, youre just gonna have to get it. The 1st rule of Fight Club... The warm rice, the crunchy nori, the high quality of the seafood & other ingredients make their rolls my favorite. Simple but perfectly executed. Validated underground parking behind the restaurant is what we've heard. We've been lucky enough to find street parking. Located on Colorado Boulevard near El Molino. Be back soon. read more

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! read more

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We got the 6 piece hand rolls for brunch and it was amazing. The fish to rice ratio was perfect and the fish was FRESH. The restaurant is pretty small, only has bar seating but it feels intimate. The service was quick and every time we finish a roll, another roll will be ready. They have validation parking in the back which is really nice since it's hard to find parking in Pasadena. Fyi they also automatically add 16% gratuity to the bill. read more

Kazunori is always a consistent hit and my go‑to spot whenever I'm craving hand rolls. The quality is unbeatable for the price -- truly the best deal around -- and everything is always fresh, flavorful, and satisfying. Service is friendly and attentive. They keep your water filled, and they're quick to refill wasabi and ginger without you even having to ask. It's bar seating only, which can be a little tricky for a shorty like me to hop up and down from, but the food and service make it worth it. There are no reservations, just walk‑in, but the service is fast and I've never had to wait. Plus, they offer free parking validation for 2 hours, which is a huge bonus. Always reliable, always delicious -- Kazunori never disappoints! read more

Warm rice hand rolls at its best! I love the original Kazunori in DTLA and super pumped that they opened another location in Pasadena. Their dining experience is unique in that you wait in line for an opening at the bar. Yes it's only bar seating with about 30 seats (eyeball estimate). They have an order form at the front while you wait. The selection is typically a set 3 - 6 set menu hand roll. You can also select sashimi on top of the set menu. The freshness of the fish is pretty consistent and is wrapped in fresh seaweed and warm rice. It's absolutely mouth-watering deliciousness in every bite. Parking can be tricky it's mostly street parking. There are structures nearby as well for parking. To beat the crowd, go during odd dining hours. Bon appetit my friends! read more

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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. read more

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KazuNori came highly recommended by a close friend who absolutely loves their hand rolls. We had originally planned to come on a Saturday but we were afraid of not making the 1st seating as we were out and about. Ended up coming on a Sunday around 11:15 and was shocked to only see 2 people ahead of us. Once the doors opened, we were quickly seated at the back of the restaurant. Not a fan of the spacing of the barstools and basically felt like I was shoulder to shoulder with the couple next to me vs. my own wife. Started the meal off with the albacore sashimi which was just ok in my opinion as I wasn't a huge fan of the sauce. A bit too sweet in my opinion and they were extremely generous with it. I ordered Nozawa's 6-hand roll course which was pretty good although this would've been better for my wife as she loves ankimo and yamamimo. I would've been happier with their normal 6-hand roll set. I think I'd enjoy the hand rolls a bit more if they didn't chop the filling so finely as I prefer a bit more texture. Service was excellent and appreciated them pausing service as a buddy stopped by to drop off some stuff. Will be back if there isn't a long wait but they do seem to get patrons in/out fairly quickly. read more

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First time visiting, we were lucky to get the last 2 seats for lunch on a Friday. It's a bar-like seating & they don't take reservations. I got the 5 hand-roll set menu for $25. The only roll that wasn't gluten free was the bay scallop. They were kind enough to let me substitute it for salmon. I enjoyed the toro, yellowtail, salmon, crab & lobster. Everything was fresh & delicious. I wish they had tamari (GF soy sauce). The food came out quick. I will probably get the 6 hand-roll set menu the next time we visit. read more

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Parking can be tough, but I later realized they do have parking in the back. I ended up doing street parking, which worked out fine. I ordered the $29 combo, and it is a really good value. The warm rice pairs really well with the fish and makes each hand roll satisfying. One surprising note is that I actually do not recommend the toro here, which is weird because I usually love toro as sashimi. The standouts for me were the salmon and the scallop, both of which were excellent. Service was great, and it is very easy to get in and out. No tipping is allowed since gratuity is included, which I appreciate. read more

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The new KazuNori location on Colorado Boulevard just opened, and we stopped by for lunch before heading to the Huntington Library. Overall, this was truly a 4.5 out of 5 experience. We each ordered the 4 hand roll set. I added an extra yellowtail and substituted the crab for salmon, which was handled easily. The rice was seasoned perfectly, the fish was fresh, and the seaweed continues to be one of the best you can get for hand rolls. The staff was friendly, and the hand rolls were presented right when you expected them, which kept the pacing of the meal spot on. Service was quick and efficient without feeling rushed. The ambiance is consistent and inviting, exactly what you expect from KazuNori. My only minor wishes would be fresh wasabi as an option and seats that are a bit more form fitting, especially if you plan to sit through a full set. Neither is a deal breaker, but both would elevate the experience even more. KazuNori remains one of the most reliable spots for high quality hand rolls, and this new Pasadena location is a great addition. I will definitely be back. read more

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Better than expected! Love the modern decor, and fast, friendly service. We came in for an afternoon snack to cheer my son up after his soccer team suffered a thorough shellacking. Hand rolls from Sugarfish are one of his favorite things and this did not disappoint. The perfectly seasoned warm sushi rice that is in each of the rolls is one of the best things about this place. We tried the toro, yellowtail, ko ika (squid with mentaiko), salmon and albacore. It's what we're used to at sugarfish, with the exception of the ko ika - my son didn't prefer the spiciness of the mentaiko, but I thought it was interesting enough to be worth a try. I don't know if I'd come here for a full meal, but great spot for a quick hang or to mourn the soccer team's total devastation. read more

KazuNori | Pasadena - Ko Ika Hand Roll - Japanese Near Me - Pasadena, California

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This is a new location that opened not too long ago! We got here on a Saturday around 5:30pm and the wait was about 30 minutes. Once you get in, you can grab a menu and a pencil from the wall and start making your selections. They have set menus or you can also order à la carte. We got the 6-hand roll set and added eel hand rolls. Everything is so fresh and delicious! I also really like their ginger - it's mild but flavorful! Service is amazing! It's all bar seating so no tables and 16% is automatically added to your bill (it's a not tip establishment). read more

KazuNori | Pasadena - Japanese Near Me - Pasadena, California

I went here on a Saturday and got there around 11:20 am. At first, I thought there were no like but once I opened the door, there was a long line inside. My bf and I waited for about an hour to finally get seated. The workers were friendly and gave us water while waiting outside. We ordered The Nozie set which was their special set of hand rolls for that week. I remember I ate lobster, sea beam, monkfish, this radish/ root veggie with this spicy sauce and salmon? Everything tasted fresh and flavorful. I ordered an extra side of crab hand roll which was my favorite. My bf ordered the scallops and he loves it. The chef making the hand roll was really efficient and quick. Service was excellent. I'll def be coming back when it's not so busy. read more

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Mixed feelings about this place. Overall the food is good but I don't think it's worth it. 6 hand rolls for $30, they are small but fill you up with rice Pros: Service was nice and quick Automatic 16% tip on every bill Fish is fresh, rice is good Cons: Very uncomfortable bar seating with little space to move They chop up the sashimi into a mush which takes away from the hand roll in my opinion No reservations, long line read more

KazuNori | Pasadena - Japanese Near Me - Pasadena, California

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My friend and I walked in for lunch at 11:35am on a weekday and we immediately got seated. The menu is pretty small, which makes life easier since I'm not a big fan of choices. (lol!!!) I did the five hand roll set and enjoyed the selection that came out. When we asked if we could do substitutions, we were told that we could substitute the fish handrolls for cucumber (no thanks hahah) or the shellfish handrolls for certain types of fish. Overall, a pleasant experience. Chill environment. Appreciated the unscented soap in the bathroom for before the meal and the scented soap for after the meal. read more

KazuNori | Pasadena - Japanese Near Me - Pasadena, California

Let's put more KazuNoris on the map! The menu is straight to the point and the hand rolls are always solid. The price point is great and you can't go wrong with any of the preset menus whether it be 3 or 6 rolls. Salmon sashimi is fresh and melts your mouth. My favorite of the hand rolls is the Bay scallop and yellowtail. Gotta make sure to eat them right away while the rice is warm and the seaweed is crunchy. Service is quick and attentive they've got a whole method down. read more

Parking: Street parking Ambience: Dim lighting in a small space that makes for an intimate, classy environment but does make for a decently long wait as there are no reservations. Service: Standard, no complaints! Chef stated name of each fish as he placed it down onto our plates. Taste: Got the set of 6 hand rolls + salmon sashimi + toro sashimi. All the sushi was absolutely delicious, especially so for the hand rolls when combined with the warm rice and crispy seaweed! read more

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The concept of hand rolls to order is good but something about the fish is a little off--I had a white fish that was difficult to bite through so pieces pulled out. Rolls weren't very tight. Counter space is a little tight and although I like not being rushed in service, everything depended on others being served down the line. For the price I'd support local sushi restaurants. read more

KazuNori | Pasadena - Menu - Japanese Near Me - Pasadena, California

We ordered the $29 set of six hand rolls. The rolls were fresh and well-balanced, with a satisfying crunch from the seaweed in every bite. My favorite was the lobster hand roll. The ambiance is casual with moody lighting, and seating is arranged at one long table where the sushi chef prepares each roll one at a time in front of you. The food was very good and surprisingly filling--I would definitely return for the quality of the hand rolls. The only downside to the experience was the sushi chef's demeanor. He appeared to be in an unpleasant mood, which was noticeable in his interactions. There was no greeting or smile, rolls were placed down rather abruptly, and at times he walked away while discarding his gloves with a negative tone. While the food itself was excellent, improved customer service and professionalism would greatly enhance the overall dining experience. Also, there is an automatic 15% fee charged to your total so tipping is not required. read more

KazuNori | Pasadena - Japanese Near Me - Pasadena, California

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