Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    KazuNori | Union Square

    4.3 (82 reviews)
    ModerateSushi Bars, Japanese
    Closed 11:30 am - 11:00 pm
    Updated 2 weeks ago

    KazuNori | Union Square Photos

    Business Info

    KAZUNORI | UNION SQUARE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Trendy
    Intimate
    Moderate noise

    More like KazuNori | Union Square

    Recommended Reviews - KazuNori | Union Square

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Ruby D.

    I usually frequent KazuNori's NoMad location but when I saw that there was a new location near Union Square, I wanted to check it out. When I got there, I had to wait in a line with my friend for a few minutes. I went for dinner and the place is incredibly dim. After ordering our food, the hand rolls came out slowly one by one so we were able to enjoy our conversation and didn't feel rushed. I opted for their 6 hand roll combo this time and thought that was the perfect amount of food. As expected, all the hand rolls were amazing. At the end of the meal, we're actually encouraged to pay at our seats instead of the counter.

    Hand Roll Salmon
    Allie L.

    I was in New York visiting family and friends and we decided to go to KazuNori. We were in the Union Square neighborhood and wanted sushi. We stood in line for about 15 minutes on a Wednesday evening. Seating is around the sushi bar with a set number bar stool chairs available. The menu offers a number of different hand roll combinations for a set price or you can also order individual hand rolls. We each ordered the 3 hand roll set (salmon, scallops and crab) and ordered an additional hand roll, the Toro. We watched the sushi chef assemble the hand rolls together and place them in front of us. The seaweed was so crisp and tasty. Add the warm white rice and seafood and it created a delicious hand roll. As others have mentioned there is no tipping as the price is baked into the set menu! The restaurant is dimly lit, but the counter top uses warm wood tones to create a very comfortable and inviting sushi bar vibe. I would definitely come back here to taste the other menu items!

    Bay Scallop
    Ailun H.

    The KazuNori location at Union Square is less than a 10 minute walk from our office and is known to be a good spot for lunch. We arrived a bit before 1 PM this past Thursday and only waited for about 5 minutes before we were seated (it's all bar seats). The line grew a bit after we sat down, but it didn't seem like people waited for too long. 6-HAND ROLL SET MENU - 35 + Toro Hand Roll + Yellowtail Hand Roll + Salmon Hand Roll + Bay Scallop Hand Roll + Crab Hand Roll + Lobster Hand Roll I thought the above six options were a good set and ones I would have picked for myself anyway! The hand rolls were good, but nothing incredible. Some rolls contained too much rice, or the vinegar to rice ratio was not the same for every bite. The nori wasn't crispy, so it was a weird feeling biting into it. Overall, my favorites were the scallop (very creamy) and lobster because they were a bit heavier in flavor, which helped with the copious amount of rice. The yellowtail and scallion was great, too. I love that KazuNori doesn't do tip, so it's just the base price plus tax. Again, the hand rolls weren't the most consistent nor the best, but it's convenient and gets the job done. We were done within 40 minutes and didn't feel rushed to head back.

    Stephanie L.

    Fast, friendly service. Nice fresh rolls. And best surprise, tip is included in the price! Having just come back from my Asia trip, I was confused since I got right back to my normal tipping mode Stateside, and felt so pleasantly surprised when the server confirmed it's all inclusive. What was also cool was a 12-year old boy who showed up alone to eat, who is apparently a regular.

    handroll and sake
    Michelle H.

    kazunori is such a staple. i probably frequent this place once a month. it's predictable, good quality and super quick. you can be in and out in 20 mins (that's if there's no line). the only downside to this place is that everyone loves their hand rolls so unfortunately sometimes the line is out the door! i usually go with one of the preset handroll combo options (because it's cheaper than choosing them à la carte). i had the single serve sake once and it was pretty tasty! lastly- i love the bar seating and dimly lit ambiance - it's very chic!

    Sushi Salmon Sashim

    Worth it! Food is so delicious and made with love. Setting is worth the price. It had a calm feel to it that made me feel comfortable. Food took about 5-10 minutes

    Jonathan C.

    Walk in as party of 1, seats available at 6:30pm on a weekday. The place is so DARK it took a while to have my eyes adjust to the dark. Got 6 hand rolls and two side dishes which was definitely enough for 1 hungry diner. NO TIPPI Toro: Warm rice, crispy seaweed, toro yum yum so fresh Yellowtail: good, basic (Special dish) Shima aji sashimi: light, clean flavor, great texture with some bite (Special dish) Ankimo sashimi: ankimo is mashed up into a little ball, covered in thick sweet miso sauce. Pretty tasty, but heavier flavor profile Salmon: standard salmon, mashed up Scallop: so sweet, sticky texture. Small bay scallops with a touch of creamy mayo (not too much). One of my favorites! Crab: very creamy Lobster: also very creamy, quite similar to crab texture and flavor

    Anna D.

    I came as a party of two and there was a space in the front but they first offered the seats in the very dark back part of the restaurant. I asked if we could sit towards the light of the front. The food is good as always but the person helping us was constantly waiting and answering the people near us first even if we asked prior to them, even with the bill we asked first and they got their bill and paid out first. They seated a solo male diner next to me on a super awkward corner and he was constantly brushing my leg and arm. It's a tight space but after the first time it's invasive. They brought him a carafe of sparkling water and placed it more in front of me instead of on his other side which had plenty of space.

    Rachel L.

    YUM! my first time trying a hand roll bar ever, and it's safe to say they've become one of my new addictions. service is very quick, and all seats in the restaurant are countertop bar-style, all facing the kitchen/assembly area. prime viewing area to watch the experts assemble the hand rolls fresh right in front of you! the menu is quite simple - you can order a la carte or choose from a set menu. we opted for the 6-hand roll set, which was about $36 with tax! (and they have a no-tipping policy, which is nice) each hand roll was deliciously scrumptious. the fish tasted as if they were just swimming not 5 seconds ago. the seaweed melted into the sushi rice, the rice perfectly steamed and integrated with the fish. the concept itself is very simple. however the execution on kazunori's part is flawless. i will be back next time.

    6:00pm line on a Saturday (with 8 more people in the lobby area). The wrap-around bar looks like it seats about 20 people.
    Joyce C.

    The food and ambience is just OK for me. I feel like you can just get a $3.50 onigiri (rice ball) from a Japanese Supermarket & have a similar experience. This is a nice fast, fancy-but-quick and casual restaurant concept but I didn't find anything special about it or that I would wait in line for. I got the $19 hand roll set (flat rate, no tipping establishment). The set comes with tuna, scallop, and crab. (I overheard that they were out of seabream for the night, but can substitute anything with salmon.) I was in the area around 7:30 PM on a Saturday and noticed that there wasn't any line & went in to take a look. They have a small ramp - good design to accommodate a queue. About five couples, and one group of three were in line ahead of me. The hosts went around, asking how many people everyone had and I was actually seated within a few minutes - between 2 groups of 3 at the front of the restaurant. It's a VERY tight seating arrangement - and I'm petite & very thin, similar sized females on both sides of me. Not sure if this is to encourage fast dining. I don't see many regular-sized adults being comfortable there and you don't have much personal space. The stools are a little bit high, with a foot rest. It would be great if they had a hook underneath the bar for purses or bags. I sat eating with my bag on my lap because I didn't want to put it on the floor. My neighbors had theirs on the floor under their feet. There was literally no space to put a bag between you and the next stool, without that person getting up and stepping on it. My "waiter" greeted me from across the counter, and explained a few specials. It's all a bit awkward & tight and you hear all the conversations (very NYU college crowd). The female chef is right in front of you making all the rolls, quickly filling orders with 2 to 3 waitstaff/hosts crammed behind her. The rolls came out at a nice pace, but the activity behind the counter that you're facing makes everything seem rushed. She she goes down the bar line one-by-one placing them. The rolls themselves were fresh, the seaweed crispy. But I didn't find much seasoning on the rice, the mashed tuna was a bit too mushy for me. The scallop was the best one but lightly dressed in mayo. And the crab was just a (fresh) crab salad with too much mayo. The fresh pickled ginger was a nice contrast between bites. It's funny seeing the people next to me with huge dishes of soy sauce, drowning their rolls in it, and later ginger... The hot rice made half the seaweed soggy and leathery pretty quickly. You have to eat everything fast for that textural contrast. Overall, I found each of the separate ingredients in the hand rolls, fresh but not very flavorful or anything special besides the scallop. The seaweed kind of hides all the flavors because with each bite, it wraps around it like a burrito. I think I'd rather have this as sushi. I was full with the 3 rolls, like a light summer dinner. The restaurant is extremely dark and half of the space is covered with a giant black curtain. It feels a bit like a stage set. There's a door for the restrooms that leads to a back hallway with maybe one or two single restrooms. I saw a short line of people and didn't wait. I don't know if this is just something the hospitality field does, or recent years have brought on stress for workers; but it's really odd when hospitality folks speak in accented English. Later on you hear them speaking to other people in perfect English. Are they playing the role of a foreigner serving guests? Or do they think I'm a foreign tourist, so I don't know any difference in language? Overall, both the food and the space feel like they're trying hard, but only halfway getting there. It's not anything super memorable.

    Bar area

    See all

    Photo of Tim P.
    33
    155
    40

    21 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    12 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Ruby D.
    457
    341
    3368

    9 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    This place never disappointed me . It's 100% the wait in line . The food is fresh and the staff very attentive.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Anna D.
    200
    527
    1785

    2 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 1

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 5
    Love this 2
    Oh no 1
    Photo of Ian C.
    94
    9
    1

    6 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Jean Y.
    259
    1031
    7971

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Kim X.
    323
    826
    1418

    2 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 1
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    3 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Taylor Z.
    1156
    2189
    4705

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of M And T.
    20
    96
    65

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Page 1 of 3

    Ask the Community - KazuNori | Union Square

    Izakaya MEW - Salmon Carpaccio

    Izakaya MEW

    4.3(3.3k reviews)
    1.1 miMidtown West
    $$

    You walk down a sketchy staircase off 35th with basically no signage and land in a basement that's…read morelouder than half of K-town one block over. That's the charm. Went tonight and the sushi was legitimately fresh, like actually fresh, not Midtown-lunch-counter fresh. Yellowtail carpaccio and the salmon tataki were the standouts, clean fish, no fridge taste. This is izakaya food though, so order like it: geso kara, aged tofu, gyoza, repeat. Frozen beer comes with that slushie foam cap they do in Tokyo and it keeps the pint cold to the last sip, which matters when the room is this warm and packed. Service is fast and a little chaotic. Prices are fair for the neighborhood, borderline cheap at lunch. Not a temple of sushi, but for a rowdy basement near Herald Square? Way better than it needs to be. Full by 6pm sharp. Come at 5 for the sake deal or book on Resy, the phone voicemail is always full.

    I came here with friends for dinner and we had a great time! We got a reservation and were seated…read moreabout five minutes after checking in. Inside is dimly lit with a good amount of seating. The waiting area is a little cramped, but nothing outrageous. The food came about 15-30 minutes after ordering. Though it was a wait, the service was nice and they refilled our waters often. Each item was good, we all had a different favorite. The Tuna Crispy Rice was just the right amount of salty that paired well with the texture. The Kimchi Creamy Udon was also flavorful without being too heavy. The Yellowtail Carpaccio was bright and light, fish was neutral tasting. The Okonomiyaki was also good and very hot---we loved to dip pieces in the kimchi cream sauce! Overall we had a great time!

    Photos
    Izakaya MEW - Dining area

    Dining area

    Izakaya MEW - Volcano Roll and Chikaten Roll

    Volcano Roll and Chikaten Roll

    Izakaya MEW - Scallop Uni Butter Skewer

    See all

    Scallop Uni Butter Skewer

    Izakaya Fuku - Seating and decorations

    Izakaya Fuku

    4.4(397 reviews)
    5.2 miElmhurst
    $$
    Casual dining
    Kitchen open late

    I was craving carbonara and it was after midnight. I almost gave up hope thinking nothing would be…read moreopen and my cravings wouldn't go unfulfilled. But at last, as I searched on DoorDash I stumbled upon this glorious restaurant they call Izakaya Fuku. I was drawn to the adorable names for their sushi roll dishes like "Strawberry Fields" and their Italian Japanese fusion pasta dishes, "Creamy Mentaiko Bacon Pasta" with creamy mayonnaise, spicy cod roe and bacon like are you kidding me? It's a bummer I wasn't more hunger or that I didn't have more bucks in my wallet because I wanted all these dishes. And the Chirashi Don, god it looks so beautiful the way that it's arranged in the photos online. I finally decided on the carbonara. And I was drawn to the fact that it was udon based. Now, I've just been living in hawaii these past years so that Japanese twist on an Italian dish that I just love oh so much really brought me back to missing the islands and the Asian spins they had on cuisines. Now my food may have not come in a jiffy but for after midnight cravings I'd say it was well worth the wait. And my oh my the portion was huge!!!! I slurped that big boy up. It was SOOO delicious and savory. I love comfort food and this had me in carbonara heaven. I loved indulging into every single last bite. By the looks of the picture the restaurant looks lovely, I'd love to stop there and try it in person. Thank you. Thank you! My belly and my heart are very much satisfied.

    Late arrival from LGA airport and we were hungry as this restaurant is close to the key 74th…read moreRoosevelt subway station. Opened til late. Japan vibes for sure. Dark. Poppy music. Covers and unique mixes. Big menu. Too big in my opinion. We got the karrage and beef pichana steak to start. Karrage was def better of the 2. Black garlic ramen was excellent and also the carbonara udon. Ramen preferred over the udon if you had to pick . Also topped off with a Sapporo. Nice cold draft. Definitely a good late night spot. Decor fun. Service good. Food mostly hits over misses

    Photos
    Izakaya Fuku - Ika Teriyaki Don

    Ika Teriyaki Don

    Izakaya Fuku - Shio Saba Bento

    Shio Saba Bento

    Izakaya Fuku - Interior

    See all

    Interior

    Tonchin

    Tonchin

    4.4(2.6k reviews)
    1.1 miMidtown West
    $$

    After going to the Brooklyn location, I wanted to try the Manhattan location. We had a reservation…read moreat 4:00 PM, but arrived early at 3:30 PM. We only had to wait about 15 minutes before getting seated. They definitely get crowded though, so it's best to have a reservation! During "lunch" hours, the place is brightly light. Once "dinner" hours comes around, they set out candles on the tables and dim the lights for a different ambiance. The service was a bit off at first, since we waited a while to get our appetizers. This might have been due to the change in staff between lunch and dinner. The hostess noticed and checked on our appetizers, and got them right out. Afterwards, we had different waiter and he was very friendly and attentive. We did the Pick 3 appetizers: -Kyuri (cucumber): love the mix of flavors with the onions, vinegar and salt. The kyuri has a good bite to them -Kimchi Mushroom: the mushrooms also had a good bite to them. Not too spicy of a kimchi sauce, which I liked as it did bot overpower the mushrooms. -Shishito: I enjoyed the saltiness of the kelp with the char of the shishito. I went for the Tsukemen, which I loved at the Brooklyn location. This was just as good! The noodles had a good bite and the right thickness for the rich broth. I like the lemon on the side to help cut some of the richness. The egg is well marinated and perfectly jammy. The Hassaku Grapefruit Juice is a nice non alcoholic option. Very grapefruity and too sweet. We ended with the Tokyo Banana, which had a deliciously bruleed banana. They wrote Happy Birthday on the plate and had a little candle on the side. We only put it in the reservation, so it was nice of them to do. Overall, a great ramen spot to check out!

    Walking up to the entrance looks like a dingy alley way due to the musky and dark area…read more Signage can be seen as a small flag hanging from a pole and to the left is a door with Tonchin imprinted on the wall. Entering inside the server was easy to talk too and had a speak easy type feel. Lights dimmed down with Michelin Star awards to my left, bar seating to my right, additional seating in the back next to the visible busy kitchen. Music was a modern sound of Korean hiphop and EDM. Menu was a QR code and within 15 minutes my appetizer and ramen was delivered. Ordered: -Tsukune chicken and pork bun This was delicious! The Karachi coleslaw paired well with the teriyaki sauce which also calmed the sweet taste. Tonkatsu Tokyo Classic Ramen - This was good, but as a ramen fan, I think it could of been slightly better - Broth was definitely good with a bold salty taste - Chashu was soft, thinly cut and not chewy. However, I'm a seared chasu type guy, but each their own. - I did not add additional side items to the ramen besides what garnishes already come with the bowl. - Overall Tonkatsu Ramen was normal Next time I'm in town, I will be back to try the Tan Tan ramen and other appetizers next!

    Photos
    Tonchin - Interior

    Interior

    Tonchin - Chicken Tsukune Bun

    Chicken Tsukune Bun

    Tonchin - Kimchi mushrooms

    See all

    Kimchi mushrooms

    Katsu-Hama

    Katsu-Hama

    4.0(1.9k reviews)
    1.7 miMidtown East
    $$

    This is my go-to restaurant for katsu in the city. Any katsu set you get will not go wrong. The…read morecrispiness of the katsu is just right, and you will not regret it, besides not picking another one. When it gets busy, there is usually a line waiting at the door, sometimes extending outside. If you have a reservation, you will not be seated until the whole party is there. One small note: if you are seated in the back, the cell service is really bad, but who needs their phone when you have good company and good food.

    Food: This is one of the few places in NYC that does a traditional Japanese tonkatsu very well;…read moreit's not as good as Japan, but it's still very good. This restaurant offers a variety of Japanese katsu including pork loin, pork tenderloin, curries, seafood, and donburis as well as many appetizers, drinks, and desserts. We tried the miso pork loin and the half pork/half chicken curry katsu. Both were delicious, and very enjoyable. The katsu is very crispy and well made; the meat inside is very moist. For every entree, you have the option of choosing set A (miso soup with pork and vegetable, potato salad, shredded cabbage) or set B (miso soup and shredded cabbage). There was nothing special about the vegetable and pork soup and potato salad so I would recommend set B. At every table, there are a variety of condiments - salad dressing for the cabbage, spice powder, tonkatsu sauce, and soy sauce. I would definitely come back here if I am craving katsu. Service: Service was phenomenal. The restaurant was packed and very busy, but our server was still very attentive and always available if we needed something. Very friendly! Ambiance: The restaurant is not big but can accommodate both large and small groups. Space is a bit tight, but the seating is still comfortable. They have counter seating as well as tables in the back. During peak dinner time, there was a little bit of a wait and a line near the door; the place is very popular. Overall, I would highly recommend this restaurant if you are craving tonkatsu!

    Photos
    Katsu-Hama
    Katsu-Hama - Oyster and katsu

    Oyster and katsu

    Katsu-Hama - Agedashi Tofu

    See all

    Agedashi Tofu

    KazuNori | Union Square - sushi - Updated September 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...