Wow! So impressed with everything we tried! The menu is designed to be shared among diners and everything comes out when it's ready from the kitchen at separate times. The inside is so beautiful as well as the drinks! Alex our waitress was knowledgeable on the menu and so sweet! The food was so fresh and came so fast, they even had a home made soy sauce! The attention to detail in the table setting was not missed it was so cute. I can't wait to come back here and try more!! read more

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Fancy spot. Usually busy. This was my third attempt to get a table without much of a wait which resulted in an outdoor table on the street. Service was great and made up for the standard setting. Food was good. Small portions meant for sharing. Very expensive. 2 pieces of nigiri range from $16-18, which is pricy. Red Plum offers like quality and creativity at a much better value. Smoked Salmon and Snapper specials were good here. I would order the Snapper special (like a ceviche), wasabi Cesar salad, and blue crab California roll again. Those were excellent. Shrimp Bao (fishy fish patty flavor was not good. Kampachi Nigri. Delicious but too expensive for the result. Scallop Taco. Creative and good. Price point was reasonable. Cesar Salad with Wasabi dressing (This was awesome! rich wasabi flavor. highly recommend.) Blue Crab California (Roll) was my favorite and I'm a sushi frequent flyer, and not a traditional CA roll fan at all. This is a next level creation with lots of flavor. Nice presentation. Miso Cod, smaller portion. But great flavor making up for the cod. If this was a local fresh fish, it would be next level. Kimchi Rice was overcooked and underwhelming. But the presentation was nice. read more

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Good steak, very expensive especially with no side and shiso peppers do NOT count because I am allergic to them. Rolls are tasty everything is just uber expensive and not sure the price aligns with the quality and location. read more

It's really more like 3.75 stars but you can't do that when rating. The food was delicious and our waitress was excellent. The ambiance was ok. It was a little dark and once it started getting crowded a little too hard to hear my husband. But the reason for the three stars was the wait time for our food. I think they forgot about our rolls and we were given the wrong drinks to start. We did receive a dessert for the mix up but as it was my first time there I kinda wanted to see their dessert menu. Overall it was a pleasant experience and I'd go back. read more

Our server Katrina was fantastic! She was kind and gentle. The food was spot on! My wife and I left feeling satisfied and not stuffed. Our server recommended the sunrise dessert (which I also recommend) and then gave it to us free of charge for our anniversary!!! It was a tad loud in there, but I would expect that from an exceptional dining establishment. read more

One word. WOW. Second time here and if it was up to me I would dine here weekly! Food is amazing and service is quick. The drinks were good too. read more

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First off, I very much enjoyed my first visit to Kojo. The atmosphere was great and I thought the space was really well put together. The service was second to none, we had everything we needed and our server Andreea was very attentive. The food also came out very quickly. For the food itself, Kojo had an enjoyable take on Asian cuisine. The Kojo roll was delicious and a great sharing size. We also ordered the spicy Edamame which was a very generous portion. I wouldn't change a thing about those two items. As for the bao buns, the chicken karaage was perfect, I thought the ratio of cucumber and sauce was balanced, the bao bun itself could have been a bit thicker. It was not the best bun I've ever had- I'd expect a more pillowy and puffier one for the price. The Torched Salmon Crispy Nori tacos were a little lacking. They were almost disappointing because they lacked any kind of sauce, crema, or the like. The salmon was cooked perfectly (to a medium temp). It wasn't until after I thought to dip the taco into the soy sauce left over from our sushi that I really enjoyed them. Once I did that, they were livened up. Overall, 5/5 service. 3/5 for the food because of the reasons mentioned above coupled with the price of the food. read more

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Our server took so long to get to us initially, then disappeared for a long time again after taking our drink order, the gluten free items are not listed on the menu so my fiancé didn't even know what she could order until he finally came back, the food was good, however, I don't think it was worth waiting so long. We sat for almost an hour before we could even order food and I saw other outdoor tables experiencing the same issue read more

We come to Kojo regularly when we are in town but we haven't been since January. When we come, we also usually order the same dishes which has been super reliably good. This time, some of the food just tasted different especially the fried rice which was no longer fusion-tasting with the rice being more dry and almost crunchy. Now, it's more saucy and had mushrooms. I love me some mushrooms but not in fried rice!!! The wings were a little too salty. We did try the Hokkaido scallop nori tacos as a new item for us - it was super tasty. It probably didn't help that our server was not very friendly or experienced...one of the newer ones. We've always had different servers there and all were great so a bit disappointed with the service during this visit. The guys that delivered food and cleaned up were great though. At the end of the meal, I overheard a different server tell another table that the chef had changed. I get that people can't stay in the same job forever, but it is disappointing when dishes change if they are fan favorites. If the new chef wants to be creative, come up with new dishes but don't mess with a good thing. If the owner is reading this, please bring back the dishes that they changed. They were good - better than the current preparation / execution. read more

Lived up to the hype! Been hearing for months from family in Sarasota about how great this spot is, and wow it really is. Every single thing we ordered was delicious, with extremely fresh ingredients. We got the tuna crispy rice, scallop nori tacos, kojo roll, and wagyu skirt steak with the truffle soy butter. Was the perfect amount of food for two people. Service was friendly, prompt, and helpful. For the level of quality, the price was so reasonable. I would go back in a minute to reorder everything we got and then some. read more

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Kojo used to be one of our favorites when it first opened -- good food, reasonable portions, and a vibe that felt fresh and exciting. But year after year, the portions have shrunk to laughable levels while the prices keep climbing like no one will notice. Newsflash: we noticed. This kind of management is unacceptable. It shows complete disrespect for your customers and assumes we're too stupid or too passive to care. Maybe some are, since people still pack in -- but I won't be one of them anymore. After the last three visits, I've had enough. Paying premium prices for microscopic portions is absurd. Running a restaurant like this is not sustainable. Keep treating your customers like fools, and you'll eventually run it into the ground. Plenty of places in Sarasota deliver incredible food without insulting the people who walk through their doors. Kojo, you've lost us for good. read more

Kojo has always been one of my favorite restaurants, unfortunately last two visits quality has been in decline. First we were sat outside under the coffee shop away from the street during a street fair. It was like a punishment. I just dealt with it because the food is generally great. We ordered blue fin tuna tataki app which was underwhelming. Kind of rubbery not as fresh. My waygu skirt steak was chewy and very fatty . Very expensive definitely not worth the price. I'm believing waygu is a scam. The Brussel sprouts were good as usual and drinks were fine. Still good service but last two visits have been disappointing for us. read more

Kojo - Waygu skirt steak , chewy and fatty - Japanese Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

Kojo was a great experience, I started with the old fashioned and my wife had the lychee martini. My old fashioned was very good made by a true craftsman. Her martini wasn't her favorite. We started with the shrimp and pork gyoza. Very good, enjoyed the sauce that came with it very unique. Also a sweet chili with some wasabi but both were cooked down. Then had the Koji roll. Could taste the freshness of the fish on the roll. We also got the Shanghai noodles, was maybe the least favorite of everything we had. Was solid just nothing special. Next came out the seared mushrooms and snap peas, very flavorful even my wife who doesn't like mushrooms said these ones were edible. Next we had the local rock shrimp tempura and the local rock shrimp bao buns. We had ordered the bao buns but the waiter misheard and brought the tempura. Once informed they just left them for us to enjoy and it was a very happy accident as they were fantastic. Had a nice spin off a bang bang shrimp sauce. The rock shrimp bao buns were incredible the soft airy bao buns missed with the crunch of the rock shrimp garnished with a pickles were great. I also dipped it in some of the sauce from the gyoza for a few bites which was great as well. Definitely would go back. Sat on the patio on a beautiful night. They also said when we sat down that they just being ordered food when it comes out which we really enjoyed got everything super fresh out of the kitchen. read more

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Food was exceptional. Service was on point, every employee had a specific roll to play in the whole operation. 10/10 read more

Kojo - Macha Mochi Donuts + Espresso Martini + White Russian - Japanese Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

I had such high hopes for this place but I have to be honest I did not have a great experience here. I frequent Sarasota area to visit one of my girlfriends and we wanted to have martinis and sushi to catch up. I made a reservation and I believe it was 2 hours until they closed. We were waiting forever to be seated which I would have understood if it was busy but it wasn't. Once we were seated we waiting 30 minutes for a server to come to our table after multiple servers passed by and looked at us and someone had asked if we had been seen yet. After probably another 5 minutes we finally got someone to come to our table and were able to put drinks and our food in. The martinis took a while to come out and our appetizers came out soon after. Our entrees ended up taking longer and when they did come out some were missing ingredients. The food was very tasty and the quality of the fish was delicious. The service lacked a little but I will be coming again to try some more food off the menu. read more

Service and cocktails excellent as usual. Definitely much quieter during the Summer months, as we were the only ones seated at the bar on a Sunday during dinner time. Tried the wagyu noodle dish this time and I have to say, the pork Shanghai noodles are still by far my favorite noodle dish here. read more

Kojo - Spicy Wagyu Noodles - Japanese Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

I've never tried Nori Tacos, and I knew this place had them...so I had to check them out during our recent trip to Sarasota. The waitress said that they specialized in Pan Asian...and I seriously would have liked to try everything on the menu! My husband and I opted for the following to share...Tuna Crispy Rice, Rock Shrimp Tempura and Nori Taco (Spicy Tuna and Torched Salmon). My son just had their Crispy Chicken Wings. For drinks, I tried their Murasaki Ball (?), which was a type of refreshing Tequila cocktail. Well...as guessed, I loved EVERYTHING. If had to pick one (or two?), I'd say the Tuna Crispy Rice and the Torched Salmon Nori Tacos were the most amazing. All so unbelievably delish! Oh wait...I forgot their exhilarating Shaved Ice Dessert...also unbelievably good!! BTW, the place itself was very cool...dark, chic and modern. As expected, the presentation of all the foods were equally stunning. Then the service was exceptional as well. We even left with complimentary mementos...these 3 cute duck carvings, which were used to hold the chopsticks. In short, I agree with many others in that this was a 5-star dining experience for me...and possibly my favorite from all the places we dined while in Sarasota! read more

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We went to check this place out before we went to Florida Studio Theater to see "Jersey Boys". What an absolute transformation from the former restaurant that was in this same space only a year or so ago. The atmosphere is warm and inviting. The tables are nicely spaced. And the food was outstanding. Thanks to all who prepared, delivered, and served this eye-popping and succulent meal. We will be back. Definitely! If you do go and have the opportunity to have Diego as your server... All the better! You will be in great hands as he knows the menu and makes great recommendations. read more

10/10 food, service, experience every time! Beautifully designed space with attentive hostess and servers who are happy to help with anything - we got half the menu and can't name a single item that wasn't delicious. Special shout out to the mushroom nori tacos and the bluefin tuna crispy rice I still think about those....easy parking in the Palm Ave garage for $2 and love Bar Hana next door for the elevated island vibes cocktail bar! We will continue to come here every time we are in Sarasota - plenty of plant based options that are just as tasty as the rest of the menu. read more

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Loved it so much we came here twice while In town for work. Food quality, amazing! Everything from the appetizers to entrees and desserts are all fantastic. Excellent service with a smile. Ambiance, trendy, chic, great for a first date, date night, a bday party or just because. A must check out when in town. read more

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The price is a bit high, but the food was phenomenal! the fried chicken bao bun and fried rice was excellent. They serve the dishes tapas style. Some dishes do not bring a lot of food, so do your research before ordering. The servers are attentive, and multiple of them work together to get all the food out as quickly as possible. Most people were dressed fancy-ish. read more

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The food was delicious, nice place to go on a date or with friends. Our waitress was nice and very helpful with the menu. A+ service read more

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Great service in a beautiful space! The Caesar salad is a must as is the fried rice. The bao buns, the gyoza and the noodles were fantastic.

One of the best Asian-themed sushi places in Sarasota Pros - very elegant ambiance and friendly service. The scallop tacos are absolutely amazing and super fresh with a super crispy seaweed shell. I can eat 3 orders of those. The chicken karage bao is so crispy and tender and would definitely recommend. The lychee martini is their most popular drink and so crisp, floral, and delicious. Cons - the pork belly bao was a bit dry and overdone. Great fancy sushi place with elevated flavors. The sushi tacos is unique and well-executed. Great place for a celebration read more

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Absolutely amazing experience at Kojo! From the moment we walked in, everything--from the ambiance to the service--was exceptional. Every dish was thoughtfully prepared, beautifully presented, and absolutely delicious. The flavors were bold yet balanced, and you could tell the ingredients were high quality. The staff was knowledgeable and genuinely welcoming, making the whole evening feel special. They were also super flexible to every change we wanted for the dishes ( so kids are happy lol)! Kojo is a true gem in Sarasota, and we can't wait to come back! read more

Kojo - Tuna crispy rice - Japanese Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

It was a late night and we were looking for some place that was still open. Beautiful place and very interesting menu. The menu had a variety of dishes but we just wanted something light. We each had a sushi roll. They were fresh and delicious. The kojo roll was great. Would try again if I was local. Probably better for a group to sample all the different dishes. Pretty decor. read more

Great vibes inside for a night out. Lots of good and unique plates to share with a group. Bao buns were very good. Had cooked sushi roll options. read more

I would recommend this place!! Nice restaurant with dim lights to set the vibes! This restaurant is like a tapas type of restaurant, i would recommend the chick n bao bun!! We tried the tuna pizza because it sounded interesting and that it was! Our waiter was very friendly and gave out great recommendations! read more

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Excellent food! Excellent service! Such a delicious variety of foods. We were so enchanted with this place and can't wait to be back. read more

Kojo - Japanese Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

...nothing else to say (other than Yelp requires 85 characters). With that - A very unique and creative restaurant that consummately delivers with no question. Will be back again & and again & again. Icing on the cake was Kojo's Old Fashion - minus the Triple Sec. Perfect! read more

I recently visited Kojo during my trip to Sarasota this past weekend and I cannot rave about this place enough. Tony was our server and he made the experience so fun! My friend and I adored not only the food, but Tony's service so much that we came back the following night just to see him before I left town. The food tasted like it was straight from Japan, and the freshness of the fish is to die for. My friend thoroughly enjoyed the old fashioned and they have an excellent range of teas to choose from for those of us that don't drink alcohol. I can't wait to visit Sarasota again and to come back to Kojo! Thank you for making both dinner experiences memorable Tony! Hopefully we get to see you soon again! read more

Kojo - Japanese Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

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The whole menu is tasty with that said we had the Brussel sprouts which were amazing, the fried rice (no pork) was savory and the bao bun pork belly was 3 stars (the bun overpowers the crispy pork and could use some spicy mayo). The tuna pizza stole the show. The California roll was full of real crab but something was off about the taste. The Kojo roll was good but it's not something I imagine I'd be craving. I had toro sashimi which was very fresh. Someone in my party also had some sort of paella dish which was spicy but looks amazing. The drinks were excellent and the vibe of this place is trending. The lychee martini was a fan favorite, the old fashioned was well done, and the black and gold threw me off with the sesame flavor. Special shout out to Benny our waiter for dealing with our ever growing and changing party and honestly being the best waiter I have had in a long time. He was prompt despite us being there during the rush, he was courteous and friendly, he gave excellently suggestions, and seriously gave us the best service I have had in a long time. If you read this ask for Benny and tell him the girl from Brooklyn sent you. You will not only leave well fed but as if you came to visit a friend who truly cares about making your dining experience the best ever. read more

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Best food best alcohol selection great service highly recommended for a family or just night out with your spouse

Love coming here in Sarasota. One of my family's favorite restaurants to go to. Everything we've had has been delicious, but I really love the mushroom rice pot, the miso cod, and the steak! There is a special beer by the other night that was really good, but we've also had the Wagyu and that's amazing. Service is always great and atmosphere is 10/10. read more

Cute place for date night. It is definitely on the fancier side with high price point. Everything tastes amazing. Service is also good read more

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Really very nice, rather expensive but giving its location I suppose one has to expect that. very different type of menu and very enjoyable read more

The food was amazing. The service was great. The place is beautiful of course and trendy in the heart of Downtown. I had sushi and shared other items. I was originally there for my drinks but my friends and I food ended up being amazing and with beautiful presentation read more

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Absolutely LOVED this place. It's inspired by the more upscale Asian restaurants in NYC and let me tell you, the price tag was much better than those restaurants. Everything we had was delicious. We got the crispy tuna, Tuan pizza with avocado, yellowtail with jalapeño, and rock shrimp katsu bao buns to start. All we're amazing. The yellowtail and tuna crispy rice were my favorites. We also got the spicy mango hamachi and kojo rolls. Again, both delicious. We ended with the Shanghai noodles but replaced the pork with shrimp and it was amazing. Full of shrimp, mushrooms, and so much flavor. About 4 of us ate and we were comfortably full and each paid about $55 a person and we each also got cocktails. Our server was also the best and gave us great recommendations. Amazing place! if I'm ever in Sarasota again, I will 100% be coming back! read more

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Ambiance: I was seated by the open kitchen, away from the countertop. The decor is clearly Asian-inspired and modern. However, the acoustics were atrocious. I could barely hear the person across from me, yet I could hear this base-forward music booming in the background and the couple adjacent to me bickering over whether they preferred tuna or salmon sushi. Service: Our waitress was very friendly and did a great job recommending a sake for me to try. Yet, the food came out way too slowly for this genre of restaurant. My tofu bites and bao came out around 20 minutes of ordering, but the other courses took 40 minutes to an hour. Maybe when designing the restaurant, they made the kitchen too small to accommodate the number of tables, but the slow service was a real negative. Food: As someone who has traveled to China, Japan, and South Korea on several occasions, I looked forward to the perspective that Kojo would bring to Asian-American food, but I was disappointed. Starting with the drinks, while in Japan, they never served me sake in an aperitif glass, even at upscale restaurants. I know that it is a valid serving medium for sake, but it's just too sterile for my liking. Sake glasses usually have a lot more personality, and they really add to the experience of having it. My partner's yuzu lemongrass mocktail has potential, but I would suggest serving it a little less concentrated in a tall glass with ice. For the other offerings, I feel like the drink menu could be a little more adventurous. The only Asian alcohol I saw were related to Japan, but no baijiu, soju, shochu, etc. I would encourage the exploration of these, before adding cocktails with mezcal. The food was hit-or-miss. Staring with the positives, the tofu bites were crispy and delicious. The Shanghai noodles were also well-liked. I'm not sure how to describe the Thai cauliflower. The presentation was strange and appeared rushed. It was tasty, but I found the salt too strong. The baos were a total failure. I ordered the sweet potato bao, and I was shocked when it came out. The sweet potatoes cut thin and were doused in the gochujang. I love gochujang, but I think that because of the way that the sweet potatoes were prepared, the flavor was overwhelmed by the sauce. I also think there may be better vegetables to put in a bao, like eggplant. Ironically, the other bao that we ordered was too dry. Overall, would I come back to Kojo? Not unless I was invited. I think there are several areas for improvement, and for the price-point, my expectations were unrealized. Most importantly, I think that the menu needs to align better with the source material, and until I see those changes, I am not interested in coming back. read more

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Wow! DELICIOUS, would come back again & again! The service was super! Definitely gives a finer feel! We started off with a Miso Soup, yum ( more fishy taste) I am not a seafood eater so that is my take! We went ahead and ordered an appetizer of Pork dumplings, yum! than we had Pork fried rice, even more yummy! Than had the app of Crispy Chicken for my actual meal.. INSANE! Still thinking about it. The best!! 2 shared the Waygu. Delicious! And my boyfriend had the Waygu spicy noodles, waygu was great the noodles he wasn't a fan. But we left happy and full! Would recommend! read more