Nearly half a century after Kozo Sushi first opened its doors in Osaka, Japan, the restaurant continues to roll out favorites, as its fresh approach to fast food delights diners in search of stellar sushi.
Kozo Sushi has grown to five convenient locations, including one on South King Street in the heart of Moiliili, and as the Kozo Sushi management team explains, “The fact that we started out in Japan helps to set us apart from the competition. Kozo Sushi is, in fact, the No. 1 fast-food sushi chain in Japan, and has the largest number of sushi stores. We also use ingredients and recipes from Japan that have been developed over many years.”
While Kozo Sushi is a fast-food chain, its main priority is providing great value and quality sushi at reasonable prices. This philosophy allows the restaurant to serve customers who may be pressed for time, whether stopping in for a quick lunch or picking up dinner after a long day at work. The establishment’s sushi recipes blend traditional Japanese flavors and preparation techniques with mainstream, local flavors and accents that appeal to a broad spectrum of tastes and preferences.
New items also are constantly introduced to keep the menu fresh.
“Overall, our menu has a balanced mix of both traditional and local-style sushi items,” the Kozo Sushi management team says. “This is because we want to cater to all kinds of people, from children to adults.
We also serve traditional-style items because we want locals to know more about authentic sushi.”
Customers continue to discover new favorites with each trip to Kozo Sushi, including Dragon Don ($7.25), which draws inspiration from Dragon Maki and includes three pieces of tempura topped with heaping portions of spicy ahi and dressed with green onions, spicy sauce and teriyaki sauce atop a bed of rice. Super Spam Musubi ($2.80) also has become a favorite, as Spam, bacon and egg are layered atop rice and furikake before being shaped into a tasty musubi.
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- Kozo Sushi Moiliili
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- Dynamite Maki ($7.25)
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- Ahi Tar Tare Maki ($6.25)
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- Manager Li Qing with Hurricane Maki and Ahi Tar Tare Maki
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- Super Spam Musubi ($2.80)
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- Dragon Don ($7.25)
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- Hurricane Maki ($7.25)
Ahi Poke Don ($6.99) is a go-to selection as well. The donburi features ahi poke with spicy sauce to kick up the experience along with cucumber atop a hearty portion of rice. Diners also reach for Hurricane Maki ($7.25), a flavorful concoction of ebi fry and lettuce rolled into maki form, then topped with salmon and green onions and accented with the sweet-and-notso-spicy combination of teriyaki sauce and wasabi mayonnaise.
“To anyone who hasn’t tried Kozo Sushi, we would like customers to know that we have all kinds of sushi, from traditional to local fusion-style varieties,” the Kozo Sushi management team says. “We also cater to those who cannot eat raw fish or seafood. Also, in recent years, we have started to sell high-quality bentos and noodle dishes.”
Looking to cater a family gathering or business function? Kozo Sushi offers eight party platters designed to please attendees at any occasion. Popular options include Deluxe Nigiri Set ($29.99) with 45 pieces of freshly made sushi (27 nigiri pieces and 18 hosomaki pieces). Kahala Special Plate ($35.99) dishes out 46 pieces of sushi (24 maki sushi and 22 nigiri selections), while the ultimate sushi assortment is presented in Kamaaina Plate ($43.99, order at least two hours in advance, no raw fish), featuring 98 pieces of inari, maki sushi and hosomaki sushi. Additional options include Junior Set ($16.99), Sukeroku Plate ($19.50), Deluxe Maki Set ($25.99) Aloha Set ($25.99) and Family Set ($25.99).
“The party platters that Kozo Sushi serves are a great fit for any type of gathering because there are options that can suit everyone’s needs,” explains the Kozo Sushi management team. “Whether it’s a small or large gathering, a platter of raw fish or a mixture of multiple items, the various options become party sensations.”
In addition to serving up fresh and local varieties of superb sushi, Kozo’s staff does so with a smile — a characteristic of the restaurant’s commitment to customer service.
Kozo Sushi
2334 S. King St., Honolulu (in addition to four other locations)
951-5696
Monday-Thursday, 9:30 a.m.–7 p.m.
Friday-Saturday, 9:30 a.m.–8 p.m.
Sunday, 9:30 a.m.–6 p.m.
KozoSushiHawaii.net
Honolulu, HI 96826
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