Kazoo Restaurant
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We came a while back. We got one of their boats. The chicken kaarage came a bit raw. Sadly, you can't dodge this by going for the fried food because a lot of the fried food in general either greasy, really hard. In general, this place seems like it's in a rush. Some of the conveyor sushi either had a missing cover or the cover wasn't put on right. The service wasn't really there to do anything about the raw chicken. We sent it back and I guess they cooked it more what ehhhh. I thought the salad would be presented separately but it's on the bed of the fried food. At least the place looks alright.
Haven't been here in years and it has changed, completely remodeled. Wasn't too hungry so I ordered a poke salad and tea, which hit the spot. Service was friendly and was happy to see they still have their sushi boat, which I'm looking forward to coming back with the family to enjoy.
Nice casual sushi spot in Japan town. They have a conveyer bar area and regular seating as well. I like that you can order smaller rolls so you can try a variety instead of larger ones. Pricing was reasonable We got a few rolls to try. I don't remember the same of the one I got but it had soy paper and no rice with salmon and tuna. It has a ton of crab filling which was good, it was very creamy but didn't taste like a "roll". I got the party boat bento box, it was a ton of food and I was stuffed. The chicken katsu was super crispy. The edamame starter was bland and was just the beans, had no seasoning or event salt. Overall nice casual place for a quick and filling meal. Not the best sushi spot ever but for a variety and good service I'd check it out.
Service was fast and food decent. I came for a solo dinner and they weren't as packed although a steady stream of diners. I enjoyed my meal and thought the price was reasonable. The salmon teriyaki was cooked well and was hearty piece. The sashimi tasted fresh.
I'm always so surprised by the very low reviews of this place since this has become one of our go-to's for a quick cheap lunch! Will I go here for a sashimi/omakase vibe, probably not. But the items we do get always hit and are affordable! The space can get a little crowded especially during food rushes but service is fairly quick. We always get either a bento box or a happy boat for lunch. I've never been a fan of California rolls but I like how they make theirs here. If you want something cheap but also fairly yummy, this is a pretty good place for a quick eat!
Kazoo Japanese Restaurant - A Warm Solution on a Wet, Cold Night Some meals earn five stars not because they are luxurious, but because they answer a very specific need at the exact right moment. This was one of those nights - cold rain, soaked jackets, and an evening that ended earlier than planned. We needed somewhere still open, still cooking, and still willing to serve a proper meal. Kazoo had its lights on, a full menu, and a warm dining room, so we walked in. Given the weather, our order was intentional. When you're wet and cold, the body naturally wants heat, oil, broth, and rice - the core of Japanese 家庭料理. * Sukiyaki beef bowl - Sweet-savory, steaming hot, with beef, tofu, vegetables and rice soaking up the broth. Not flashy, but exactly the kind of stabilizing bowl you want after being out in the rain. * Ika geso karaage - Deep-fried squid legs, fried cleanly with good texture. High heat, high crunch, very effective at warming you up. * Chicken karaage - Classic seasoning, crisp outside, juicy inside. Reliable comfort food, well executed. * Katsudon & curry katsu - Two different ways of delivering warmth: soft, eggy katsudon for gentle comfort; Japanese curry over katsu for aromatic, spice-driven heat. Both did exactly what they were supposed to do. What really lifted the experience was the service. Even with guests coming in soaked from the rain, the staff stayed patient, polite, and genuinely kind. Hot food matters on a night like this, but warm service completes the equation. Kazoo is not trying to be a high-end restaurant, and it shouldn't be judged as one. But if you're cold, hungry, and looking for honest Japanese home-style dishes served hot and with care, this place does the job - and does it well. I would come back, for the same reason I came this time: sometimes the "best" meal is simply the one that brings you back to life when the weather doesn't cooperate. - Dr. C Writing for the meals that simply do the job when you need them most.
Came here on a Saturday afternoon and it wasn't busy. We tried a couple of sushi dishes from the conveyor belt and got edamame and octopus as appetizers. Everything was tasty! My boyfriend liked the octopus dish a lot as well. The prices were a bit on the higher end but I would come back if I'm in the area!
Service was great. Ambiance was relaxing. Not much noise for lunch time. My rolls were delicious.
It was a visit from a long long time, I always come hungry as usual and full when I leave. Food was on point as always, no complaints and they serve with happiness. Lin was my server, he was kind, patient and attentive, and the service was great, no complaints. The ambiance of the place, very updated, clean and the bathrooms are nice and new. It's a treat to come to this place, you'd never go wrong with any order.
Came here on a random weekend for a quick lunch and had a very meh experience. To be fair I've come a few times before and sometimes, it's ok, and sometimes it's not, though it's a small place that recently underwent a remodel so wanted to come back now that the sushi-go-round was working and try it out. That said, the experience was (well the last 2-3) was not great. I ordered miso soup, grabbed some sushi from the sushi-go-round, onigiri and chicken yakitori. The miso soup was pretty good and everything was just ok or worse. When I ordered the onigiri, I asked for broiled (which I've ordered before) and for some reason the server wouldn't let me order it. Even when I pointed it out on the menu, even when I said I've had it before, so I went with the salmon, which was not cooked well and basically fell apart. The yakitori was just chicken teriyaki. It literally was just teriyaki on skewers, not yakitori at all and the sushi was just ok. The service was just bad. It was never amazing, but this time was really bad. I had to get the server's attention several times and ended up getting a different server's attention to check out. It's really a shame because the sushi itself is pretty good, though there's pretty good sushi all over the neighborhood and MUCH better service.
This my first time here with my monthly lunch group. The place is very bright and very clean. My friend had been here a long time ago and believes they had remodeled. I ordered the Bento Box C where you can choose one item from Bento Box A and one item from Bento Box B. I chose the mackerel and sashimi, which comes with miso soup, a salad, three pieces of gyoza, a wedge of tomato and lemon. It seemed like a lot of food but a managed to finish all of it. The mackerel was a little on the small side, IMO, but it was all delicious. Next time, I'll try their sushi boat that goes around in a moat. TLDR regarding parking: It was a challenge finding a parking spot. There are metered parking spots all along Jackson St. but were all filled. I found a spot off of Jackson St., so I parked. You log onto the website that's on the meter to search for the meter number but for some reason, it wasn't found. So, I decided to find another spot. I did go down Fifth St. which is a residential street, and there were no parking restrictions. One of my friends said she parked in a metered spot and saw our other friend, so they started chatting. After 10 minutes, the friend who parked received a parking ticket and she told the "meter maid" she just parked. The "meter maid" couldn't withdraw the ticket and that my friend had to contest it. The "meter maid" told her that there are certain times that parking is free, but my friend didn't see any signage regarding the restricted times.
This location got renovated! Beforehand it looked more like a hole in the wall spot, which gave it some authenticity and now it looks very modern. It's still fairly clean inside. The service is really good. They're quick, patient and helpful. They have a lot of family item options which feels plentiful and they serve single rolls, we ordered the happy boat that says it serves one person but we shared it amongst two, but I would say the special rolls were OK.
I happened to stop by this area and wanted to pick up dinner for the drive. The display at the front drew me in. I was greeted and service is amazing. For take out, I ordered a chirashi zushi (which is assorted fish over sushi rice) and hotate nigiri (scallop sushi). Food came out fast and fresh. However, there is too much rice to fish ratio. The fish are very thinly sliced with a merely one slice each. The bottom is a hefty chunk of rice. For $24 I'm not expecting premium cuts at all but this is just barely any protein at all.. Same goes for the nigiri, for $6.95 this is just two buttons of mini scallop.. I didn't do research before coming in cuz I was in a rush so that is totally my fault. But I thought a sushi restaurant in Japan town of San Jose can't be sub par. My experience was not unpleasant at all but definitely didn't live up to expectations. I think if you don't mind hella rice in your sushi, this place is really clean and the interior is nice.
Kazoo had been around a long time and longevity indicates success. They recently remodeled from a standard sushi bar and tables to a sushi boat and tables place. I like that, personally. We sat at the sushi bar and also ordered hamachi Kama and sashimi from the main menu. Their assortment that goes around was good. Some dishes had signs so you know wrist they are; others didn't. We had a couple interesting plates (see pics). I feel the fish was not as fresh as I expected, meaning the softness and taste, but still good. The sushi and nigiri rice was a little hard on the plates on the boats. Service was attentive. It was not busy at all since we ate early at 5pm, so that helped. The plates on the boats are covered but little holes on top prevent them from being sealed, if you know what I mean. read more
Went to Kazoo for dinner, and it wasn't too crowded, so we were seated right away. The restaurant has a nice, modern atmosphere. We ordered the chicken katsu and tempura bento boxes, Tempura Happy Boat, Katsu Donburi, and California and San Jose rolls. Unfortunately, the food came out at different times rather than together, which was disappointing. The bigger issue was the food quality. Everything was just average, and some dishes didn't taste as fresh as they have on previous visits. We've been frequenting Kazoo whenever we're in the area, but over our last couple of visits, we've noticed a decline in both the food and service. Our server's demeanor also wasn't welcoming. When we asked questions, we felt like we were bothering them, which made the experience less enjoyable. The service was disappointing overall. It's unfortunate because we used to really enjoy Kazoo,but our last few visits have been disappointing. read more
We came a while back. We got one of their boats. The chicken kaarage came a bit raw. Sadly, you can't dodge this by going for the fried food because a lot of the fried food in general either greasy, really hard. In general, this place seems like it's in a rush. Some of the conveyor sushi either had a missing cover or the cover wasn't put on right. The service wasn't really there to do anything about the raw chicken. We sent it back and I guess they cooked it more what ehhhh. I thought the salad would be presented separately but it's on the bed of the fried food. At least the place looks alright. read more
2 days ago
Haven't been here in years and it has changed, completely remodeled. Wasn't too hungry so I ordered a poke salad and tea, which hit the spot. Service was friendly and was happy to see they still have their sushi boat, which I'm looking forward to coming back with the family to enjoy. read more
Nice casual sushi spot in Japan town. They have a conveyer bar area and regular seating as well. I like that you can order smaller rolls so you can try a variety instead of larger ones. Pricing was reasonable We got a few rolls to try. I don't remember the same of the one I got but it had soy paper and no rice with salmon and tuna. It has a ton of crab filling which was good, it was very creamy but didn't taste like a "roll". I got the party boat bento box, it was a ton of food and I was stuffed. The chicken katsu was super crispy. The edamame starter was bland and was just the beans, had no seasoning or event salt. Overall nice casual place for a quick and filling meal. Not the best sushi spot ever but for a variety and good service I'd check it out. read more
Service was fast and food decent. I came for a solo dinner and they weren't as packed although a steady stream of diners. I enjoyed my meal and thought the price was reasonable. The salmon teriyaki was cooked well and was hearty piece. The sashimi tasted fresh. read more
9 months ago
I'm always so surprised by the very low reviews of this place since this has become one of our go-to's for a quick cheap lunch! Will I go here for a sashimi/omakase vibe, probably not. But the items we do get always hit and are affordable! The space can get a little crowded especially during food rushes but service is fairly quick. We always get either a bento box or a happy boat for lunch. I've never been a fan of California rolls but I like how they make theirs here. If you want something cheap but also fairly yummy, this is a pretty good place for a quick eat! read more
3 days ago
Kazoo Japanese Restaurant - A Warm Solution on a Wet, Cold Night Some meals earn five stars not because they are luxurious, but because they answer a very specific need at the exact right moment. This was one of those nights - cold rain, soaked jackets, and an evening that ended earlier than planned. We needed somewhere still open, still cooking, and still willing to serve a proper meal. Kazoo had its lights on, a full menu, and a warm dining room, so we walked in. Given the weather, our order was intentional. When you're wet and cold, the body naturally wants heat, oil, broth, and rice - the core of Japanese 家庭料理. * Sukiyaki beef bowl - Sweet-savory, steaming hot, with beef, tofu, vegetables and rice soaking up the broth. Not flashy, but exactly the kind of stabilizing bowl you want after being out in the rain. * Ika geso karaage - Deep-fried squid legs, fried cleanly with good texture. High heat, high crunch, very effective at warming you up. * Chicken karaage - Classic seasoning, crisp outside, juicy inside. Reliable comfort food, well executed. * Katsudon & curry katsu - Two different ways of delivering warmth: soft, eggy katsudon for gentle comfort; Japanese curry over katsu for aromatic, spice-driven heat. Both did exactly what they were supposed to do. What really lifted the experience was the service. Even with guests coming in soaked from the rain, the staff stayed patient, polite, and genuinely kind. Hot food matters on a night like this, but warm service completes the equation. Kazoo is not trying to be a high-end restaurant, and it shouldn't be judged as one. But if you're cold, hungry, and looking for honest Japanese home-style dishes served hot and with care, this place does the job - and does it well. I would come back, for the same reason I came this time: sometimes the "best" meal is simply the one that brings you back to life when the weather doesn't cooperate. - Dr. C Writing for the meals that simply do the job when you need them most. read more
Came here on a Saturday afternoon and it wasn't busy. We tried a couple of sushi dishes from the conveyor belt and got edamame and octopus as appetizers. Everything was tasty! My boyfriend liked the octopus dish a lot as well. The prices were a bit on the higher end but I would come back if I'm in the area! read more
2 months ago
Service was great. Ambiance was relaxing. Not much noise for lunch time. My rolls were delicious. read more
23 days ago
It was a visit from a long long time, I always come hungry as usual and full when I leave. Food was on point as always, no complaints and they serve with happiness. Lin was my server, he was kind, patient and attentive, and the service was great, no complaints. The ambiance of the place, very updated, clean and the bathrooms are nice and new. It's a treat to come to this place, you'd never go wrong with any order. read more
Came here on a random weekend for a quick lunch and had a very meh experience. To be fair I've come a few times before and sometimes, it's ok, and sometimes it's not, though it's a small place that recently underwent a remodel so wanted to come back now that the sushi-go-round was working and try it out. That said, the experience was (well the last 2-3) was not great. I ordered miso soup, grabbed some sushi from the sushi-go-round, onigiri and chicken yakitori. The miso soup was pretty good and everything was just ok or worse. When I ordered the onigiri, I asked for broiled (which I've ordered before) and for some reason the server wouldn't let me order it. Even when I pointed it out on the menu, even when I said I've had it before, so I went with the salmon, which was not cooked well and basically fell apart. The yakitori was just chicken teriyaki. It literally was just teriyaki on skewers, not yakitori at all and the sushi was just ok. The service was just bad. It was never amazing, but this time was really bad. I had to get the server's attention several times and ended up getting a different server's attention to check out. It's really a shame because the sushi itself is pretty good, though there's pretty good sushi all over the neighborhood and MUCH better service. read more
This my first time here with my monthly lunch group. The place is very bright and very clean. My friend had been here a long time ago and believes they had remodeled. I ordered the Bento Box C where you can choose one item from Bento Box A and one item from Bento Box B. I chose the mackerel and sashimi, which comes with miso soup, a salad, three pieces of gyoza, a wedge of tomato and lemon. It seemed like a lot of food but a managed to finish all of it. The mackerel was a little on the small side, IMO, but it was all delicious. Next time, I'll try their sushi boat that goes around in a moat. TLDR regarding parking: It was a challenge finding a parking spot. There are metered parking spots all along Jackson St. but were all filled. I found a spot off of Jackson St., so I parked. You log onto the website that's on the meter to search for the meter number but for some reason, it wasn't found. So, I decided to find another spot. I did go down Fifth St. which is a residential street, and there were no parking restrictions. One of my friends said she parked in a metered spot and saw our other friend, so they started chatting. After 10 minutes, the friend who parked received a parking ticket and she told the "meter maid" she just parked. The "meter maid" couldn't withdraw the ticket and that my friend had to contest it. The "meter maid" told her that there are certain times that parking is free, but my friend didn't see any signage regarding the restricted times. read more
This location got renovated! Beforehand it looked more like a hole in the wall spot, which gave it some authenticity and now it looks very modern. It's still fairly clean inside. The service is really good. They're quick, patient and helpful. They have a lot of family item options which feels plentiful and they serve single rolls, we ordered the happy boat that says it serves one person but we shared it amongst two, but I would say the special rolls were OK. read more
1 year ago
I happened to stop by this area and wanted to pick up dinner for the drive. The display at the front drew me in. I was greeted and service is amazing. For take out, I ordered a chirashi zushi (which is assorted fish over sushi rice) and hotate nigiri (scallop sushi). Food came out fast and fresh. However, there is too much rice to fish ratio. The fish are very thinly sliced with a merely one slice each. The bottom is a hefty chunk of rice. For $24 I'm not expecting premium cuts at all but this is just barely any protein at all.. Same goes for the nigiri, for $6.95 this is just two buttons of mini scallop.. I didn't do research before coming in cuz I was in a rush so that is totally my fault. But I thought a sushi restaurant in Japan town of San Jose can't be sub par. My experience was not unpleasant at all but definitely didn't live up to expectations. I think if you don't mind hella rice in your sushi, this place is really clean and the interior is nice. read more
1 year ago
Food: Food BIG PORTION! You pay for what you get!! And yummy!! Service/Ambiance: I feel like they did not check up on us as much, but I think the server was new that's why. read more
5 months ago
Came here on a Tuesday evening hoping for a wonderful tasting. Back in the day ttheir food was so delicate and delicious but the food quality has definitely gone downhill. I was met with stinky salmon that has texture of leather, burnt an oily tempura which use to be delicate and flaky Is now doughy and rough, an then I got their assorted pickles which were lukewarm and left out, an malleable and bendy , absolutely no crunch and stale, tasting old with a very unwelcoming taste. I use to recommend this place to everyone but food quality is definitely not like it use to be read more
1 year ago
The menu is extensive and offers tons of different Japanese dishes. The fresh sake roll pieces were cute and bite size. Was the right ratio but I do wish they were slightly larger. If you're hungry, please pair it with another dish. I paired it with their ochazuke. It's similar to some ochazukes I've had. I do wish there was a bit more fish in the dish. Flavor is what you would expect. After finishing both dishes, I felt satisfied but I definitely could've ordered more. I wish I ordered one of the bentos or the kama. They looked delicious and my companions seem to be enjoying it thoroughly. I can only rate based on my experience and the dishes I ordered. read more
We used to go to Kazoo Restaurant but that was awhile ago. So it was nice to visit again. They have upgraded and remodeled. It is modern with simple decor. The noodles longer have booth seating as the tables replaced them. The service is friendly and nice. It's a good place for sushi/sashimi combinations, bentos, or Entrees. I remember we ordered a family boat filled with sashimi and sushi rolls which were fresh & delicious. Today, i only ordered takeout of California Roll: mayocrab, avocado, cucumber (3.5/5). I didn't sense any vinegar seasoning in the rice. Overall, 3.5 stars. Come check them out. read more
Can't here for lunch....food is good here simple but good... Pretty standard Japanese restaurant... I think they mentioned on weekends they have a conveyor belt for revolving sushi as well. Employee was nice and helpful. I would eat here again read more
7 months ago
11 months ago
Great authentic Japanese restaurant. Super sweet staff great food. The boats are highly recommended. Cheers read more
loved the restaurant! had a party of 14 people on a Sunday night and did not reserve in advance because it was a last minute choice for us. nevertheless, everything went smoothly! our orders were taken fast, the food came out quickly, and everyone enjoyed their meals a lot. the atmosphere was very nice and the total price was also reasonable. definitely will be back and highly reccomend! read more
4 months ago
Food is consistently good and fresh at Kazoo! Everything! I've been going here since high school. Staff is super friendly and accommodating. The restaurant has remodeled since our last visit. They upgraded their sushi bar boats to the electronic modern style that delivers to your table. We'll be back! Street parking is available but not free. Meters do take cards! read more
1 year ago
We sat at the sushi bar at Kazoo. The items on the conveyor belt didn't look very fresh, so we ordered a la carte instead. Unfortunately, the hamachi maki had seaweed that tasted a bit off. A lot of the menu items also had mayo, which limited our options. The service was polite and fairly quick, but our tea was poured too full and spilled over. It was a small mistake, but it did affect the overall experience. The atmosphere was nice, but the taste and variety didn't quite meet our expectations. Maybe others would enjoy it more, but we don't plan to return. read more
2 months ago
2 years ago
My review is for my experience dining in and ordering sushi rolls. - I guess this place is sometimes a conveyer belt sushi place if and when they run it. It wasn't running when I dined here for lunch. If you sit on one of the tables by the belt, your sushi will be delivered on a "train" and you just pick it up. - Sushi rolls are smaller and vary in size but start at 4 pieces. It's pretty pricey for the portion and quality. - Rolls come with A LOT of rice...mushy rice. - Rolls are not tasty at all and they skimp on important ingredients. Ordered a spider roll that came with large pieces of cucumber, lettuce (first time seeing this), and not much soft shell crab. It looked like a sandwich wrap cause it was huge but it tasted horrible. - Miso soup was fishy. - Service was fine. Overall, I would not recommend the sushi rolls here. I doubt the sushi or sashimi would be any better either. read more
I was hoping that Kazoo actually had boats/conveyor belt type sushi but it wasn't running as such when I was there for dinner on a Wednesday night. The rolls we did order came on the conveyor belt that runs through the restaurant and it's kind of a cute robotic thing how it stops right where you are sitting. But not the same as having a conveyor belt where you can pick up what you want! I'd love to find a place that does that. Overall the food was decent, as usual I prefer either sushi should be exceptional or AYCE, and this place was neither. It was decent quality and reasonably priced, but nothing amazing. The service was friendly and efficient and I appreciated their new decor. I will say the bathroom is very unusual, it says that it's not gender specific but basically an open area with a couple of closed stalls and a sink and no door to that area from the main restaurant. As I was coming out, a guy was coming in and he had that look of "oh no did I go into the women's room." read more
Kazoo continues to impress, although its rolls and sashimi pieces are not a large as others, it seems. The value proposition here is the Party Boat for one. Service is attentive, almost hurried. Parking is always a challenge in Japantown. read more
The inside is newly renovated and it's a major upgrade, service is great too! Food however is mid. I like they have small portions so you can try different rolls. Each roll is around $7-8 with 4 sushi. We got the dragon roll, paradise and spicy San Diego. Paradise was unique and my favorite out of the all. Rest two were very salty without the soy sauce dipping. Vegetables croquette (deep fried potato with no seasoning) was also okay so were the Tofus (cold and fried). Miso soup was good. They were out of the tempura banana dessert that we really wanted to try so we got mango mochi and matcha cheesecake and they were delicious, highly recommend! read more
2 years ago
Stopped in on a whim. The service was excellent but the food was below average. I had the yellow tail sushi and the fish was fresh but the rice portion underneath was too large and the consistency a bit off. I also had the katsu don, which is a fried and breaded pork cutlet over rice with onions and topped with egg. The katsu was very soggy as if it had been cooked earlier in the day and reheated, and the egg on top had areas that were severely undercooked. It came out in less than 5-10 minutes of my ordering, which there's no way it could have if it was cooked fresh. The two stars are for the fish being okay and the service being extremely kind and friendly. read more
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More info about Kazoo Restaurant
250 Jackson St
San Jose, CA 95112
Downtown
Directions
(408) 288-9611
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http://www.kazoorestaurant.com
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Ask the Community - Kazoo Restaurant
Where is parking?
Japantown only has street parking. There are no garages or public lots. But, not to worry, spaces turnover regularly, so you should be fine. You may have to park one block away.
Does Kazoo currently allow limited indoor dining?
Not yet, we are waiting for second vaccine to be done for all employees, should open for dine in in earlier May. Thanks
Is this place AYCE?
It's not. But this restaurant has not closed. I ate there yesterday.
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