Food was delicious, I got the yellowtail and tuna sashimi, along with the kojo roll. The fish was very fresh and the lychee martini I ordered was delicious. While the food was good quality, the service honestly ruined the experience. Our waiter was very rude, he kept trying to to word add-ons like they were free and when we said no he became very impolite and had a terrible attitude the rest of the night when we were genuinely nothing short of very friendly and very respectful. Food: 5/5 Service 1/5 read more

Absolutely the best food in downtown Sarasota. Great service. Unique delicious cuisine. Special read more

The vibes in the restaurant was very nice, it's definitely a more mature vibe and a little dressy, but still a little casual. I ordered the pork belly bao buns and the spicy wagyu noodles. The bao buns were pretty decent, I think it needed some kind of sauce to coat the buns. I didn't really like how they put cucumbers in the bun, but to each their own. The spicy wagyu noodles were more of a let down. The steak was cooked pretty well and was juicy, but the noodles tasted very salty and just a little off. The presentation was aesthetic though! The service was good, I sat at the bar, and the bartenders were helpful and always around. For the price, it's a little pricey for the taste of the food so I wouldn't recommend it if you're looking for more authentic Asian flavors. read more

Kojo - Spicy wagyu noodles - Japanese Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

See all

Was really excited to try Kojo but came away completely unimpressed. The ambience reminds me of many restaurants I've been to in Miami - dark, dimly lit with loud blaring bass playing throughout the restaurant. The service was incredibly slow. It took 15 minutes to get our waters and our waiter was energetic but inattentive. I would've ordered a second drink, but they never bothered checking on any of us. The pacing of the food was bad. We received our bao buns about 10 minutes after we ordered, but it took an hour to receive our roll. The mamenori roll was actually our favorite thing we ate, but we didn't bother ordering another and risk waiting another hour. We got the pork and fried chicken bao buns. Both were very dry and could've used more sauce. The crispy nori tacos were dry and way too salty. The tuna tataki was pretty good. Overall, very below average (and overpriced food). It all is beautifully plated, and that's the best thing I can say about it. There are so many good restaurants in Sarasota, I will not be returning here. And, I would recommend you do the same. read more

See all

Amazing experience, we went 2 nights in a row! Toro crispy rice is a must order Wasabi Caesar salad was unlike any salad I've had! Our servers were extremely knowledgeable, lots of support staff. Our glasses were never empty and table always clean. read more

Had such a fantastic time. Probably currently one of the best restaurants Sarasota has to offer both in style service design and food. It's definitely the start of the much needed food movement here in Sarasota! Our server was personable and fun - our food came out fast and Super hot - the flavors were superb and delightful. The restaurant was beautiful and decor was eclectic and modern sort of gave a Tulum vibe. I will 100% be coming back and bringing others! read more

Kojo - We also started with a cocktail over at Bar Hana before our table was ready and really enjoyed the sexy atmosphere over there. - Japanese Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

All of the food was over salted. Both fried rice dishes we got had way too much ginger. I would recommend ordering it without the ginger. It overpowered the dish. The Shanghai noodles and wagyu noodles were mediocre at best. This place is hyped up. Our waitress was not attentive and rarely came back to check on us. Our meals didn't come out at the same time. The noodles came out 15 minutes after the rice dishes and sushi. read more

Food and service: 5 stars Environment (lighting particularly): 3 Stars I said I wanted something light. Funny story: we actually reserved a table at an Italian restaurant but for some reason it was a restaurant in another city we decided to do this Asian fusion restaurant KOJO that was already on our list to try. We didn't feel much so decided to share one main dish and order multiple small plates. The wasabi Cesar salad was all crushed by me as I need something refreshing (when I eat salad, it means there is something "wrong" with me). The greens they chose was excellent, fresh and not the overgrown type. The wasabi is not overpowering and just give me enough kick. I liked the "milky croutons" as they are very light, airy, and not hard - cannot handle the regular croutons as they always cut my mouth. Then the pork and shrimp gyoza came, 5 pieces with dipping sauce. Good flavor and I particularly like the thin but has a nice slightly chewy texture, and it is soft without being over fried with a hard crust. The Brussels sprouts and the green tea smoked half chicken came at last. Both are excellent. Brussel sprouts are about heart size of the usual ones and it is nice cooked with some tangy sweet glaze. Chicken is my favorite. It came with a cover to lock the smoke to infuse it. Super tender, juicy, and flavorful with a sweet soy sauce based sauce. I personally love the dark meat with the skin as that is the part with the strongest flavor. He loves the breast part and it was perfect sharing between us. The only thing I am not a fan of, is the lighting of the restaurant, especially where we were seated, almost no light that we were eating in the dark - thank goodness to iPhone's update to allow longer exposure time for me to capture the pictures. Overall, recommended! read more

See all

Kojo restaurant is a must-visit if you are in Sarasota! They are building another Kojo location in Saint Petersburg, except this location will be inside Central Park Food Hall, leaning towards a fun rooftop bar concept. The parking is covered in the garage, as it's 2-hour free parking. If you use the 2nd-floor stairs and come down, you will find yourself in front of Kojo. I highly recommend making reservations about 5 days in advance because the place does get packed. I love the design, ambiance, and details within the restaurant. Even from the restaurant logo to the table setting, definitely put a lot of thought and effort. Once you enter the restaurant, there is a full-size bar to the left with 4-5 small tables around the bar for dining. The main dining area is behind the hostess, directly ahead. I recommend getting one of the booths within the main dining area (behind the bar), as you will have a magnificent view of the entire restaurant/open kitchen and can intermittently people-watch. There is outdoor seating as well, but I'd dine inside than out. FOOD: Spicy Tuna Nori Tacos (5/5, pickled Thai chili, shiso, sesame): The tacos are lightly breaded nori, or dried seaweed, which is then flash fried to form a taco shell and filled with sushi rice and either with torched teriyaki salmon, spicy tuna, or maitake mushroom tempura. My top two are the mushroom tempura and spicy tuna. The highlight of this is the breaded nori taco shells. It is unique yet adds a crunch needed in your life. Tuna Toro Nigiri (4/5): It comes in a pair, but they were able to accommodate an extra nigiri for us. It's simple and good. Pork Belly Bao Buns (2/5, roasted peanuts, jalapeno, cilantro, rock sugar): It is not the best pork belly bao bun I've had. It also contains peanuts and rock sugar, which is different from your traditional bao buns. I personally was not a big fan of this. There is a more bun ratio compared to the interior content/pork belly. Roasted Cauliflower (4/5, Furikake crust, sesame-ginger miso sauce, and lemon zest): Our server recommended this, and I also recommend it (even if you do not like cauliflower). However, it is a bit salty on its own so eat in smaller bites. Tremendous great flavors throughout, especially the interesting Furikake crust on the cauliflower. Shrimp, Bacon, and Kimchi Paella (4/5, egg, nori, kabayaki, gochujang sauce, scallion, ginger oil): It is supposed to be Korean fried rice. It was a bit oily, but it was good. There are a lot of good flavors throughout. I did not taste the Kimchi though (Korean fermented/pickled napa cabbage). The service was fantastic. Our drinks never touched the bottom, and the food arrived at appropriate times. I had a great time here. Would I come back? For sure. read more

See all

Such an unexpected five star experience for our random Friday night dinner. We didn't make reservations for our group of five but luckily, we showed up early and were able to be seated at a high top table in the back. Service was absolutely phenomenal. Personable and friendly, our waiter was the best thing to happen to us that night.... Besides all the delicious food! Highly recommend the Kojo roll. Baos were good and so were the salmon tacos. Drinks are strong but delicious. We were celebrating a birthday and they brought out champagne for everyone in addition to matcha donuts and some other dessert. Definitely a gem worthy of checking out in Sarasota! read more

See all

Food was delicious. We got a variety of dishes. Server was humorous and attentive. Decor is beautiful.

Kudos to a Yelp friend who highlighted that Kojo made Yelp's 2023 Top 100 Restaurants in Florida... We had to go! Great 1st experience! As we were anxious to explore, we hit most sections of their menu. Each dish made us more excited to come back to further explore their offerings. Miso soup was loaded with elevated flavors and screamed "umami". Yellowtail with jalapeño was bright and fresh. Broiled oysters were interesting, clean, and enjoyable (although not my wife's fav). Spicy Tuna Nori Taco was innovative and excellent. Nori (i.e., seaweed sushi roll wrapper) made the taco shell and the inside was sheer magic. It's fair to consider it a creative variation of a sushi roll sans the rice - more please! Hamachi Nigiri & Spicy Wagyu Noodles more than finished us off... delightfully so. It's July, so the offseason opportunity to dine at the bar was appreciated. Although by 7:00 the place was packed. Please make a reservation. This place is no secret. Service was spot on. Hot dishes arrived to us steaming straight from the kitchen. The bartenders (thanks Silvia) were slammed, but amazingly helpful and efficient. The ambiance was deftly managed. Lounge music at the perfect level generated an upbeat, energetic space without feeling intrusive or 'clubby' to a couple of 50-year-olds. We enjoyed our conversations, but felt a sense of privacy as chatter and the music created sufficient white noise to feel comfortable - even at the crowded bar. Young(er) and old(er) felt comfortable and welcome... Bravo! read more

See all

My husband and I had an absolutely 5 star dinner at Kojo. Our waitress was top notch, she explained the menu and gave excellent customer service!! Every bite of as delicious as, the ambience was very nice, relaxing and quiet. We can't wait to go back! read more

See all

Total Disappointment.. My husband and I first went to Kojo in October of 2022 and had an amazing experience. We travel to Sarasota a few times a year and he had wanted to go back for some time. Unfortunately, the food served is not as good as it was 2 years ago. The first time we were completely wowed by the brussel sprouts, yellowtail with jalapenos and spicy tuna roll (as well as a couple items that are no longer on the menu). This time the brussel sprouts were charred and bitter rather than caramelized and the yellowtail was much thinner and just fell apart. We also tried the wagyu dumplings. While the stuffing tasted good, the sauce was overpowering and made it a less than stellar experience. On a positive note, the spicy tuna roll was still good as were the Shanghai Noodles. With a total tab of $120 with tip, we will not be returning. read more

Upscale and great vibe. Each dish had that comforting, homemade feel with just the right balance of seasoning and texture. The atmosphere was nice: warm, inviting, and perfect for a night out. Whether you're there for a casual dinner or a special occasion, it hits the mark. Great food, great vibe--I'll definitely be back. read more

Excellent cuisine at this Sushi style restaurant but the music is too heavy to enjoy a conversation read more

Kojo - Chicken bun - Japanese Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

I wish there were an extra set of stars to describe how amazing our dinner was here! We went for a variety of appetizers, shareable, and sushi to complete our meal, including: Chashu Braised Pork Belly Bao (best pork belly bao I've ever had!) Fried chicken bao (wish I could fry chicken like this - so light and crispy!) Spicy Tuna Nori Tacos (MUST Order - absolutely amazing, unique dish - could have ate a dozen) Kojo Roll (great sushi roll, nothing stand out but the quality of sushi is fantastic) Chicken dumpling (usually not a dumpling fan but these were amazing as well, the broth was excellent) Yellowfin tuna with jalapeño To finish lightly, we went with the Hawaiian sunset for dessert (coconut custard, diced fresh seasonal fruit, and passion fruit froth). Drinks - lychee (Lee-chee) martini was heavy on the rose/floral smell but nice and light. read more

Menu was extensive and the food was beautifully presented and delicious. Good service despite our ordering many dishes at different times!

It's all around great place for sushi. Our waiter was very knowledgeable. Only thing we didn't like was the restaurant was empty and we were put outside to have dinner. There was plenty of tables inside. No where on the we site says you must make a reservation to eat inside. Our favorite was the spicy edamame it was delicious. read more

We are year-round regulars at KOJO and have introduced the restaurant to many friends. However, given the unprofessional and rude host and manager on a recent visit we left the restaurant and had a lovely meal at Selva where the food is as outstanding as the staff. Definitely not returning to be treated disrespectfully. read more

AMAAAZZIINNNGGG!!!!! Earlier in the day my daughter and I had stopped at Focaccia restaurant for lunch, (also recommend). The owners shared that Kojo was their favorite restaurant for dinner and encouraged us to go. I am soooo glad we did because it was delicious. Loved the ambiance, staff was extremely attentive, cocktails were on point and I can't say enough good things about the food. For appetizers we ordered the tuna crispy rice, shrimp tempura, edamame and shrimp and pork gyoza. All were very delicious, especially the tuna crispy rice which was light but packed with flavor. We could have stopped there but decided to try the fried rice and the meld of flavors was so unique. Definitely one of my top meals while visiting the Sarasota area read more

See all

Okay...WOW! Let me start by saying this was the best meal I've had in a really long time. My parents are in town vacationing in Siesta Key and I knew Kojo made Yelp's 2023 Top 100 Restaurants in Florida list so I made a reservation for us three to come try it! And wow, wow, wow. We parked in the garage next door (first 2 hours free!) and headed inside Kojo, which opened a year and a half ago. According to an article I read, Kojo has "a pan-Asian menu that includes baos, sushi, nori tacos and entrées that highlight flavors from China, Japan and Korea." For starters, it's gorgeous, even with the lights dim for dinner. The music was loud but not too loud that we couldn't hear each other talk over the table. We were seated at one of those U-shaped booths, which we loved. We ordered a bunch of small plates and then got one entree to share as well. Brussels sprouts: what a start!!! Whatever this sauce was, it was wonderful, and the brussels were cooked perfectly. Chicken wings: deliciously crispy! Nothing too dramatically incredible or unique but definitely solid wings. Fried rice: this was an underdog, for sure. The sausage made it a super unique fried rice dish, and it felt pretty light to eat too. We all wished we had more of this. Tuna nori taco: my exact words were "oh my god, I never want it to end, oh my god" - so please, if there's anything anyone takes from this review, it's ORDER THE NORI TACOS!! I had never had sushi tacos before (taco shape, sushi ingredients) but I'm sold. Biting into this felt like a dream. You expect the crunch, but you don't expect it to be magic in your mouth. I seriously almost melted into the booth and my parents were laughing at me while I ate this because I was in heaven. Comes with 2 tacos. Crispy rice tuna: another really fun dish! This comes as 5 little pieces, and we didn't know what to expect when biting into it but it was really good! Would definitely order again. It's a small rectangle of crispy rice so it holds and then the tuna's on top. Skirt steak: delicious, perfectly cooked to our liking steak with a delightful chimichurri sauce. Love that there are so many sauces to choose from that ultimately change the whole feel of the dish. Lychee martini: I don't really drink but my mom loved her lychee martini! I had a taste and it was sweet but not overpowering at all. And it was gorgeous! Can't forget the service! Alejandro was so friendly and helpful. I think Resy had my dairy allergy in their system because the Kojo staff knew upon my arrival and were diligent in ensuring I knew what I could and couldn't consume on their menu! Lucky for me, the "no" options were slim. However when our food was brought out, they'd confirm "dairy free _____" which was a really thoughtful touch I appreciated. Kojo is a win. 5 stars all the way. Can't wait to come back and visit Bar Hana by Kojo right next door for happy hour!! read more

See all

Fun and enjoyable experience. Food was delicious. Menu a bit intimidating at first, but everything we tried was great.

Not your typical Resturant the choices were fresh and different I've eaten here several times and the quality is outstanding service is top notch read more

Consistently exquisitely delicious food and drinks. Excellent service. Always a great spot to visit

Too noisy. Loud thumping music more suitable for a night club or dance hall than a restaurant. Did not stay for dinner, so don't know about the food. read more

Super classy cute modern Asian restaurant that's in downtown Sarasota. The waiters and waitresses are very nice and accommodating. The ambiance is romantic and classy. We sat outside because it was a bit too loud inside. The weather was perfect and my dog got a doggy water bowl. Most of the food was amazing! I loved the pork belly bao buns, veggie roll, cali roll, fried rice, the salads and some white fish dish. I wasn't a total fan of the Shanghai noodles because they were a bit bland. I've had better ones. But everything else was great. I also didn't like the donuts or the pineapple dessert because they were too sweet for my palate but if you like super sugary desserts, you might like it. The prices are pretty high but that's to be expected for downtown Sarasota. read more

See all

This place was outrageous and mind blowing delicious! Let's start with the drinks. The Lilikoi lei was refreshing and crisp, a must if you're a passion fruit lover. Not pictured here but was insanely delicious was the Mindoro Sour. Like WOW. One of the best whiskey sours I have ever tasted in my life. Next is the food. Just wow. I'll start with the crispy tuna rice which was yummy (also not pictured) but compared to the rest of the lineup was probably the most underwhelming. The shrimp katsu bao buns were great! It was a massive piece of shrimp, topped with yummy pickles and had a delicious sauce that enhanced the flavor of everything. Just wow. Next were the mushroom nori tacos. Omg! If you're not a fan of mushrooms, I say they're still worth a try because I honestly even questioned if I was eating mushrooms! The texture and taste made me think I was eating meat! It was insanely good. Then my absolute favorite was the tuna pizza which we added avocado to. Didn't take a picture because we were just too excited to jump in. The flavor was phenomenal!! Perfect size, generous amount of tuna, and just jam packed with delicious flavor. Please make sure you get the tuna pizza!! We finished our meal with the matcha donuts and YUM. We really wanted the shaved ice which looked amazing, but it also looked pretty big and we were so stuffed! The donuts did not disappoint! The staff was extremely friendly and attentive. The aesthetics and ambiance were beautiful, romantic, and intimate. I will definitely be coming back and recommending this restaurant to friends! read more

See all

My wife and I had an amazing dinner here with family recently. We started with drinks, a Yuzu Cooler and Sapporo draft, to get things started. We then mixed both small and large plates that we could share: karaage fried chicken bao buns, maitake mushroom nori tacos, spicy tuna nori tacos, Thai cauliflower, and yellowtail with jalapeño. Everything tasted wonderful and Jason, our server, took extra care with any food allergies we might have (which was much appreciated). We ended with matcha mochi donuts and cappuccinos for dessert (yes, we left room) and hope to be back someday soon! read more

MAKE A RESERVATION! Only reason why they're not getting 5 stars is because we walked in as soon as they opened and we didn't have a reservation so they sat us at a tiny table, even though it was completely empty and there were many table options. I mean it was so small I don't think you can fit two meals on the table at the same time. Other than that though the service was immaculate! Our waitress was so kind and she checked up on us constantly. The food was also delicious! We got the salmon tacos and it was one of the best things I've ever had! We also got the miso soup and the fire cracker shrimp appetizer and loved that as well. I would for sure come back, just with a reservation! read more

Kojo - Salmon tacos - Japanese Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

See all

We ate everything so fast I could barely breathe. The sushi was ridiculously good. The tuna tacos. Yummmy! Drinks are well balanced- you can tell they have great bartenders! read more

I loved everything about Kojo. I was in town for continuing education units and found this place online. I ordered the lychee martini, Chashu braised pork belly bao buns, torched salmon nori tacos, miso black cod, and the chocolate bar for dessert. Everything tasted great. My favorite dish that I had was the salmon nori tacos - something about how all the flavors were mixed in. I could probably come back and order six of these. The pork belly buns were tasty and the black cod was perfectly cooked. The whole ambience, decor, food, presentation, drinks, and customer service was up to par. I will definitely come back to eat here again when I'm back in Sarasota. read more

See all

This place had both amazing food, and amazing service!!!! Very creative pan-Asian cuisine, all beautifully prepared and plated. We were a party of 6 so we tried a lot of different dishes to share, and they were all universally great. Nori taco stood out. Shockingly the tea smoked chicken also stood out. I never order chicken in restaurants because I cook it all the time at home. One of the members of my group ordered it for the table, and one bite and I was completely sold! They have both indoor and outdoor seating, and are located immediately next to a parking garage, which is a huge convenience in bustling St Armands Circle area. Highly highly recommend. read more

Delicious American-Mexican-Japanese fusion. The nori tacos are a stroke of genius and the mushroom rice hotpot is ridiculously tasty and generously packed with fat, flavoursome mushrooms. There are a few misplaced attempts at trying to introduce more Japanese elements into the dining experience, for which I'm deducting a star. For example, soy sauce should not be served in sake bottles (imagine if a waiter in a French restaurant offered you a little dab of aioli from a French press - you'd be scratching your head too) and the oshibori (moist hand towels) are so heavily perfumed that it's enough to spoil your appetite. The place is pretty loud and adult oriented on weekend evenings. read more

absolutely wonderful food and service. not a quiet place to eat if that's OK. more characters 112222222222222222222222222222222 read more

Beautiful restaurant- perfect for a date night! What I tried: Shanghai Noodles Fujiyama Mama Karaage Fried Chicken Bao I also tried: Shrimp & Pork Gyoza Brussels Sprouts Miso Soup Edamame My favorites: the noodles, fried chicken bao, and the shrimp & pork gyoza. The food & service was fantastic! read more

See all

Had a great first time experience at Kojo!! First impression, the location is great. There's a parking garage that's free for 2 hours and it's connected directly to the restaurant. The inside decor is beautiful, the ambiance is definitely worth the visit. Wish I got a chance to sit in the bar area but it looked really cool when I saw it from the front. This is more of an upscale Asian restaurant with a Japanese fusion type of menu. We ordered a few small plates and a large plate and the bill for 2 was about $100, so it's a bit pricey but food was great so not complaining. Starting with the small plates; the chili garlic butter oysters were to die for. The oysters were really small, seemed like Kumamoto oysters but SO good. Next was the pork belly bao buns and those were amazing. Gave me banh mi vibes with the pickled cucumber and cilantro... chefs kiss. The rock shrimp was nothing special, but perfectly cooked. We chose one of their daily specials which was the wagyu noodle dish. The steak was cooked perfectly super tender. The noodles were amazing, our server said that it'd have a kick and it wasn't too spicy but perfect for my taste. The only thing that was a bit off were the hand towels they give you at the beginning... it kinda smelled bad, I had to wash my hands bc the smell was on my hands. Overall, amazing experience though. Service was awesome, super attentive staff! Will be coming back soon!!! read more

See all

I was initially going to write a 1-star review because of the way the hostesses treated me. Despite calling ahead and making a reservation 10 days in advance for a party of 8 for a birthday celebration, they couldn't find my reservation in the system. The hostesses asked me if I was sure I made a reservation, implying I was either lying or crazy. They then suggested we wait for a table for an hour and a half to two hours. However, Adam, the manager, turned the situation around completely. He went above and beyond to accommodate us, ensuring our night was saved. Adam worked overtime to make sure everything was perfect, and thanks to his exceptional service, we ended up staying and having a fantastic time. Adam is truly wonderful, and I believe he is a big reason why Kojo is thriving. Highly recommend this place, especially with managers like Adam around! read more

Kojo - Shrimp - Japanese Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

See all

AMAZING dinner in Sarasota. We absolutely loved the tuna pizza.. this place is great! Service, ambiance and food was fantastic. We cannot wait to get back read more

See all

Brilliant! The service was outstanding, the food was even better! I would recommend ordering every dish that catches your eye and just sharing everything you get, since the portion sizes are somewhat small. With that said, everything was delicious. We had pork bao buns, lemon edamame, wagyu skewers, Szechuan chicken, mushroom rice pot and desserts. This was very likely some of the best Asian food I've ever had. The cocktails were great as well! 10/10 would definitely come back again. PS. Don't bother looking for street parking and go straight for the garage. It's a 30 second walk down to the restaurant. read more

Kojo - Mochi doughnut holes dessert. - Japanese Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

See all