Such a cozy and authentic Japanese style. Nice welcoming and attentive servers. Super cool live kitchen that lets you see the cooks making your food, especially well when seating at the bar that wraps around the grill. All the skewer meats are high quality cuts, grilled and served to order. Best of all, the prices are reasonable and portions are great. One of the best spots in Claremont. Been a favorite hidden gem of mine for some time, but they deserve all the hype. read more

Kozu Izakaya - Grilled Tomato Skewer, Wagyu Steak Skewer, Eel Skewer, Fried Shrimp Bowl, Popstickers - Izakaya Near Me - Claremont, California

First time there, tiny place in an interior courtyard. As with all places in Claremont, limited parking especially at night, even with the train station garage. We've been looking for a new Izakaya to go to since our favorite, Oto Oto, went out of business. We've found one. This one's a keeper. I've always been a fan of yakitori cooked on binchotan charcoal, and they do it so well. It's all small plates here, so watch how much you're spending. I can easily go through $100+ here and I don't drink alcohol. We had: prime beef skirt, chicken negima, chicken wing, bacon asparagus, shishito peppers, sauteed mushrooms, yaki onigiri and agedashi tofu. I will definitely be back. read more

See all

Food was really good, portions are pretty decent if you get a few rounds. Pretty classic portions. I dont think there is a time limit and there should be. We waited over an hour before a server greeted us and informed us they were short staffed for the night but we had already waited so long that we went in anyway rather than leave somewhere else. They should have informed us earlier into the wait time. No one was being attentive to the people waiting outside or the waitlist. We arrived around 8pm and they were full but didn't mind waiting. When we got in at 9:20ish we were also informed they were doing last call at 10pm because they were short staffed. Not sure what the normal last call is but again, we should have been informed earlier into our wait time about inconveniences. read more

Some hits and misses but we will be back to try more. Staff was very friendly. Decor is really cool and reminiscent of Japan. 1. Spicy Salmon Onigiri: good portions but the rice was both undercooked and mushy. 5/10 2. Omurice: good portion size, good flavor. 7/10 3. Chicken Zosui: amazing. Very comforting. 9/10 4. Steak skirt skewer: perfectly seasoned and juicy. 10/10 5. Pork belly: good flavor. Better with wasabi salt. 8/10 6. Chicken skin: second most disappointing order of the night. Very smoky and not as crispy as I would've liked. I can see people liking it if they enjoy very smoky foods. 2/10 7. Yuzu highball: perfect 10/10 8. Hot sake: always nice 8/10 read more

See all

First time checking out this new restaurant as they took over the "I like pie" shop! The restaurant is really small, but really give you that authentic Japanese vibe with some cushion/floor seating. The selection was pretty good in regards to the grilled skewers and a handful of Japanese beer options. Service was quick and efficient. The only down side was that they did not carry any wasabi! This is the epitome of a Japanese condiment lol but I am still glad they are a new local eatery that I get to enjoy! read more

See all

Stopped by after a little golfing session and absolutely loved it! This recently opened spot is homey and super cute inside. Bar seating, one spot for large party seating and a few tables. Walk in when they're not busy and grab a seat. We ordered a bunch of items, some to mention include: tamagoyaki, negitama, okra, chicken zousui The best of the entire meal had to be the chicken soup. They have a lot of unique items such as hayashi rice on the menu that's not necessarily found at typical Japanese food places which I found kind of endearing. Workers were all super nice and attentive to everyone in the restaurant! read more

Kozu Izakaya - Tamagoyaki and skewers - Izakaya Near Me - Claremont, California

Ambiance: We went at the start of dinner service and was seated immediately. There are 6 tables, 3 for parties of 2, one for a party of 4, then a large table for 6. They have maybe 5-6 seats at the bar. The restaurant can get pretty busy, I'd recommend getting there early. We ordered a few skewers, the mushroom app, and the omurice. All were great options, we especially enjoyed how they have Sapporo on tap in a cold glass. Service: The staff were friendly and they seemed to have a full team during dinner service. We did have to flag them down a few times for water. Parking: there's a parking structure near the main village area and plenty of street parking. read more

Kozu Izakaya - Omurice - Izakaya Near Me - Claremont, California

Absolutely LOVED my dining experience at Kozu Izakaya! I recently joined a wine club at a nearby bar in Claremont and went on a quest to discover surrounding places to eat. Kozu Izakaya was one of the places that I bookmarked and went on a weeknight to try out. The restaurant was small but intimate. I was lucky enough to get a spot at the bar where I had front row view of where all the action took place. I ordered different items and my favorite was the Chicken Skin! Prices are very reasonable and the service was excellent! Definitely will be coming back. Highly recommended! read more

See all

Cute yakitori restaurant nearby. Service is good, long wait time. Their skewers are very average. I've just had much better ones but they are all so far away. I can't really recall a favorite dish from the night, maybe next time I'll try more of their dishes than yakitori. Fried eel is better than their skewers. Very good ambiance, I do feel like it's a great place for friends to hangout. read more

Kozu Izakaya - Izakaya Near Me - Claremont, California

See all

Two of my friends took me here to celebrate my birthday. One of my friend's recommended this place and said we just had to try it. We were greeted and seated after we arrived. They have a bar seating area, tables, and another seating area. They provided menus and then came back to take down the food order. We ordered several things. Some of my favorites were: negima with green onion, chicken breast, prime beef skirt, eel, shishito, asparagus, eggplant, shitake mushroom, oyster mushrooms, and spicy salmon oinigiri. Everything we had was tasty and flavorful. They also have some salts on the table to sprinkle on the yakitori. Overall, I would definitely come back to get a yakitori fix! read more

See all

I've seen this place on my feed so I checked it out. Place was packed on a Tuesday night which was a good sign. We got our table after about 45 minutes. The yakitoris were flavored well although rather small compared to other places. I wish they had the gravy for the omurice instead of just ketchup. Good selection and the place was pretty inviting. read more

Kozu Izakaya - Izakaya Near Me - Claremont, California

See all

We got so much food here but it was all so tasty. Service was good, not worth noting much. The inside of the restaurant is tiny but very cute, seats not that many people but ambiance is nice. Second time trying Izakaya. Everything was great! We got the miso cod as a main to share and it was so incredibly flaky and very good. All the skewers were great including the okra, kobe, chicken and green onion. My boyfriend also loved his Omurice which is not pictured here. We got a lot so our total was $100+ but definitely could've been on the cheaper end if we didn't order the whole entire menu. Will be back :) read more

See all

They do get busy, but I was able to get in since I came right at opening time. I got a bar seating since the seating area is small. I got their omurice ($15.50) along with skewers of grilled oyster mushrooms ($3.50), tongue ($4.95), chicken hearts ($3.50), chicken livers ($3.25), and negima with green onions. The meat were seasoned nicely and not overcooked. Their omurice is good, the ketchup based fried rice had a good amount of vegetables. They had little jars of pickled mustard greens, matcha sea salt, and wasabi salt. No reservations or online ordering. The staff is nice and the place is clean. read more

See all

Visited Kozu Izakaya on Valentine's Day -- they don't take reservations, so expect a wait, but it was worth it. The place is small and cozy, and you can really tell they focus on fresh ingredients. The skewers are grilled over hard stick charcoal, which gives everything a nice smoky flavor. The grilled eggplant was a pleasant surprise -- super creamy and flavorful. The grilled shrimp were cooked perfectly, and the quail eggs were surprisingly big. The marinated cucumber portion was huge, and the sauce was interesting and refreshing. We ordered a highball, but honestly it tasted more like juice than whiskey. Service was polite, though I wish the servers would mention the dish name when placing plates down. Besides skewers, they also offer items like omurice, soup rice, and other dishes, so there's a good variety. Bonus points for a clean restroom -- though there's only one. Overall, a nice casual spot with solid food, just come prepared to wait. read more

See all

My boyfriend and I came back from a trip to Japan recently and I was craving Japanese food. Upon yelping "Japanese food" on a Wednesday night, I was pleasantly surprised to see this restaurant pop up. The skewer concept reminded me of the street markets in Japan. Parking- We found street parking easily on a Wednesday. There are also some lots nearby. Wait time- thankfully, there was no wait. We were seated almost immediately. This restaurant is very much a small Japanese tavern style with a few tables of 2-4 seats- definitely not recommended for large groups. They don't take reservations, walk in only. Ambiance- I absolutely loved the decor! It was such a vibe. Food- We shared a chicken zosui and tried a wide variety of yakitori (skewers)- wing, heart, gizzard, tail, negima, flap, tongue, Wagyu beef, belly, bacon enoki, and quail eggs. I was disappointed that they ran out of tsukune two hours into opening, so if you are wanting to try the meatball on a skewer, I'd recommend you going early otherwise you'll be disappointed like me. My boyfriend and I both agreed that the chicken zosui was delicious. It was a very comforting dish. The skewers were ok. Nothing "out of this world". We also prefer the chicken skewers over the beef. Each skewer was about $3-4, with the exception of the beef, priced at $12.50. Our bill came out to a little over $100 before tip. Service- The service was very, very poor. There was one male and one female taking orders and clearing tables. I suggest the manager give their employees a lesson on customer service. Especially at a restaurant establishment where if one intends to spend money to eat out as a luxury, we should be greeted and treated with kindness and respect. Upon being seated, our server asked us if we wanted to order any drinks, we kindly declined and was given some sort of attitude. We seriously were just wanting to try the skewers. Another encounter- our server refilled our water and left a huge strand of visible hair on our table. I was too grossed out to take a picture. And we know she had seen it when she removed our dishes, but she didn't apologize for it, just dismissed it. No accountability. Another encounter- we were missing items from our order. When we informed the same server, she told us the estimated wait time was 2 minutes. We waited over 10-15 minutes for our chicken wings to come out. The table next to us got an apology for having to wait, and was compensated for having to wait. Meanwhile, we were just chopped liver. No apology, no accountability (again) for forgetting to place or check in on our order. Lastly, the restaurant had died down by the time we were wrapping up. We had to flag staff to bring our bill. At first the male server said he'd be back after attending to something else, but after seeing us visibly annoyed, he came back with our bill first. We sat by the restroom, near the area where food is being brought out. So there was no excuse to the lack of attentiveness. The whole experience was just bad. I don't think we will be coming back. Spending over $100 on a meal to leave feeling disappointed was not great. Would not give my money to this establishment again. PS- I noticed people complimenting on their onigiris. I was reading the reviews and it appears the establishment opened maybe 2 months ago, and already raised their prices from $5 to $6 for two onigiri. read more

See all

Its a really cute restaurant. Its kinda pricey for the skewers. Each item is anywhere between $4-8 per stick of meat or veggie. We also ordered the hamburger steak and it was ok. It came with carrots, brocolli, beans and rice. Servers were friendly and kept our waters filled. Its in a really nice complex that you can walk around. read more

See all

I've been wanting to go to an Izakaya for the longest time but most of them are in the OC or LA area. I was really excited when this popped up my Yelp feed so we decided to give a try. We essentially got one of everything meat wise and a clam soup and a miso soup. The clam soup was a little salty but i liked it more than the miso soup. There is a bit of a wait obviously they're still freshly open and it looks like evening is made fresh. I would definitely say don't come here if you're starving but more if you're trying to hang out with friends and eat. It's small so i can see there being a long wait once more people start finding out about the location. I fr my first yuzu highball here, and honestly it was great. I'm not much of a drinker but i really enjoyed it! The reason I'm taking off one star is just because a lot of the skewers still felt a bit undercooked, for the wait i just was expecting hot skewers not semi warmed. I enjoyed the beef and the pork skewers the most. I would say i wish the chicken skin one had been more crispy. I will say the cucumbers were super disappointing :( just tasted like they cut up a cucumber and put it on a plate lol The service was great, they constantly refilled our waters and check in on us. I would definitely come again once they're more in tune with the service and staffed up. read more

See all

I love this place... the food.. the ambiance ... the staff and the service are great. The skewers are the best but the sides as great as well!!!! The garlic edamame is the best edamame around!!! I will definitely be back here!!! read more

Best Japanese food anywhere around the ie or la area only way you might be able to get any better is actually going to japan .. service is amazing the ambiance can really make you feel like you just walked into an izakaya in Tokyo best meat try the Japanese a5 wagyu best meat in the world! read more

See all

The food is absolutely amazing. Do not let the small portions fool you. The quality of the food is unreal. I tried the fried chicken rice with omelet on top. Please try the Beef Flap and Skirt. The service is absolutely amazing. The ambiance is small, quaint and perfect when you just want a simple great meal experience. read more

Had a great experience! The food was excellent from start to finish. The beef skewers were perfectly cooked and packed with flavor, the pork belly skewers were tender and delicious, and the chicken with green onion skewers were juicy and tender & the rice and gravy was an absolute standout. We finished the meal with bacon wrapped skewers (not pictured). What really made the experience even better was the service. The staff was incredibly attentive, friendly, and made sure we always had everything we needed without being intrusive. If you're looking for great Japanese comfort food and outstanding service, Kozu Izakaya is definitely worth a visit. Looking forward to coming back and trying more of the menu! read more

See all

Came here for a date night. It's a new yakitori place located in the heart of downtown Claremont. They welcomed us in Japanese, and as you enter, you get a full Japanese restaurant experience.. small and cozy with random decorations on the walls and tables that simulate traditional Japanese seating while still allowing you to sit normally. We enjoyed the ambiance as it reminded us of our trip to Japan a few years ago. We were able to watch the chefs prepare the yakitori from start to finish, and everything was served promptly. The prices were a bit higher compared to the portion sizes as expected, but we considered it more of an experience than just a meal. read more

I give this a 4 start with potential to be 5 stars. The space is small and they don't accept reservations so you could end up waiting a while especially if you have a larger group. Service was fine. I think they could be faster bringing out beer, but the regular plates came out fast and the yakitori came out in the expected amount of time. I like that they have the shichimi, different salts, and I think it was karashi takana, but I wish they also had a used skewer cup and more slips of paper to order yakitori (you have to ask for more). Of the yakitori we tried cartilage, gizzard, negima, tsukune, beef tongue, pork belly, pork cheek, shrimp, okra, oyster mushroom, shiitake, shishito, bacon enoki, and quail egg. For the other plates we had mentaiko mochi, nagaimo, and anago tempura. No complaints with the plates! They were all delicious. The pork and shrimp yakitori were overcooked. The tsukune (chicken meatball) was undercooked or at least borderline twice. The outside of the tsukune was firm but the inside was mushy. They said it's double cooked (boiled then grilled) but we didn't feel like it was safe to eat. They smelled delicious though. Overall it was good! Just a few tweaks and it would be a 5 stars. It's wonderful that there's finally an izakaya places in the area and I can't wait to go again! read more

Kozu Izakaya - Tsukune - We thought it was undercooked, restaurant says it wasn't. - Izakaya Near Me - Claremont, California

See all

After a long week and work day, the idea of chowing down on some yakitori and enjoying a crispy beer sounded exactly like what I needed which is funny because I don't even really like beer. However, one does not simply eat yakitori without a beer to wash it down with. My friend and I were both looking for something in the area and this popped up. It looked/sounded promising, so why not? For the yakitori we ordered tsukune with cheese, pork cheek, pork belly, chicken gizzard, and bacon wrapped scallops. To supplement the skewers, we ordered onigiri and a couple beers. Most of the yakitori was not very good unfortunately. The tsukune was pretty dry and a little dense. I think the chicken may have been overworked when shaping them into meatballs. The pork belly was also dry and tough. The pork cheek and bacon wrapped scallops were better, but still pretty average compared to other places I've been to. My friend said the chicken gizzard was one of the best she's ever had, so at least something we ordered was good. I personally did not try it. I enjoy offal, but I can't really get myself to like gizzard. The onigiri wasn't bad, but it was just onigiri. Service was alright. Overall just a very mediocre experience in general. The yakitori was missing that characteristic smokey grilled flavor. The restaurant is VERY small as well, so I'd imagine that translates to very long wait times during peak dining hours. I'd say skip this and find something else in the area. read more

What a great new find of a gem in Claremont! Found this place on Yelp and never knew it existed. We eat in Claremont about once a week. Ambiance is on the smaller side but with a ton of Tokyo charm. It feels like you are in a traditional Izakaya in Japan. Location is a bit hidden as it's inside next to Le pain. Service is great. From the welcome to service at dinner they were all kind and attentive. Don't come here looking for sushi. They serve all the great traditional Izakaya dishes, small plates, and yakitori. Food was 10 out of 10. We usually go to an Izakaya in Little Tokyo but honestly like the food better here. We ordered yakitoru (pork belly, okra, scallop, chicken wing), hamburg steak, gyoza and the yuzu highball cocktail (so refreshing). No complaints here. The condiments at the table are on point too! The spicy Japanese pickles were great with steamed rice. Can't wait to be back! Let's support this newly open gem in downtown Claremont. read more

Kozu Izakaya - Izakaya Near Me - Claremont, California

See all

Everything was so perfect i would definitely recommend to check it out , great food great drinks very nice vibes read more

See all

Food: 4/5 Service: 2/5 Ambiance: 3/5 GF and I just got back from a trip to Japan and desperately wanted to get some good authentic skewers. We ordered 3-4 different beef skewers, 3/4 different chicken skewers, the rice soup to share. Service started out ok, upon learning that we only wanted water for dinner our waitress looked visibly upset. Additionally, we had 3 items that were left from the order, we had to remind the server of the order and wait an additional 10 minutes, which is fine except I overheard the same waitress tell the table behind us that their order was comped since they had to wait extra... a little consistency in service would've been nice. There were 2 servers at the time of arrival, but eventually the girl disappeared and didn't check on us halfway through the meal. We also found a long strand of blonde hair on our table after the dishes were removed from the table (we both are Asian with black hair). Food: the chicken was definitely more flavorful than the beef/pork dishes. Our favorite was the chicken tail, thigh and gizzard. The char on the chicken was great, probably the best part of the meal. We ordered the wagyu and flank steak for beef, which was ok but a little chewy. read more

First time yesterday for lunch. We tried various skewers, pork belly, cheek, chicken with green onion, scallop, bacon wrapped enoki, oyster mushroom, tomato, okra, and shishiti. The server answered tons of questions with a smile. I really enjoyed everything about this place. Look forward to tasting the rest of the menu. read more

Love the cozy ambiance here! The meat is excellent, and everything we tried was so yummy. The grilled eel, grilled eggplant, and bacon-wrapped scallop were especially delicious. The place is small, so there may be a wait, especially for larger parties. Definitely coming back! read more

I have already written a good review for this place - but I love it so much - writing another! Haha. Tried a few new things. Always impressed. They keep their prices in check compared to other places and love the variety on the menu. The food is excellent!!!!! Keep up the good work. read more

See all

Kozu Izakaya is such a gem in Claremont. From the moment you walk in, the atmosphere feels warm, inviting, and thoughtfully curated--exactly what you want in an izakaya. The food is consistently delicious, well-balanced, and clearly made with care and quality ingredients. Every dish feels intentional, not rushed, and perfect for sharing. The staff is incredibly friendly and attentive without being overbearing, which really elevates the entire experience. You can tell they take pride in what they do, from the service to the presentation. It's the kind of place you want to come back to again and again, whether for a casual night out or a special meal. If you're looking for authentic, comforting Japanese food with great vibes and excellent service, Kozu Izakaya is absolutely worth a visit. Highly recommend! read more

Kozu Izakaya - Mochi bake - Izakaya Near Me - Claremont, California

See all

I live near Claremont and decided to try this new place tonight; there's a devastating lack of izakayas around these parts (with an absolute *gem* not too far from here, but I dare not share its name as to protect its integrity from an influx of newbies. I'm a selfish, selfish lover...) and so I was pleased to see Kozu pop up in my search results tonight. We racked up a decent bill trying a variety of yakitori and appetizers, including a 720ml bottle of Kurosawa Junmai sake. Here's a quick-and-dirty rundown of first impressions: - yakitori: 3/5. I'm setting the benchmark for myself at Taisho in San Diego. It's simply a humbling and sublime experience that I have never seen remotely replicated, and all other yakitori/izakaya places must pass muster in relation to Taisho, in my opinion. The technique of layering the meat into each skewer is fairly consistent , with the chicken thighs demonstrating the most professional and careful appearance. The negi (onion) chicken thighs were tasty, though the beef skirt steak yakitori was average, as was the tsukune. I will say the bacon wrapped scallop was juicy, and I debated getting another one. What's another skewer between friends? My favorite skewer was the spicy wing, which I highly recommend! Overall, the skewers were as-expected but nothing extraordinary. - agedashi tofu: 2/5. To begin positively, the dashi/broth the tofu pieces were swimming in was delicious! The perfect balance of sweet and savory. However, I wonder if the tofu they are using is soft because picking up each piece (as gently as possible) resulted in the internal tofu pieces sliding out of their thin, fried carcass almost instantaneously. Perhaps a firmer tofu would solve this issue, or the offering of an appropriate miso-soup spoon would enable the customer to convey the tofu piece from bowl to gaping maw with much more grace. My partner and I spent too much time using our chopsticks to pick up too-soft, free floating tofu pieces in the proffered bowl between other appetizers. - water refills 0/5. We drank an entire bottle of sake and were offered no refills on our water. An oversight, to be sure, especially when we are drinking a visibly large bottle of sake. I will definitely be back, so I hope anyone who reads these comments will understand I am rooting for this new izakaya and remember that my critique is in the spirit of (hopefully) offering reasonable, if not practical, advice. read more

See all

Decided to come here for my lil solo Valentines date! The good things about an izakaya is that with how small they are it's easy to solo dine. Waited about 30min or so because I wanted a bar seat for myself. Got seated around 5:30, but I could see an immense line for multiple parties by 6pm already for a busy Saturday! There's a waitlist to give your name/number and they'll call you. No reservations. I ordered a couple skewers as well as an ikayaki! Ordered shishito, beef flap, spicy chicken wing, negima (thigh+green onion) and chicken liver skewers. They've got matcha salt and wasabi salt to go with your meats. There's the red Japanese pepper spice too. I think the matcha salt is super nice and a first for me! The wasabi salt could be stronger. There's also ponzu but good kushiyaki that's seasoned well enough shouldn't need it. Spicy chicken wing is easily the best and has a good amount of heat. The chicken liver was surprisingly really good too despite the usual organ meat texture, would definitely order it again if I'm back. Shishito was okay and so was the beef flap found it a tiny bit dry. I think mushrooms or even eggplant would be better for a veggie skewer. Negima is a standard at any yakitori place and was also good! Ikayaki was another fave of mine. A decent size and paired well with the wasabi salt pretty well. Comes with grated daikon and lemon to squeeze for acidity. I eyeballed other people's skewers/plates to see how they look. Scallops are pricey but are a decent size. The yaki onigiri seems okay and I think it'd make more sense if they did the same with their usual onigiri that have fillings rather than just a plain grilled rice ball. I'd be more enticed for a yaki spicy salmon onigiri if that was an option for the future! They are made to order so they may take a bit. The tsukune seems all right albeit a bit small but tsukune isn't my fave yakitori anyways. The tempura here is good to share for two people. The gentleman next to me had a shimejj miso and it was a large bowl with plenty of clams and mushrooms and seems like a good soup to start to warm you up on a cold evening before your main course skewers! For dessert, I got a hojicha tiramisu to end things off and it was nice and light! They also offer matcha tiramisu and another dessert that comes with ice cream. It's a small space but the decor is very cute and charming and I liked the JPOP music choice. Service was good too! They might be on the slower side but with Kozu being newish I'm sure they'll get better as time goes on and I never felt like I was waiting forever. I was glad to come here! If you're not here right when they open expect a decent wait, with about 8 bar seats and maybe 3-4 tables making up the restaurant. Good experience and I wanna come back hopefully with someone to drive me after some hot sake! read more

See all

What I had: - House sake ($1-usually $9) - Highball w/oolong ($9) - Highball w/green tea ($9) - Orion ($9) - Suntory ($9) - Homemade gyoza ($9 for 8 pcs) - Onigiri (Ume shiso - $5 for two) - Beef flap ($4 per skewer as noted for this and all below) - Prime beef skirt ($4.50) - Wagyu beef ($10.50) - Pork belly ($3.50) - Bacon Hokkaido scallop ($4) - Scallop ($3) - Eel ($8.95) - Okra ($2.50) - Cherry tomato ($2.50) - Shiitake mushroom ($2.95) - Shishito ($2.75) - Negima ($3.75) How it tasted: - I'll begin with the positives...the highballs tasted delicious along with the sake and beer options. The beef (all three), pork belly, scallops (both types), eel, okra, cherry tomatoes, mushroom, shishito, negima, and gyoza were all deliciously prepared and came out with relative promptness. The in-between was both highballs tasted strictly like their flavor (i.e., green tea or oolong) and didn't taste a bit like Japanese whiskey almost like it maybe wasn't put into the drinks, but this also reminded me of Japan when the highballs didn't remotely get a person to feel tipsy. The negatives are the all of the beef options came out closer to a rare level rather than medium rare. Additionally, most of the items could have benefited from a tad more seasoning from either the tare(soy-glaze) or shio (salt) during the cooking process, though there were two types of salt offered on the table that sorta made up for the lack of seasoning. Why did I give it a five? - Brought me back to Japan vibes within moments of stepping into the restaurant. It's quaint, decent seating, and an overall cozy feel to it. Nice to see subtle and overt Japanese themed items throughout the restaurant. Prices were fair, various items to pick from entrees and/or yakitori, and the promotional $1 on certain beer, wine, and sake was a welcome surprise. The staff were trying their best and I commend them on that given it might be stressful to open a new restaurant, have high expectations, and handle a variety of customers that might be a bit aggressive. Verdict? - If you're wanting that Japan vibe, give it a shot. P.S. It is a new restaurant so be prepared for a potential wait as there is limited seating indoors along with patience for the staff as things won't flow as simply as a well-seasoned establishment. P.S.S. Not gonna dock a restaurant on this as it was practically day 2 of their opening, but our order got messed up quite a bit from either no plates showing up that were ordered or accidentally receiving all plates 45-minutes later that were already previously given to us. They were courteous and assisted us with the fiasco so that was a plus. read more

See all

Amazing experience at Kozu Izakaya! Amazing! I couldn't wait to get home to write this review. My husband loved it so much he ordered another round while I was typing this. The food is outstanding--every skewer was perfectly cooked, flavorful, and clearly made with care. What really sets Kozu Izakaya apart, though, is the hospitality. Everyone was so warm and welcoming. We had the pleasure of meeting Reika (owner) and Tri (owner) at the grill, and you can truly feel the passion they put into this place. The atmosphere is cozy and inviting, making it the perfect spot to relax, eat great food, and enjoy good company. If you're in Claremont, do yourself a favor and come here for some good times and an Izakaya experience! Btw, izakaya literally means "stay-drink-place" so enjoy! read more

See all

Stopped by on a mellow Friday evening. I was the second guest inside. Cozied up to the bar & ordered an Orion, Okinawa's number one beer. Besides beer, I had multiple orders of the prime skirt, an order of spicy wing, chicken skin, pork belly, shishito peppers, and a basket of karage chicken. Everything exceeded any expectation. From the food to the staff to the ambience, it was boss. Don't hesitate to give Kozu Izakaya a chance. read more

See all

I love this place. Seriously one of the best places east of LA that just has that authentic izakaya feeling. Friendly service the menu is well curated. I just love this place so much. It really feels like it belongs in its setting in the claremont village. read more

Not bad for Claremont. Decent price. Meats are bit dry but not bad. We liked the vibe a lot and the service was nice. Not sure we be back though read more

See all

Yo place is fire !!! No yakitori spots around here ! They got a big menu of meats and veggies , plus extras on the menu . I went on an off day so was quick service and seating , but looks to get packed on weekends. Also a good variety of drinks , beers and sake . Place is super cool with the Japan decor, chill spot , the bar seating area has a viewing of the grilling in action behind the glass!! Definitely my new spot read more

My boyfriend and I had a great Valentine's Day dinner here! The food was delicious, and timely! It was busy and there was definitely a line but all the waitstaff attended to us well. Shout out to Carissa, I ate something spicy and she was so gracious to bring me something to ease the pain lol We had a lovely experience and the retro decor was super cute! Definitely worth the wait! Thank you to Cole, Hanson and Carissa and the lovely owners who were grilling every item! read more

See all