SUGARFISH by Sushi Nozawa

What SUGARFISH by Sushi Nozawa does

SUGARFISH by Sushi Nozawa is a full-service traditional Japanese sushi restaurant brand operated by Sushi Nozawa Group, a privately held restaurant company founded in 2007 by master chef Kazunori Nozawa and former Sapient co-CEO Jerry A. Greenberg. The first SUGARFISH location opened in Marina del Rey, California in 2008, and the brand has since expanded to 20+ locations across two U.S. metros — 14 across the Los Angeles area (Beverly Hills, Brentwood, Calabasas, Downtown LA, Hollywood, La Brea, Manhattan Beach, Marina del Rey, Pasadena, Santa Monica, Studio City), Orange County (Corona del Mar), and San Diego (Little Italy), plus 6 in New York City (Flatiron, Midtown East, Midtown West, SoHo, Upper West Side, Williamsburg). Service is omakase-style 'Trust Me' on a walk-in, first-come-first-served basis with no reservations, à la carte options, and limited availability seasonal items; SUGARFISH explicitly excludes California rolls, spicy tuna rolls, and teriyaki to preserve traditional Edomae-style purity.

The group's core technology is culinary rather than digital: a proprietary warm, loose rice preparation made fresh in small batches every 30 minutes, and an in-house fish market operation that buys whole bluefin tuna to its own specifications, enabling rare cuts such as Kama Toro. All procurement is led by Chef Nozawa and his son Tom Nozawa, drawing on 50+ years of fishmonger relationships across Japan, the South Pacific, and Boston. Sushi Nozawa Group has maintained zero instances of seafood mislabeling since 2019 as a founding partner of the Loyola Marymount University LA Seafood Monitoring Project. Digital infrastructure is intentionally lightweight: a proprietary SUGARFISH Mobile ordering app powered by ChowNow, Postmates delivery integration across all locations, QuickGifts-powered gift cards, and the Birthday Trust Me loyalty program requiring two pre-birthday check-ins for a complimentary meal.

Sushi Nozawa Group operates five additional concepts — KazuNori: The Original Hand Roll Bar (launched 2014), Nozawa Bar (fine-dining omakase-only), HiHo Cheeseburger, UOVO (Italian), and Matū (steakhouse) — sharing centralized procurement and back-office. SUGARFISH monetizes through dine-in transactions at ~$50-$100+ average check (industry estimate), to-go pickup and delivery transactions through Postmates and SUGARFISH Mobile, online gift card sales, and free loyalty enrollment. Pricing is not publicly disclosed. The company employed approximately 750 people as of April 2020, with no external private equity or venture capital backing indicated in source materials, and retained all staff during the COVID-19 downturn despite a >50% revenue decline.

Name

SUGARFISH by Sushi Nozawa

Legal name

Sushi Nozawa Group

Website

https://sugarfishsushi.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sushi Restaurants

NAICS

Limited-Service Restaurants (722513)

SIC

Retail-Eating Places (5812)

akta.pro primary industry

In-Store Sushi & Asian Prepared Foods (CRAHAKAD)

Keywords

• Traditional sushi restaurants
• Omakase sushi dining
• Japanese cuisine dining
• Sushi restaurant chain
• Full-service restaurants

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices20 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Dine-in Restaurant Sales: Full-service restaurant revenue from dine-in sushi service at 20+ locations across California and New York. No reservations taken - first-come, first-served seating.
2. To-Go Pickup and Delivery: Pickup and delivery orders through Postmates and SUGARFISH mobile app (ChowNow). Customers can order online and either pickup or have delivered.
3. Gift Cards: Physical and digital gift cards sold online and at restaurant locations. Gift cards can be used for dine-in and to-go orders placed in person.
4. Birthday Club Loyalty Program: Birthday Trust Me loyalty program where registered members who check in twice receive a complimentary birthday gift on their actual birthday.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

SUGARFISH by Sushi Nozawa operates full-service sushi restaurants offering traditional Tokyo/Edo-style omakase-style sushi menus featuring Chef Nozawa's signature warm, loose rice and high-quality fish sourced from its own fish market, where whole bluefin are bought to proprietary specifications. Beyond dine-in service, the company provides to-go pickup and delivery through Postmates and its mobile app, physical and digital gift cards, and a complimentary birthday loyalty program (Birthday Trust Me Club).

Product overview

SUGARFISH by Sushi Nozawa is a Japanese sushi restaurant group operating a portfolio of distinct dining concepts. The core offering is SUGARFISH, a full-service sushi restaurant featuring traditional omakase-style dining with Chef Nozawa's signature warm, loose rice. Related concepts include KazuNori (casual hand roll bar) and Nozawa Bar (fine-dining omakase-only experience). The group also operates sister brands HiHo Cheeseburger, UOVO, and Matū. Additional offerings include to-go pickup/delivery service via Postmates and ChowNow, gift cards, and a Birthday Trust Me loyalty program. The company runs its own fish market, buying whole bluefin to exacting specifications, and maintains partnerships with Loyola Marymount University for seafood monitoring.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• KazuNori: The Original Hand Roll Bar: Casual hand roll restaurant with a singular focus on serving the freshest, highest quality hand rolls
• Nozawa Bar
• HiHo Cheeseburger
• UOVO
• Matū

Products and services

• SUGARFISH Sushi Restaurants (Dine-in) Full-service traditional sushi restaurant offering à la carte nigiri, sashimi, hand rolls, and signature "Trust Me" chef's-choice menus, served in a casual-modern setting with warm, loose-seasoned rice and whole-bluefin-sourced fish. Targeted at individual diners seeking authentic Tokyo/Edo-style sushi in California and New York City.
• SUGARFISH To-Go (Pickup and Delivery) Off-premise sushi ordering service allowing customers to place pickup and delivery orders for SUGARFISH-quality sushi via Postmates and the SUGARFISH Mobile (ChowNow-powered) app. Targeted at convenience-oriented sushi consumers who want restaurant-grade sushi at home or the office.
• SUGARFISH Gift Cards Prepaid physical and digital gift cards redeemable at SUGARFISH locations, sold both in-store and online through QuickGifts. Targeted at gifting consumers and repeat diners who pre-purchase dining credits.
• Birthday Trust Me Club Complimentary loyalty program that rewards members with a free signature "Trust Me" sushi meal during their birthday month. Targeted at individual consumers who want a high-value, free-birthday dining experience at SUGARFISH.
• KazuNori — The Original Hand Roll Bar Fast-casual hand-roll bar serving freshly made temaki (hand rolls) using the same Chef Nozawa sourcing and traditional rice preparation as SUGARFISH. Targeted at individual diners seeking quick, hand-roll-format traditional sushi.
• Nozawa Bar Intimate reservation-based omakase sushi bar concept by the Sushi Nozawa Group, offering a multi-course chef's-choice tasting menu prepared in front of guests. Targeted at sushi connoisseurs seeking a high-touch, omakase-format experience.
• HiHo Cheeseburger (Sister Concept) Sister restaurant concept operated under the Sushi Nozawa Group, serving cheeseburgers and American comfort food, complementing the group's sushi concepts with a separate menu offering.
• UOVO (Sister Concept) Sister restaurant concept under the Sushi Nozawa Group, focused on pasta offerings as part of the group's diversified restaurant portfolio.
• Matū (Sister Concept) Sister restaurant concept under the Sushi Nozawa Group, serving gelato and dessert offerings alongside the group's savory restaurant portfolio.
• Bluefin Kama Toro (Limited Availability Menu) Rare seasonal premium cut of bluefin tuna offered via SUGARFISH's Limited Availability Menu, made possible by the company's owned fish market and whole-bluefin procurement program. Targeted at traditional sushi enthusiasts seeking rare cuts.
• Sawara Nigiri (Limited Availability Menu) Seasonal/premium nigiri item featuring Sawara (spanish mackerel) on the signature warm, loose-seasoned rice, offered via the Limited Availability Menu. Targeted at traditional sushi enthusiasts.
• Toro Sashimi Premium tuna belly sashimi offering, sourced from the company's owned fish market, served as part of SUGARFISH's à la carte and Trust Me menu options. Targeted at traditional sushi enthusiasts.
• Uni and Ikura To-Go Sea urchin (uni) and salmon roe (ikura) to-go offering available through SUGARFISH's off-premise channels. Targeted at convenience-focused sushi consumers who want premium roe and uni outside the restaurant.

Quantifiable outcome

• Zero instances of fish mislabeling since 2019
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Loyola Marymount University (LA Seafood Monitoring Project)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Sushi Nozawa Group partnered with Loyola Marymount University as a founding member of the LA Seafood Monitoring Project. The project aims to reduce seafood mislabeling in LA sushi restaurants. The project reported a 65% drop in mislabeling rates for participating restaurants and SNG has had zero instances of mislabeling since 2019.
• PostmatescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThird-party delivery and pickup service for all SUGARFISH locations. Handles order fulfillment, payment processing, and delivery logistics for to-go orders.
• ChowNow (SUGARFISH Mobile)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPowers the SUGARFISH mobile ordering app for pickup orders at all locations. Proprietary branded mobile experience for customers.
• QuickGiftsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThird-party gift card platform enabling online gift card purchases. Gift cards can be purchased online and sent as physical cards or email notifications.
• Sister restaurants (HiHo Cheeseburger, UOVO, Matū)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister restaurants under Sushi Nozawa Group umbrella that share the same focus and commitment to quality food. KazuNori and Nozawa Bar are also part of the restaurant group.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Sasabune: Traditional omakase concept in NYC and Hawaii with strict adherence to authentic sushi preparation; directly comparable to SUGARFISH on purist positioning and premium pricing.
• Sushi Yasuda: Long-running NYC traditional sushi restaurant known for austere, no-frills Tokyo-style omakase; directly comparable to SUGARFISH on philosophy, technique, and premium NYC diner base.
• Nozawa Bar: Sister concept under Sushi Nozawa Group; a fine-dining, omakase-only sushi bar that shares Chef Nozawa's supply chain and brand DNA, serving as the premium tier above SUGARFISH.
• Sushi Gen: Long-established, highly rated traditional sushi restaurant in Los Angeles' Little Tokyo; comparable to SUGARFISH on traditional technique, LA diner base, and quality-over-fusion positioning.
• Sushi Nakazawa: NYC-based traditional omakase counter from a D.C. veteran sushi chef; directly comparable to SUGARFISH on traditional Edo-style preparation and premium-tier omakase positioning in a shared NYC market.
• KazuNori: The Original Hand Roll Bar: Sister concept under Sushi Nozawa Group focused on casual hand rolls with the same Nozawa-style quality emphasis; comparable as a directly related sushi concept within the same parent and customer base.

Broad incumbents

• Nobu Restaurants: Globally recognized upscale Japanese restaurant brand operating in NYC, LA, and worldwide; overlaps with SUGARFISH's premium sushi positioning but spans a much broader Japanese cuisine menu and global footprint.
• Matsuhisa Restaurants: Chef Nobu Matsuhisa's namesake high-end sushi and Japanese restaurants in Aspen, Beverly Hills, Las Vegas, and beyond; comparable to SUGARFISH on premium-sushi positioning while operating at a broader Japanese-fusion scale.

Others

• UOVO (Sister Brand): Sister brand under Sushi Nozawa Group serving fresh pasta and Italian cuisine; comparable as a fellow Sushi Nozawa Group concept with shared real-estate and operational infrastructure, though not a sushi direct peer.

Emerging players

• Sushi by Scratch: Multi-city omakase counter concept focused on accessible tasting-menu experiences; partial overlap with SUGARFISH on omakase format but operating as a younger, reservation-driven brand with a more limited menu.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses2 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/sugarfish
• Facebookfacebook.com/sugarfishsushi
• Instagraminstagram.com/sugarfishbynozawa
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sugarfish-by-sushi-nozawa

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about SUGARFISH by Sushi Nozawa