Kazunori

What Kazunori does

KazuNori operates a multi-unit casual-dining restaurant concept positioned as 'The Original Hand Roll Bar,' founded in 2014 under the Sushi Nozawa Group as the first US restaurant dedicated exclusively to temaki (cylindrical hand-roll sushi). The company runs 13 locations — 9 across the Los Angeles metropolitan area (Calabasas, Downtown LA, Koreatown, Marina del Rey, Mid-Wilshire, Pasadena, Santa Monica, Studio City, Westwood) and 4 in Manhattan (Greenwich Village, Midtown East, NoMad, Union Square) — each built around a counter-only, no-reservations service model with set menus ($20–$38) and à la carte hand rolls ($6.50–$8.75) and sashimi, plus a Private Bar Experience ($+ per party of 7–12) at two locations and a parallel To-Go/Cut Roll menu and online/Delivery (Postmates, ChowNow) and gift card (QuickGifts) channels.

The core product is differentiated by hard-to-replicate operational inputs: small-capacity rice cookers certified through an 18-month, $50,000+ process (making Sushi Nozawa Group the only sushi restaurant group in the US with this certification); a custom automated rice vinegar mixing robotics system engineered to Chef Kazunori Nozawa's exact process; and a custom liquid nitrogen tunnel (150 degrees below zero) installed in NY locations to meet state food safety regulations while producing fish quality nearly indistinguishable from fresh. Each counter location is approximately 1,300 sq ft with a 24-seat hand roll bar. Operations are highly standardized — water measured to the millimeter, rice discarded if unused within 30 minutes, vinegar mixed for exactly 200 seconds, with each staff member mastering a single assignment — embodying a Western-kitchen discipline layered on Japanese sushi craft.

The company makes money through three transaction-fee-style streams: in-restaurant counter dining (no-tipping, with a 16% service fee in California added to menu prices), to-go and delivery orders (ChowNow mobile app and Postmates), and gift cards ($25/$50/$100/$200 denominations via QuickGifts). Customers are predominantly sushi enthusiasts, food lovers, and LA/NYC local residents seeking authentic Nozawa-style temaki in a casual counter setting rather than a traditional omakase environment. The business is privately held, part of Sushi Nozawa Group (which also operates SUGARFISH and Nozawa Bar), with no institutional funding disclosed and revenue not publicly reported.

Name

Kazunori

Legal name

Sushi Nozawa Group

Website

https://handrollbar.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Short description

KazuNori is a multi-unit casual-dining restaurant chain operating 13 counter-only locations across Los Angeles (9) and Manhattan (4), specializing in freshly made temaki (hand-roll) sushi under the Sushi Nozawa Group, serving sushi enthusiasts and local diners seeking authentic Nozawa-style hand rolls at $20–$38 set menu pricing.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Japanese Sushi Restaurant

NAICS

Limited-Service Restaurants (722513)

SIC

Retail-Eating Places (5812)

akta.pro primary industry

Seafood Fast Casual (THAFABAJ)

Keywords

• Japanese sushi restaurant
• Hand roll sushi
• Temaki sushi bar
• Sushi restaurant chain
• Japanese cuisine dining

Headquarters

HQ city

Burbank

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices14 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. In-Restaurant Dining: Counter service dining where customers order and pay for hand rolls, sashimi, and set menus at the counter. No tipping establishment - hospitality is included in menu prices. A 16% fee is added to bills in California.
2. To-Go and Delivery Orders: Takeout and delivery orders through KazuNori Mobile (ChowNow) and Postmates. Includes hand roll kits, cut rolls, and set menus for pickup and delivery.
3. Gift Cards: Online gift card sales in denominations of $25, $50, $100, and $200 sold through QuickGifts platform. Physical and email delivery options available.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

KazuNori operates a chain of casual sushi restaurants known as The Original Hand Roll Bar, serving hand rolls (temaki), sashimi, cut rolls, and set menus via counter-service dining, takeout, and delivery across 13 locations in Los Angeles and New York. The menu features hand rolls made to order with crispy nori, signature warm rice, and premium fish selected personally at dawn fish markets, complemented by gift cards and a Home Hand Roll Kit for off-premises preparation.

Product overview

KazuNori: The Original Hand Roll Bar is the first restaurant dedicated exclusively to hand rolls (temaki), founded by Sushi Nozawa Group in 2014. The core product is the counter dining experience where guests watch hand rolls being made to order. The product portfolio includes in-restaurant Counter Menu offerings (hand rolls and sashimi), a To-Go Menu featuring cut rolls, the Home Hand Roll Kit (launched 2020 for at-home preparation), Gift Cards, and the premium Private Bar Experience. All offerings feature Nozawa's signature warm, loosely-packed rice, crispy nori seaweed, and premium fish selections sourced through rigorous quality processes.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• KazuNori: The Original Hand Roll Bar (Counter Dining) In-restaurant counter-service dining experience featuring hand rolls (temaki) made to order at the counter with crispy nori, warm rice, and premium fish. Set menus range from 3-hand roll to 6-hand roll options, plus individual hand rolls and sashimi. Operates across 13 locations in Los Angeles and New York on a first-come, first-served basis with no reservations.
• Home Hand Roll Kit A take-home kit containing ingredients for 20 hand rolls including four fillings (toro, crab, yellowtail, salmon), Nozawa's signature warm rice, seaweed, and condiments. Serves 4-5 people. Available for pickup at all KazuNori locations and for delivery.
• Counter Menu Hand Rolls and Sashimi Menu items available for counter dining including hand rolls (Salmon, Bay Scallop, Crab, Toro, Yellowtail, Lobster, Cucumber, Shrimp, Albacore) priced individually from $6.50 to $8.75, plus sashimi options ranging from $11.00 to $15.25. Hand roll set menus (3-hand roll at $20 to 6-hand roll at $36) and the premium Nozie set at $38 are also offered.
• To-Go Menu - Cut Rolls and Hand Roll Kit Pickup Takeout menu featuring 16-piece cut roll set menus ($20) including Toro, Bay Scallop, Cucumber, and Crab rolls made with the same rice and fish as hand rolls using seaweed produced specifically for cut rolls. Available at all LA locations.
• Gift Cards Physical and digital gift cards in denominations of $25, $50, $100, and $200. Sold online through QuickGifts and at all KazuNori locations; not valid for Postmates or ChowNow orders.
• Private Bar Experience Exclusive private dining experience offering a special set menu of three sashimis and eight hand rolls. Available Friday and Saturday nights at Santa Monica and Greenwich Village locations for parties of 7-12 guests. Reservations booked through Explore Tock.

Quantifiable outcome

• Only sushi restaurant in the United States with certified small-capacity rice cookers
• +2 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Japanese Nori SupplierscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Long-term relationships with top nori companies in Tokyo. KazuNori attends the Nori auction (first Americans to do so) and is invited back every year. They are reportedly the most demanding customer but promise to be the best customer for consistent superior product. Nine times out of ten they turn down product that doesn't meet standards.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Pokeworks: Large fast-casual poke chain operating hundreds of locations across the US. Comparable on fast-casual sushi-adjacent format, counter service, and urban lunch-daypart positioning, though broader and more value-oriented than KazuNori's premium approach.
• Marugame Udon: Large Japanese fast-casual chain operating globally with counter-service ordering and made-to-order noodles. Comparable on counter-service Japanese fast-casual format, though at much broader scale and lower price points than KazuNori.

Direct peers

• Sweetfin Poké: LA-based fast-casual poke and sushi hand-roll concept with multiple locations across California. Comparable as a fast-casual, counter-service, sushi/hand-roll competitor targeting similar urban millennial and lunch-crowd customers in KazuNori's home market.
• Sushirrito: Sushi roll-up concept that fuses sushi and burrito formats into a fast-casual, grab-and-go offering. Comparable as a fast-casual sushi operator targeting similar urban, on-the-go customers with sushi in a non-traditional format.
• Howlin' Ray's: LA-based fast-casual concept known for queues, counter ordering, and a cult following. Comparable as a counter-service, no-reservations LA concept that generates demand through word-of-mouth and press rather than paid advertising, mirroring KazuNori's GTM motion.
• SUGARFISH: Sister brand under Sushi Nozawa Group offering counter-service sushi with the same Nozawa-style traditions, sourcing, and Quality Center. Closest comparable because of shared parent, shared supply chain, and overlapping fast-casual sushi positioning.
• Nozawa Bar: Sister brand under Sushi Nozawa Group offering an omakase-style sushi experience at the same parent company. Comparable through shared DNA (Nozawa technique, fish sourcing, trade-secret recipes) though differentiated by omakase price point and service format.

Regional players

• Tsujita LA: LA-based Japanese fast-casual restaurant group known for premium ramen and tsukemen. Comparable as a Japanese-themed, counter-service concept serving premium-quality food in LA at comparable price points, though focused on ramen rather than sushi.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/kazunorisushi
• Facebookfacebook.com/KazuNoriSushi

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 Kazunori