Kaizen Sushi Bar & Grill
479 Main St, Sturbridge, MA, 01566
Kaizen Sushi Bar & Grill Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Sturbridge for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
479 Main St
Sturbridge, MA, 01566 - Phone (508) 347-1088
- Website https://www.kaizen479.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:30 am - 9:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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Amber M.
This is as good as it gets, great service, and dinning and food. 2nd year going on my birthday, YOU HAVE TO GET THE G-ROLL . . . I love it. This has lobster and filet mignon in it . . . a special of theirs! The crab ragoons to die for. The salad with a house ginger dressing, sooo good.
(5)Sebastian B.
I had a mixed experience here. Sitting at the sushi bar the chef was excellent. His skills shined as a sushi pro the shortcomings here was the over attentive head waitress. I call her the head waitress because she seemed in charge of the 3 girls sitting in chairs by the front door. My 2 rolls were fabulous unfortunately I can't remember what they were called. Where I was slightly unhappy was the second I put the last piece in my mouth the crazy waitress came to clear my spot. I was still chewing when she brought the bill. I'm no restauranteur but I dine out very frequently so here's a note to the management. Tone that lady down a notch. With an empty place the visitor doesn't need to feel rushed. $30+ bucks on lunch for 1 person may not be the biggest ticket but I could have bought lunch at McD's for your entire floor staff with that. The food was good but the service shortcoming left a bad taste in my mouth.
(3)Emily C.
From fabulously fresh sashimi to creative specialty rolls, Kaizen is a great find in the Sturbridge area. Usually when I'm up that way, I stop in to BT's Smokehouse across the street but that isn't always good for groups since it's constantly mobbed (as it should be). On Saturday afternoon, I met up with some college friends for a birthday lunch; our waitress was friendly and oh-so-patient despite our gabbing for 20 minutes without looking at the menu. I started with the lovely nigiri app (fresh and beautifully presented) and a glass of brut, and moved on to a flavorful eel-topped Fuji Maki tuna roll. The interior is clean, nicely decorated, and a great spot for small groups. This is high on my list next time I'm in the area!
(4)Bryan N.
Really good sushi restaurant in Sturbridge. The fish quality and service is 5 star! I tried the fatty tuna toro and their soft shell crab which I think would have to be my favorite. Jess was our waitress; she was extremely friendly and efficient with order. Highly recommend coming here!
(5)Rachel L.
Went with a group of friends recently. Kaizen packs them in. There was no parking in their lot so we parked across the street at the hotel. Rte 20 can be fun trying to cross so be careful! Had a couple of drinks at the bar waiting for everyone to show up. Bartender was attentive & made good drinks. Upon everyone arriving, we were seated at a large group of tables. We had a young waitress who did a great job. I think we overwhelmed her though especially those who had never tried sushi before! We ended up ordering tons of different rolls to sample as well as a couple of hibachi filets for the non-fish eaters. The quality & quantity was excellent. I especially liked how the rolls were not over-sauced which can hide not only the true flavor blends of the roll but also any poor fish. The hibachi filet was perfectly prepared & earned rave reviews. I am occasionally in the Sturbridge area & would not hesitate to return for sushi. Very good.
(4)Mark C.
Never been disappointed with this place. Every single time we eat there, we are speechless as to how wonderful it is. Our favorites are the Tuna Tatakki, Kaizen Makki and Century roll. If you don't like sushi, get some beef, it's out of this world. Love the staff too.. Aiko, Cassidy and Lucas are our favorites. Cold Sakki is amazing and they make the best martinis around.
(5)Maria F.
Best restaurant in Sturbridge, MA! The waiters are attentive. It can get crowded, but no fear, they have valet parking.
(5)Charles M.
Have been here twice now and have tried 7 different sushi rolls in my two visits and they have all been delicious. This place knows how to make some good sushi.
(5)Jenn S.
I've been coming to Kaizen for years, and just had the best experience I've ever had here. Toro sashimi, yellow fin sushi, Eel hand roll and Winter roll... all topped off with a While Blizzard MartinI. Ask Aiko to help you to order and prepare for bliss.!!!
(5)William B.
Outstanding! Ordered Sushi for 2 for myself and just started on it! Just perfect! Fresh fish, rice done perfectly and looks amazing! Girlfriend ordered Teriyaki wings and fried rice! Just as good! Only problem, lil bit on the chilly side in here! Hostess friendly, waitress gave us the run down on specials, etc. I'd give more stars if they had em! I'm comin again tomorrow!
(5)Andrea L.
I was very pleased with Kaizen tucked in the center of the quaint New England town, Sturbridge. The fish was such high quality so the sushi was top notch. Presentation was out of this world and the waitress was extremely attentive. They also make very good Japanese entrees--the quality overall of the meal was top notch and I definitely will be here again the next chance I have!
(5)Jason M.
Fish wasn't very fresh. Salmon was fatty. Tried tempura (for kids) was heavy not light and flakey like I'm used to. I tried their Sturbridge roll to try something new without really reading it. Not sure what was in it but the entire thing was deep fat fried, again in some sorry of heavy batter.
(1)Courtney V.
I've had so many friends recommend this place to me, I had high expectations. Unfortunately, my experience was so so and I found the food to be mediocre. I ordered a couple sushi rolls which I found to be small and a bit more expensive than my favorite sushi place back home. The service wasn't good at all, our waitress was tending to and chatting up a table of her friends while we waited forever. I felt a little bit like an inconvenience. Food allergy people, BEWARE! They put crab in the miso soup. I have never heard of crab being served in miso before. Needless to say, as someone with a severe shellfish allergy, I was disappointed when I couldn't eat miso before my sushi. I wish they made a vegetarian version. Overall my experience was disappointing and I won't be going back.
(2)April P.
Kaizen has become our favorite, and only, place to get sushi. I have not had a meal I didn't like here over the past couple of months. My husband and I get all of our rolls with the soy wrap, as seaweed makes us both sickly. He never enjoyed sushi/rolls, but Kaizen has changed his mind! We always start off with an order of their Crab Rangoon. My favorite rolls I've had so far would have to be the Spicy Shrimp and Red Sox roll. The only bad thing about Kaizen is the location/parking situation. The parking lot around the side of the building fills up quickly, and it is shared with an antique store. We try to get there before the dinner rush (as early as possible) to avoid the parking fiasco and long waits that can pop up.
(5)Jillian S.
My all time favorite sushi place ever! I've been coming here for about 2 years and I never get sick of it! Fresh sushi and great service.
(5)Dave W.
To look at the place you would not think good sushi but looks deceive. Order the sexy roll which isn't on the menu. I had them leave off the pineapple ( don't let that throw you off) and it was great. I eat a lot of sushi and this was right up there.
(5)Cindy O.
The food was delicious! The filet you could cut with a fork and had a yummy mushroom sauce. We had two rolls a spider and a low carb rice less summer roll! Great wine pour and martini price! We will come back to Sturbridge just to come to this restaurant.
(5)Doug P.
Love this place! The food, staff & atmosphere are great. Their sushi is fresh and you can tell they have high quality standards on the fish they serve. The only reason I gave a 4 instead of a 5 is because they our too strict on substitutions. I wanted to change a spicy salmon for a spicy tuna roll which are both the same price, but they insisted on charging me extra.
(4)Joe C.
I love this place. I go here every time I am in Sturbridge
(4)Matt G.
LOVED IT!!!! Went there with my girlfriend for a date night, we first ordered the large scorpion bowl and then ordered 3 different sushi rolls. We had the Boston Bruins which was a special so I don't know how long they will still have it. Then along with that we got the Red Sox and the Alaskan sushi rolls. Even after splitting about 18 rules we are still hungry and then ordered the Bul Goki. Everything was soooooo good we ate it all up and were both very full. So bring your appetite!
(5)Dawn G.
Had lunch at Kaizen yesterday. Place smelled of fry oil when we walked in. Sat at the bar to watch the sushi chefs. The wait staff was extremely pleasant and attentive. I came for the sushi - my lunch special (simple California, salmon, and tuna rolls) were fine but unspectacular. My husband - who does not eat fish - had the beef bul Gogi appetizer. It tasted ok but the flavor didn't penetrate the meat, like it had been boiled or baked and then the sauce added as an afterthought. However it was his chicken teriyaki that brought this review down to two stars. The slices of chicken were extremely overcooked and the chicken clearly had not been marinated. There was hardly any flavor and only a weak bit of sauce was tossed on the outside. He ended up dipping it is a side of soy sauce to make it edible. Go if you want sushi, skip anything else. Not good for non-fish eaters.
(2)Dan M.
Foid is excellent, service very good but they overbook and long waits. Tonight we were seated at 8:32 for an 8:00 reservation. Happens often.
(3)Nina C.
My husband and I were on our way back from a trip to Maine and decided cooking was out of the question & wanted to hit a new place close to home. Thankfully for us a place we have been dying to try was closed so we elected to come here. In one word: DELICIOUS! We loved it all; food, drinks, service & atmosphere. My husband and I shared the wings and they wee cooked well and the flavor was there. For an entree he had the Celtic Roll which was a special. Thankfully the waitress informed us that they can make most of their specials regularly because we WILL be coming back for that again. I had the teriyaki chicken and it didn't disappoint either. I would have preferred a bit more spice but now I know so next time I can ask to "jazz" it up a bit. An absolute must try!!!!
(4)M G.
Great food but restaurant is at a horrible location . Move to a new expanded bigger location that would represent the great quality of your food
(4)Nicole S.
We've been coming to this restaurant for years. It's hard to believe that sushi this good can exist in a little Podunk town like Sturbridge. Last week we stopped in for dinner on our anniversary. Unfortunately our anniversary also falls during the week of the May Brimfield fair. We always seem to forget this, even though the damn fair almost ruined our wedding. My husband, who insisted that Brimfield fair people aren't the type to eat sushi had to eat his words upon walking into the restaurant because it was packed! We didn't have a reservation weren't terribly hopeful about getting a table before 9:30 PM. However, that worked some magic and squeezed us in, and I can't tell you how much we appreciated that. They were really spectacular. Service here is almost always great, even when they are busy. That night was no exception. We had our usual array of six rolls (we are total pigs when we come here, it's like competitive eating at its finest) and we each had a seaweed salad which is always very good.
(4)Brenna L.
We are regulars and have never had anything less than an amazing meal! We can't escape for a whole lot less than $100, given our love for almost everything on the menu, cocktails and especially sushi. My husband loves the gyoza, beef dinner, or the filet. G-Roll is at the top of his list! I prefer the beef tataki, lamb lollipops or walnut shrimp. Their special rolls never disappoint! I usually choose the designer rolls (I'm a big fan of fruit and veggies incorporated into the rolls). Sexy, Love and Celtics rolls are my personal favorites. Freshly prepared. Great drinks. Excellent service (shout out to Cindy - the best). Just all around consistent. I would eat there daily if my bank account allowed me to do so!
(5)Yanira G.
We went to Kaizen last Wednesday on our way back from Boston to PA. Very impressed with the quality, presentation and taste , they did an awesome job with the rolls, sushi, soups, rice; all delicious. Our server, a Japanese girl, was fantastic, 5 stars to her. Worth to mention that we went to another restaurant first but they were not open for service yet, was like 4 pm, so I asked for some recommendation and without hesitation they told us their first choice would be Kaizen.
(4)Melissa M.
This is by far the best Asian restaurant in the New England area. I am not kidding. The sushi is fabulous. Their lollipop lamb chop appetizer is the best I have ever, ever, had. And I don't like lamb. The drinks are generous and they have excellent service. Tonight I had the fried rice and lobster tempura. I also sampled the salmon skin and roe maki roll. Delish!
(5)Tyler W.
I refuse to go anywhere else for sushi! Kaizen Sushi Bar & Grill has not only the best sushi in Worcester County, but also a great atmosphere and wonderful staff. Prices are a little higher here, depending on your appetite of course, but the experience is more than worth the price. Before coming here, make sure you have reservations! Valet parking is available many nights during the week.
(5)Liv L.
The best sushi in the sturbridge area. I really love going here. The food and service are wonderful. I'm not a huge sushi lover but their chicken tempora is amazing. I really love the decorations. My only problem with kaizen is that it is very dark inside and I've tripped a few times. But the people that go with me always get the sushi and they love it so if you are a sushi lover you will really like this place. Another thing please try the the chocolate lava cake it is to die for. It is one of the best desserts I have ever had.
(5)K B.
LOVED IT! We were on our way back to NH from CT and stopped off here for lunch. WOW! It doesn't look like much from the outside, but the food and service were fantastic. We are regular sushi eaters and pretty picky about it, but found this place to be serving very fresh and flavorful rolls. We will definitely be stopping in again when we're in town.
(5)Jordan R.
Tried sushi here for the first time and fell in love. I've tried many other sushi places but none have come close aside from Baba in Worcester. The shrimp tempura and century rolls are PERFECT. The service and food are fantastic
(5)Ken G.
Consistent offerings in Sturbridge. Casual dining in a less than comfortable settings however, food outweighs the lack of atmosphere. Fresh sushi great roll offerings, sashimi, and they always love the request for the chef offerings. Good and loud when the night crowd kicks in. Recommend.
(4)asli e.
Nice martini options. And really good sushi. I don't think very authentic still yummy... Boston Tea Party martini is a must!
(4)Maria O.
Great atmosphere friendly staff good food. We ordered both sushi and hibachi. The hibachi grilled steak was very tasty with a garlic butter soy combination over a bed of white rice and steam vegetables. Sushi was fresh with unique specials to choose from. I would come back for sure!
(4)Jack P.
In my opinion, this is the best sushi in central Mass. Service is great, and there's a nice non-sushi menu for my wife. A bit pricey but the quality is worth it. One of my favorite places for a special occasion.
(5)Mary F.
Food brought back 3 times and steak still raw and gravy cold. No consideration, waiter argued. Also sushi not fresh! Would not go back, not worth $100 bill for three people.
(2)Marilee C.
Definitely make a reservation here. This place was full on a recent Saturday night. We even had to wait 20 minutes past when our reservation time was in order to be sat. Also, you may need to valet your car because the parking lot is not big enough for the restuarant. All of the food was very good, and the cocktails were yummy too. I got the Rock and Roll, which was excellent, and I'm looking forward to being back in that area so that I can get it again. It's weird though, this place seems to have stolen the martini menu from Tisane in Hartford, and its sushi menu from Ginza. It's not a bad thing, both of these restaurants are good. It's just a little bizarre. In any event, I woudl happily go back here when I was in the area, and it's a good meeting point between Hartford and Boston. DIRECTIONS: No GPS knew where this place was. Just stay on Main Street when you get off the highway and it is about a mile down on the left hand side.
(4)N. N.
Excellent food, and service. Had the spicy tuna, scallops, and shrimp, all delicious. My wife is pregnant and was not sure what to het for regular food. She was nervouse about the nlbaby getting an allergic reaction to shell fish, so they recommended a dish of sushi that was perfect. It was cooked beef, and potatoes rolled up on rice and cut like sushi. It was delicious. Like having a pot roast in sushi form. Will go back to this place next time we dine out.
(5)Kelly B.
I've eaten here many many times and have never been disappointed. If you like Sushi, try it :)
(5)Ben K.
Very delicious sushi in a casual but elegant setting. A real gem in Sturbridge. Basic maki rolls are very reasonably priced. More complex sushi creations are more on the expensive side, but are very creative and tasty. I really enjoyed my meal here.
(4)Lily Z.
So I'm really wondering why this restaurant got such high reviews. maybe it's because there aren't many sushi restaurants in this area. My Boyfriend went here tonight, and were extremely disappointed. We eat sushi almost every time we go out, and I have never had such bad sushi. I was surprised that there weren't many Asian people eating here, so maybe that was a warning sign. My bf and I are both Asian, so we basically can tell what is quality food, and what isn't. We got the party 2, and let me tell you, it was the smallest plate of sushi I've ever seen for $57. $61 when you add tax. The waitress was also inattentive and I saw her laughing at the bar and drinking cocktails with her co-workers. It was near closing time, but this isn't ok. I have worked in 3 restaurants before, and currently work at a Japanese and korean restaurant in Lexington. The sushi there is much higher quality. My Boyfriend is also not picky about sushi, and he said word for word, "if McDonald's made sushi, it would taste better than this.", and ofcourse we ate it, but it wasn't pleasant. The sashimi was the same cut off fish as the nigiri. It obviously was not freshly cut. Also, the miso soup had fish in it, which was really surprising, since it's usually just flavored with dashi stock...there was also barely any seaweed, and the tofu was firm, not silken like every other damn Japanese restaurant.... I will stop the review here, but please rethink this place of your looking for sushi. If you come to this restaurant, order the filet mignon. Something that Americans can actually cook.
(1)Joanna F.
I chose to try this place on a Wednesday night while we were in the area because I wanted something relatively healthy and sushi is usually pretty good for that purpose. Needless to say, this was some of the unhealthiest sushi I've ever had - any sushi that has red meat and mayo in it is not the healthiest. In fact, it's kind of hard to even call this sushi since it was so untraditional. That being said, everything was super filling and delicious. Idiotically, my fiance and I got dumplings as well as two rolls each, not realizing how uncharacteristically huge these rolls were (that's what she said). Seriously, one each would have been more than enough food. We ended up getting a couple of the special rolls despite the fact that our waiter totally confused us as to what roll was what. There were so many ingredients in each and he seemed confused himself while explaining them. The special rolls we got were really good. They were filled with lobster, shrimp, cream cheese, avocado and pineapple. Weird combo, but totally worked. The other special roll was similar but had beef in it. Crazy! For the amount and quality of food, the price was right. I would probably come back, but not if I wanted traditional sushi.
(4)Tai Z.
Wow, I did NOT like this place. Mediocre food, lousy service, soso decor. Maybe I'm wrong, but I think it's a bad sign when the tea in an Asian restaurant is not good. And like that old joke goes, the tea was lousy and they didn't even refill my cup! BTW you might want to call and make sure what time they serve lunch until; it doesn't say on their website and at some point in the afternoon they start charging dinner prices which are very expensive for what you get. Also we didn't try the sushi, so maybe it's okay but I sure wouldn't go back to find out!
(2)Kristen J.
I had a really good experience here. The food was really good, and the drinks were delicious. The restaurant is in a old house, so it wasn't what I expected, but it had a really cool atmosphere. The only thing keeping this from a 5 was that the service was a little slow, they closed a bit early, and the parking lot was really small (we had to park across the street at a Comfort Inn). Other than that, I was pleased with my dinner there.
(4)Jenna C.
I went here for dinner last night. It was pretty good - it's a small establishment, and has some of the nicest bathrooms! The sushi was good and fresh. Very pretty presentation, and interesting rolls. It's a little pricey, but all in all, decent variety and good quality. We had some drinks - whatever martini-style drink our friends had was well made, and you can't really screw up Sapporo, but my hot sake was disappointingly small (or maybe I am just spoiled). At least it was served HOT - as it was pretty cold in the place. Overall, good meal. Service, on the other hand....even the couple we were with said the service was usually better. She missed a roll we ordered, missed my request for tea, and missed the side of rice we ordered. Then when I asked if there was brown rice, she said "yes, we have fried rice." I will chalk it up to her being blonde, because she was... Overall, very nice place. I'd go back if I were baller...otherwise it is being saved for special splurge occasions.
(3)Roberta D.
We've been frequenting Kaizen since it opened. The sushi, in my opinion, is the best, bar none, in the area. It also rivals other places we've had sushi throughout the states and the islands. Always fresh and delicious, we've never tried something we didn't like. If someone in your party is not a sushi fan, there are several traditional choices on the menu that are also very good. I've held off writing a review since it's already so crowded, I'd hate to wait longer for a table but year after year they serve up sushi that is deserving of kudos. The Service we have received has always been superb as well! Cindy is always friendly and informative and gets to know what you like. She's been there since the beginning and Aiko and Lucas are the best bartenders in town! Go early or late as it's always busy but always worth the wait! Diane and Bob - Belchertown, MA
(5)Tim M.
Went to this place for lunch and had a good meal. I had a resolution roll that was very good, and a couple others that were also yummy. I had a spicy salmon roll that had spicy salmon on the inside and salmon over the top with spicy mayo. My wife and son had Udon noodles with beef and chicken. They liked the flavor. They shared the chicken wings and dumplings for their two appetizers. Overall it was good, not sure I would go all the way to Sturbridge just to hit this spot, but it was solid and good quality.
(4)Jane C.
Very good option for dinner in Central Mass. Reservations are recommended for Thurs-Sun dinner. I love the bulgoki, Ohio, Bruins, century and love rolls. The soba noodles are very flavorful, although my husband prefers the udon. The lamb chops and steak are delicious. The martini selection will satisfy your need for cocktails! Something for the whole family! We have always enjoyed excellent service, even when the restaurant is quite busy. Kaizen doesn't disappoint. There is a second restaurant at Webster Square in Worcester called Kai.
(4)Robert T.
I'm a local and have been on numerous occasions. Excellent Mai Tai's and great sushi/sashimi including excellent alternatives for non sushi fans, the lamb chops are amazing and great as an app. Did I mention the Mai Tai's
(4)Myung K.
The "white tuna" was probably escolar. Food was pricy for the quality. The waitress was really friendly and nice though.
(2)Lauren C.
I wasn't expecting much from a sushi place in Sturbridge, but a friend suggested it so I went along with it. They have a great variety of rolls. The sushi was very fresh and their rolls were very good. They have some strange presentations, like seaweed salad in a martini glass, but the sushi is good. They also have daily sushi specials for variety. I loved the sexy roll and happy roll. The specialty rolls are substantial and while it isn't cheap, it's well priced for sushi. As far as the ambience goes, there are several TVs in the bar. The inside is fine, but nothing special.
(4)Luc B.
Unfortunate experience. My family and I of the area thought we would try this place on a Thursday night, we checked on yelp and noticed it was not reservation only, and since we decided we would be shopping in the area decided not to make a reservation. We walked in and gave our name to a very nice and polite gentleman at the host stand, and he said our table would be ready in 30 minutes, we thought that was a reasonable wait time, and took a seat. No one told us it was reservations only, and we thought they would honor that wait time. Other people came in with and without reservations. After thirty minutes we noticed others without reservations were being seated before us. As a result we thought it reasonable to ask how much longer for a table. Another hostess, said she did not notice our name, which I clearly saw the gentleman write down on this list on the way in. She developed an undeniable attitude with us, saying there were a lot of reservations. I said I understood, and that we had been waiting for thirty minutes. She proceeded to talk to the gentleman that took my name, returned still with an undeniable condescending attitude, saying vaguely it would be at least another 15 minutes. I did not trust her tone, and asked for a maximum, and she vaguely and rudely replied 45 minutes. At that point I realized we were of no importance to her at all, and she'd probably have us sitting there all night. So we decided to leave. On the way out she loudly said to other patrons waiting to be seated they expect to be seated quickly without a reservation, a very appalling and rude thing to say. - I did not expect to be seated right away, other patrons without reservations we being seated before us. - It wasn't a reservations only restaurant, If you are giving wait times, try to honor then, keep it organzied, and if there is a mistake, own it, appolijize, don't develop an attitude, and blame it on reservations. - Plenty of other more restaurants in the area. - Don't talk about people as they're leaving trying to save your own face.
(1)willie b.
I arrived just as they opened. The interior is beautiful especially the restroom. I had a window view. I was waited on immediately. I chose the party boat #2 I think it was called. It was like a platter. The first thing I immediately noticed is that it's a bit pricey in general and not because of what I ordered. I started off with a house salad with ginger sauce. It was good although the bowl was a bit grimy. It had this accumulative build of sticky residue from the grease in the kitchen. The platter was presented beautifully. There was a small bug on my side plate however. It wasn't that big of a deal because I brushed it off. All in all the food was average. It wasn't too spectacular or amazing as everyone made it out to be. However it isn't bad either. I guess what I'm saying is nothing in particular stands out about the food.
(3)Dennis M.
For our twentieth anniversary, my wife asked me to go here, and to keep an open mind--I'm a steak and potatoes guy. I was worried, but...everything, and I mean, everything, was awesome. Best local restaurant! Small, but delicious, and fair prices.
(5)Twee V.
My husband & I had dinner at Kaizen recently. We were extremely impressed with the freshness of the fish and the service at Kaizen. My husband used to live and work in Japan. It's almost impossible to impress him. This was a hidding gem that we found in the middle of nowhere, Sturbridge. Friendly chefs and staffs. We will be back.
(5)Jonathan M.
Great sushi once again. I have really never had anything bad to say about the place but there is a first time for everything. I have noticed as some other reviews have previously mentioned, the service isn't the best. It took an extremely long time to get food on a mid-weeknight. Beyond taking a long time, the waiter was chatting with another waitress as our sushi sat on the sushi bar waiting to be brought over. That was unacceptable in my opinion. I will say, there are great waitresses there that I have had in the past. I just didn't have one of them tonight.
(4)Kimberly D.
I love this place. Being from the area, and now living in CA, the capital of sushi land.. I truly appreciate Kaizen and what it offers to this small community!! It's about time there is somewhere to go other than Italian or American restaurants. When I am home visiting family, I am easily here 3-4 times a week as it's the healthiest meal you can get in the area. Their sashimi is great, the rolls are delicious, and all of their cooked meals have been big hits with my parents who are not sushi lovers. For sushi and non sushi fans, Kaizen is a must!
(4)Misty S.
I love Kaizen and really look forward to eating there when we are visiting my family in Charlton. I actually asked my mom to take me there for my birthday dinner! The sushi is unbelievably fresh and delicious. They have all of your "normal" rolls, but also a lot of fun and creative rolls too. The bartender makes a mean martini, and she also will make you fun custom drinks if you tell her what you like. The prices are typical for sushi. When 4 of us went last week we each got at least 3 rolls, appetizers, and 2 drinks each and the bill was about $180.
(5)Jenn S.
I'm usually the one in the family to organize and research any event, especially when it comes to restaurants. So I was a bit surprised when my sister emailed me with restaurant ideas for our day at Old Sturbridge Village (OSV)! Craving any type of Asian cuisine this past week (she lives in the U.K. and doesn't get it that much), she was eager to try Kaizen. We all felt the choices within OSV were pretty unhealthy, so we went with Kaizen. The hostess wasn't ultra friendly or helpful, but that's fine - our waitress was. She described the specials intricately and happily answered our questions. We got an array of sushi, salads and noodle dishes. I went for the Udon noodles with chicken, which were in a teriyaki sauce, I think. I had my husband's miso soup, which was filled with chicken and tofu. It was better than some miso I've had, but I've had better (then again, I'm not a huge miso fan!). The portions were a good size but I still gobbled up my tasty Udon dish! There was plenty of chicken & veggies and they went well with the noodles. Presentation was ok - nothing spectacular. The ginger sauce on the dressing (which is one of my favorite things about Japanese) was light but super tasty. And the salad that came with my husband's chicken teriyaki was a good size (sometimes it's very tiny). His veggies were a bit cold and didn't have the teriyaki sauce on them. I think he enjoyed it, but I prefer the chicken teriyaki from the food court places! None of us walked out hungry (although we did nibble some cookies we had)! And if I were in the area again and looking for a restaurant, I'd go back to Kaizen, but I'd also want to explore some other places...
(3)Wendy B.
I LOVE this sushi spot - really love it...and I live in CT which is just about the saddest thing ever. This place is always a stop when my husband and I travel to and from Boston. The vegetarian sushi selection is wonderful. They serve a tempura sweet potato roll that is heaven wrapped in seaweed. My husband always orders a bulgogi sushi roll, and it's the only place we've ever found such a roll. Service is wonderful.
(5)Jonathon B.
I was in the area for the Brimfield antique shows last week, and ate at Kaizen twice. the sushi is always fantastic and the waitresses are gorgeous and know the menu well. 3 points here - A- do something about the bathrooms, the mens room is large enough for 2 toilets, its off-putting to have to stand in line right by the hostess stand. B- very noisy, they need to consider some noise management system. C- I would avoid the sirloin, my friend had it on Tuesday and said it was chewy...I assumed he got an end piece. We split one for the table on Friday night, and it was hard to cut with a steak knife...not up to par with the rest of the food.
(4)Michaela S.
Went here last night. The scorpion bowl was tasty, the sushi was not only amazing but surprising! Our server was jenifer and she was great! An good place to go :)
(5)Sean K.
Great food, with friendly staff. Everything about this place is awesome. I have 4 stars because it is a little expensive but excellent
(4)Andrew J.
My wife and I have been regulars at Kaizen for a couple of years now. In general we have loved the food and have been less impressed by the service. Well tonight it hit an all time low for service quality. We work hard as most folks do and Friday night is our evening to relax and recover from a long and stressful work week. So when we arrived at the restaurant at 9pm we went directly to the bar. The place was beginning to empty out and we got a very comfortable spot. This is where the pleasantness ended. The bartender who took our order decided to do it by memory and not write anything down. No problem if he gets it right. Not so much for us. He completely ignored my wife's order and omitted a part of mine. In fact he repeated it back to me and still got it wrong. So our meal came out backwards, sushi first, appetizers and soup last. Frankly I could have tolerated this if he hadn't taken a relatively blase and almost confrontational approach. When we asked the other bartender about our app(he had disappeared for a while somewhere in back) she went and got him. His first words to us when he finally arrived back, "is there a problem" You bet your ass there was a problem. You F***ed up our order. The real shame is that the food was great. Will I tolerate horrible service because of good food? I guess the answer is yes!
(2)Kayla R.
This is by far the best sushi I have had. I have eaten at Kaizen for years and have traveled from Worcester to eat at this restaurant and have never ordered a bad plate! Drinks are always strong and delicious. Specialty rolls are phenomenal and the service is great. The shrimp salad and the fuji roll or the eel roll is the usual meal I prefer. The restaurant also offers a lot of cooked maki rolls, including the bull goki which is cooked beef and sweet potato (my boyfriends go to roll). Be sure to make a reservation, no matter what day of the week because this place is constantly packed and on the weekends you will not be seated before 9 PM without one
(5)Leah T.
This is my absolute favorite place to grab a bite. The sushi is always wonderful and the atmosphere is inviting. The waiters are very friendly and willing to explain anything on the menu. I would chose Kaizen over any other restaurant nearby hands down! My favorites are the love roll, sexy roll and winter roll. Squid salad is also delish and my mom loves their planters punch! Craving some Kaizen now!
(5)Cory W.
Awesome sushi. Great atmosphere. Friendly wait staff.
(4)Angelique D.
Let me start off by saying the food could not get any better. I love this place and will continue to dine here, just not after 8pm. I was more than disappointed when I ate there a few nights ago. We arrived at 8:30pm and were sat at the closest table to the front door. After ordering our beverages the hostess came over to our table, picked up our lit candle, blew it out and took it. I was in complete shock, don't seat us to eat if your going to pretty much ask us to leave or be that rude. We placed our orders, everything was delicious, shushi first them seared salmon. It became more obvious they wanted us to leave when they started spraying down their stations and running around talking about how badly they wanted to go home. As we were eating our salmon someone decided it'd be appropriate to flicker the lights. I looked at my watch and saw it was 9:07. I've never been more upset. It was obvious there was no manager around. A couple that was in the dinning room gotup and lleft right away. We asked for our check and didn't even finish our martinis. In and out in 35 minutes. Worse part is I called and left a message with the manager to call me back. He still hasn't.
(3)Dom D.
Best beef-tataki and rock&roll roll in the area!
(4)Jackie B.
Second time back at this place. I went for new years eve I had 8:30 reservations(for two), but was seated at 8:50. Whatever we were not in a rush to get to 2012. After a crab cake, wasabi tuna steak(i only had a taste)and some sushi and 3 drinks I didn't care what year or day I was in! The new years maki was amazing, a mish-mash of tuna,apple,sweet potatoe, jalapeño and some sauces I realized wow that's a weird combo but AMAZING! drinks had some love put into them too, always a plus in my book!
(4)Stephanie P.
This place has the most amazing food.....EVERYTHING is top knotch. I feel it is the best sushi in New England. Love it.
(5)Matt K.
Went on a Saturday night and the place was packed. Make a reservation for sure. Foods was excellent and drinks were A+. our server was top notch. Best service we have had since I can remember. I will be back!
(4)Blair S.
We tried Kaizen multiple times because hey, we live near Sturbridge and we're kind of a captive audience. 1. It's pricey for what it is. Having experienced excellent sushi all over the US, I have had way better for a much better value. 2. They can skimp on the fish. If I get sushi, I was a nice slab of fish on the rice and I've had fish that was practically shaved from Kaizen. 3. Not great service. The staff is friendly and helpful, but the last time we went it literally took 77 minutes to get our meal. The wife of the owner (I think) who acts as manager is abrupt and difficult if you have a complaint. 4. We got takeout and literally had the most measly portion of miso soup I have ever seen. 5. The don't put their money where their mouth is. In both the miso soup incident and the super late service incident, they did the same thing - gave us a $15 gift card for our next visit. No thanks.
(1)Jessica B.
In the area on business, it was my second night needing dinner. The first night didn't go so well but thankfully the second night was much better. It was a Wednesday night and the place was hopping. I was dining alone so I sat at the sushi bar. The two guys behind the bar were cranking out sushi nonstop. The staff there were incredibly friendly, which I loved. I had miso soup with crab, a house salad, a salmon/avocado roll, and the exotica roll. Everything was very good. I even caved and ordered the banana tempura for dessert, also tasty. For the area they are a little on the pricier side, but the food and the service were worth it. I'd definitely come back the next time I'm in the area.
(4)Angelina K.
Excellent fresh sushi. The first time we were passing by on I-90, we couldn't find the place because Yelp has them listed in Sturbridge. We drove around & around looking for 479 main St in Sturbridge which didn't exist. On the way back home to Seattle, we passed through & this time I looked their address up at Kaizen's website & realized the address is in Fiskdale on main St (hwy 20). Long story short we really enjoyed the sushi. Didn't try the large selections of inventive rolls but that's because we don't care for cream cheese & other non traditional things in our sushi. Just fresh fish please. You won't be disappointed if you go.
(4)Rebecca B.
What a great dinner we had here. Lots of choices, great presentation& great taste. We thought the price was reasonable. After walking the antique field at Brimfield we were hungry and this place was a step above most of what is locally available. Loved it! Its not just sushi, folks. Lots of other choices like Lemongrass Chicken, Crab Rangoon, beef dishes.
(5)Ashley p.
Love this place! I go out with my friends, family and sometimes even take my two yr old daughter. The staff is amazing and the food yummm!! The owner is awesome my brother once ordered a drink he didnt really like. The owner came over took a drink of it and agreed took it right off the bill and got him another drink! Would reccommend this place to anyone who enjoys sushi!
(5)Katharine T.
So we went to Kaizen on a Saturday night. It was utterly packed, but we thought, eh, its ok, we have a reservation! Methinks not. We were there a few minutes early, and we ended up waiting a good 20 minutes past the time our reservation would have been for. So we go sit down, and they bring us water, and take our drink orders, and all is well. So we order 3 sushi rolls as appetizers and an order of the Beef Bulgoki appetizer (there are 6 of us). The sushi was good, and the beef bulgoki was spicy! Yum. So then we placed dinner orders and we all got entrees. So they bring out our round of miso soup, which is pretty good miso, but not amazing. So we eat our miso and they come and take our miso bowls away. And then they bring our meals and salad at the same time -_-... Bad planning. So meh, whatever, I eat my meal. Three people at the table ordered the Hibachi Filet meal. Now, we knew it wouldn't be real Hibachi because they didn't have hibachi tables and because it said steamed veggies (boo). Anyway, if you knew not to expect real hibachi it was actually pretty good, except that it wasn't hot when it came out. Again, timing fail. The food was, good, not great, and the sauce that comes with it totally made the meal. My roommate had a tuna steak, which she thought was really good, and my Dad had the Chicken Katsu, which was pretty good. My brother's girlfriend had the Teriyaki Chicken, which was very dry... Most of the teriyaki sauce was on the rice, not the chicken. Also, a few of us ordered the fried rice on the side. This fried rice is awful. It's got those shriveled up peas, barely any egg... and no flavor at all. Just saying, not worth it. They get points for trying with the decor... they have hanging lanterns and katana on the wall. They make their hostess wear a kimono, which is just kind of mean to me, I mean... she's not even Asian. Anyway, the building is kind of drafty, but if they sit you near the heater you will be dying. Also, note to potential customers, there are parking lots on both sides (in case one is full). Anyway, I'm sure its the best in the area, but I am spoiled by city Japanese food (and you know, having been to Japan). I wouldn't avoid this place, but next time I'm in Sturbridge and hungry I will probably try something else.
(2)Girldrinkdrunk S.
I was there last night as part of a fairly large group. It was packed, but the service was still friendly and patient, as our group showed up in two waves. I'm veg and enjoy the oshinko maki and the sweet potato. I like the soy wrapper option, although I enjoy nori, but it's convenient for those that don't. The cocktail list is decent, although heavy on the sweet side. Prices, in general, are very reasonable. It's a nice option for Sturbridge.
(4)Hunter M.
Excellent place to eat! I've been getting food from here since they opened their doors. I've probably eaten here 30-40 times over the years--take out, lunch at the bar, dinner with friends--it's always consistent and delicious. Even our NYC sushi snobs rave about this place when they visit us :)
(5)Artur K.
This review will probably make me sound like a pompous bastard, but who really cares? Anyway, the place is basically meh. Nothing special, but nothing horrible either. The definition of average. As with a lot of sushi places they try to be too cute by half with their rolls (just look at the photo supplied with the damn restaurant). This always struck me as silly. If I wanted to taste cream cheese or some super duper spicy mayo I certainly wouldn't pair with delicate fish. But that's not really the fault of the place, it's just trying to follow a ridiculous trend. This place is pretty good for the area, and since it really doesn't have much competition it does do pretty well. If you're in the area, and are desperate for sushi I guess you could check them out (hell of a ringing endorsement, right?)
(3)Douglas W.
Always stop here on the way back from NE to NYC. Easy stop off of 84 right after the Mass Pike. Surprisingly great sushi for a small town stop. Get the Bul Gogi roll and the Miso soup is great too. Always busy, but you can walk in no problem.
(5)Suzy L.
A group of us came here for dinner prior to a show at Stageloft. One of our friends is gluten free, so we chose here since Japanese is pretty Celiac friendly. I started with a seaweed salad, served in a martini glass, which was a nice touch. Lots of roe and a flavorful light dressing. For dinner, I had a spicy tuna roll and tempura veggies. When I've never had sushi at a place before, I always get a spicy tuna roll because its hard to mess up, but also tough to get really right. This one ranks up there as pretty darn good! The spicy mayo sauce was a good balance to some really nice tuna. The tempura veggies were less of a hit, the pieces were just way too large and not really cooked properly. If one of the other women I was with was writing this review, it would definitely get 5 stars. :-) She had aged ashidofu for an appetizer and a couple types of sashimi for dinner, and everything she had, she RAVED about. And our friend who can't do gluten had lots of options and they were really accomodating to make sure she was taken care of. I forget which roll she ordered, but I tried a piece of it and whatever it was, it was awesome. The wine list had a good selection of by the glass options, perfect for our group where only 2 of us were drinking since most of the rest were pregnant. :-) I would definitely go back and make some more adventurous sushi choices! :-)
(4)Brandon B.
I've been to a lot of Sushi places but I'd say this is the best sushi I've had hands down from the East to the West Coast! If you don't like sushi you haven't had enough. They also have other dishes that are grilled for those of you who cant handle it. Never thought there could be such a great place in such a small historic town. The staff are great. It is pricey though. I always get their sushi seaweed salad without the radish. SO GOOD! Come in a martini glass with chopped up shishimi over seaweed with a dressing. The dynamite shell is definitely a must. It is baked and has a combination of different fish that gives it a unique taste. You can never go wrong with any of their special rolls. Sexy roll, Love roll, Red Sox roll.
(5)Eric M.
My favorite Sushi place. The Bul Goki Roll is heaven in my mouth
(5)Mia M.
BEST SUSHI IN NEW ENGLAND!! I've been everywhere and this place is incredible and is worth the trip no matter where you're coming from. The sushi is fresh, relatively inexpensive (for the quality and quantity) and is creative! I don't go ANYWHERE for sushi unless it's Kaizen. They have so many choices it's almost overwhelming...my boyfriend and I always end up getting like 10 rolls because we want to be able to try all the ones we want! The service is always really good too.
(5)Carl N.
This place is amazing! Fresh sushi, a great atmosphere, and reasonable prices. What more could you ask for? Try the Hawaiian, Spicy Tuna, or the infamous Carl Roll. When you go, make sure you ask for Jimmy (aka Stavios) as your waiter. He is the best!
(5)Melissa M.
Great drinks, awsome bartender, great sushi!
(5)Sara F.
A friend recommended Kaizen, after she took some family members there and they loved it. I've had plenty of good sushi, though I'm no expert, but I was really surprised at how good this place was. The decor was so-so. Most waitrons were not Asian but knew the menu well. Wine menu was decent but not great, but no real complaints. The maki were very nice, but the special maki were just outstanding. We ordered the surf and turf special rolls -- beef, lobster, sweet potatoes, avocado, in a soy roll -- absolutely delicious! Apparently the chefs are Vietnamese, which I think accounted for some different options on the menu (some beef options, for example). If you're out in the Sturbridge area and looking for a good restaurant option, I'd definitely recommend Kaizen.
(4)Elsa H.
Best place to get sushi in my book., I would highly suggest going here for groups or on a date. I wish I had one closer to me, but the travel isnt so bad. They also have great options for the non-sushi-eaters.
(4)Theresa B.
My fiance and I visited Kaizen for the first time last night, not in small part due to Suzy L's review. I have a gluten allergy, so I was excited to try a restaurant that sounded very accommodating. I was totally unprepared for just how accommodating they would be. As soon as we mentioned to our server that I can't have gluten, she made several notes on her notepad, and quickly brought out a bottle of gluten-free soy sauce. I have only very rarely run in to restaurants that provide gluten-free soy sauce for customers, so I always bring my own, and I'm thrilled to know that I won't have to prepare to go for sushi at Kaizen. When we ordered, our server reiterated that my food would have nothing with gluten on it, and since my fiance ordered sushi rolls chock full of gluten, our food came on separate plates. This is a great sign of somewhere that knows what they're doing with allergens, since there's far less chance of cross-contamination. Everything that we ate was delicious, and the prices were totally reasonable. I will certainly be recommending Kaizen to anyone who is in the area, especially those with gluten sensitivities.
(5)Rudy P.
Absolutely the best scallop sushi and sashimi we've ever had. Baby octopus salad is not to be missed. Nice room with lots of variety on the menu. Jimmy is the best waiter you'll find anywhere and he makes a great martini!
(5)Ira H.
Great place. Fresh sushi. Excellent service. We will be back next year with a larger group.
(5)T.L. T.
We came across Kaizen on our way back from New York. I had the yellowtail and an order of spider roll which were both delicious. This is a nice little gem tucked away in Western Mass.
(4)Mark S.
Think Sturbridge, MA. Now list the first, oh, let's say 2000 words that come to mind. I'll bet "sushi" isn't one of them. Maybe it should be. We ate here at about 7:30 on a Tuesday night--so I guess we shouldn't have expected crowds, but I was definitely a little bit nervous at the fact that the place was basically empty. I shouldn't have worried. The service was a little... odd, but I don't really care about service at restaurants, so whatever. We started with a seaweed salad--pretty hard to mess up, and pretty hard to do anything really special. But it was fresh, and nicely flavored, with a little more heat than usual (a nice touch), and a healthy sprinkling of tobiko on top. The rolls were all really good, too--fresh fish, nicely presented, and good flavors... try the "winter roll"; one of the house specialties (I don't remember exactly what was in it), and ask them to wrap it in radish, rather than whatever it usually comes wrapped in--really tasty, very light. We even ordered another (also tasty) roll after we had finished our initial order.
(4)David H.
Good Food... but it is not the entire story - - My wife and I have eaten at Kaizen at least a dozen times and have always been satisfied with the good food and service. We tend to stick mostly to the Sushi menu but have gone to the steaks and seafood without anything but good experience. We have had a problem which is most concerning to us and I think it has tarnished Kaizen's reputation. We suddenly encountered charges on our debit card with Kaizen's name as the source of the charge. We knew we did not visit Kaizen on the day in question. We worked with our bank and Kaizen every day for over a week. Kaizen continued to say they had no knowledge of these charges. In research from our end we discovered that the same exact charge was encountered at Kaizen six months previously. We brought this fact to Kaizen's attention. They suddenly discovered that they did indeed have a problem on their end. They informed us that 44 other customers have had the same problem. We had to cancel our cards and have them reissued. This while we were also between trips was most difficult for us and quite bothersome. Being good customer's of this restaurant we were not prepared for all this trouble without any steps made on their end to make amends we have decided to not do business with this establishment. Good food but questionable business controls to say the least. Be careful or be sorry. I would pay in cash if I were to ever go here again which is most unlikely.
(1)Lauren Y.
Over priced, spotty service and last time I went there were large ants crawling on the wall which was disgusting. Go else where for sushi so you won't get ripped off!
(1)Brian S.
Longing for a real Japanese restaurant this place is pretty close. My wife doesn't eat seafood, but loves her Chicken Katsu. The children are slowly getting used to sushi and are encouraged to try a different one each visit. The place is located where the previous restaurant "Bin 479 Wine Bar" used to be and shares a parking lot with the "Sturbridge Coffee House". Inside the restaurant is awkwardly shaped, and seating is limited, so probably not comfortable for large parties, however there is a back room that could accomodate this but would make it loud for other patrons. They do have a short sushi bar with about 5 stools so you can watch them prepare your sushi while you wait and adjacent to that there is a small bar with a TV usually tuned to sports. I enjoyed the Red Sox sushi roll (not only a fan) but it's tasty too. Note: They do have a Yankee roll for you Yankee fans. As for the sushi you have a choice of hand-rolled, maki-style or normal. We usually start out with the Edamame (soy beans) which are heated and lightly salty. Then the staple Miso Soup (which has a bits of crab in it) and the house salad with the ginger sauce dressing (I would prefer leaf lettuce rather than iceberg, but it's not bad). The kids love Gyoza, so we usually order a side order of this. I've still yet to find ground pork stuffed Gyoza's anywhere, like when in Japan. I try to have something different each time: Yaki-soba meal, Chicken Katsu or Spicy sweet Ebi (Shrimp) over rice. Molten lava chocolate cake and/or Fried Vanilla Ice Cream for dessert.
(4)Nash H.
We were treated to Kaizen by my brother-in-law who raved about it! We had quite a few rolls of sushi of all types including some from the daily specials. The seafood was fresh and the flavors just melted wonderfully together. The prices were reasonable. Ambience was great, I would recommend this restaurant for all types of events: dates, family dinners, etc. We brought 3 small kids with us and were seated in a timely fashion after calling ahead for reservations. The kids enjoyed some crab rangoons and fried rice and even tried some sushi. This by far is the best sushi place in town! Try it!
(5)R D.
Definitely high end, fine quality sushi. For such good quality sushi the prices are very fair. Although it's crowded on weekends, they always honor reservations and I've never had a problem of any consequence. The service is good to excellent and always friendly. This is not a hibachi joint, all the sushi is fresh and hand made by real sushi chefs. I TOTALLY recommend this place.
(5)TJ R.
amazing sushi! the first sushi place i have ever been too and it has was the best to this day
(5)D M.
Delicious. We live in the area so we go all the time. Sometimes we get a bad meal but it is very seldom. I have never gotten bad sushi and I just love the miso soup. My husband gets the lobster and the filet mignon and it is yum yum though the last time he ordered the lobster someone forgot to put the ginger sauce on it. That put him in a bad mood. Drinks are awesome.
(5)Eric R.
We were passing through. The waitress was friendly and efficient. We had a delicious lobster bisque followed by the sexy roll which we thought was yummy. If ever passing through again would definately stop.agaon.
(4)Frau W.
Kaizen is a delicious addition to the Sturbridge restaurant scene. The sushi is fabulous, but if you're not a seafood fan, no worries. The eatery also features filet mignon, other steak cuts, yummy Japanese noodles, mouth-watering dumplings, and chicken dishes. We go there for the beautiful, fresh sushi. I must admit, however, that ordering sushi and sashimi can be really confusing because of the terms we're not yet familiar with. We will get it at some point, though! The waitress we had the last time we were there was extremely patient with us and was willing to help us understand the ordering process. Our large party ended up taking the easy route, though, and ordered the sushi party boat for three. What was presented before us was jaw dropping beautiful. It was actually a bamboo boat that was covered with sushi and sashimi and tempura/spider rolls and wasabi and ginger. The colors of the sushi creations were just incredible works of art -- and so very yummy! We gobbled every last roll. Thank God sushi's good for you! We sat in the back of the restaurant, not at the bar. It was a Friday night in July, and it was on the loud side, but then again, our crowd was a little loud. I saw a few couples there having a nice dining experience. My husband and I plan to return for a romantic evening. The wine selection is not great, but they did have a very good Sake we enjoyed a lot, and I do like how their Riesling pairs with the sushi. That is a better pairing than the Sake and sushi, for sure. The desserts are different and delish. Our group enjoyed the heavenly raspberry cheesecake, green tea ice cream, and ginger ice cream. All dishes were given "two thumbs up." We'll be heading back to Kaizen very soon! We're thrilled Sturbridge is home to this restaurant. Yay!
(4)Stay G.
Gave Kaizen a try per a friend's recommendation and glad that I did. It's really a neat place with some excellent fusion food. Their sushi was pretty good, I would recommend it. There are only a handful of places with better in the area. But where this place really shines for me is their dinner entrees. Who would have thought they would have one of the most delicious sirloins in the area? Seriously ... excellent cut, buttery slightly charred and left me licking my chops for more. It also came with 4 jumbo grill shrimp in a glaze but that was just the icing on the cake. I've been back 7 times since that trip and enjoyed the steak each time. Some of my guests have ordered the fillet / scallop combo which I tried and was also impressed by. One day I decided to mix it up and go with seared tuna steak in a wasabi mustard glaze. It was quite good and I crave it every so often. All entrees comes with the Japanese tepanyaki table staples ( salad w/ ginger dressing & miso soup ). The apps I have tried have all been excellent as well. Korean beef bugoki, tuna tatarke, etc. The room itself is a bit odd as I'm told it's an old pub style "country" restaurant that was bought, gutted and remodeled. Though they've done a great job painting the place baby blue and adding asian elements throughout you can still see and get the sense that it was once something much different. Portion sizes are good. Prices are moderate. Food is excellent. I can't say I have many reasons to head into the Charlton area but Kaizen is now one of them.
(4)Fake N.
Best sushi I've had in a long time. Rock and Roll is great.
(5)Greta K.
For a small (and adorable) town, Sturbridge has a pretty good restaurant selection. We ended up going here on Valentine's Day for dinner and we had reservations, which was a very good thing. Another couple we went with had been there once before and highly recommended it for a nice meal. Since we were sushi lovers, we agreed that would make for a delicious V-day treat. I really liked the decor-- the walls were a mint green color and there were Japanese-type adornments all over the place. The only weird thing was a random caucasian girl in a yukata (a one-layer kimono) walking around randomly with the hostess). It reminded me of Zach Braff wearing eyeliner in an Asian restaurant in "Garden State." On to the meal-- we ordered appetizers of a breaded tofu (the name escapes me) and pork gyoza. Also, the boys each got seaweed salad and the girls had a few bites. All were delicious and the salad had a bit of a kick to it. We actually ordered seven rolls of sushi for our entree to split amongst the four of us. The ones I can remember now were a hamachi roll (yellow tail), a sweet potato roll (I could eat sweet potatoes forever), a low-carb roll (which was very good), some kind of shrimp tempura roll called a Red Sox roll (I just want to say that with a Japanese accent), a rainbow roll, a caterpillar roll (with unagi and avocado), and a roll whose name escapes me, but nonetheless, delicious. The fish was of good quality and the presentation was beautiful. The girls ordered a molten chocolate cake for dessert to split, but by mistake the waitress brought out two. However, she was very polite and took it back to the kitchen without charging us. Also, this dessert was only $7.00, not $12.00 (see Oishii Too in Sudbury review), so that was an improvement. We gave the server a nice tip for her service because considering it was Valentine's Day and quite busy, she was a very attentive and personable waitress. Next to Baba, this is one of the best sushi places in central Mass.
(5)Jaclyn K.
Yummy sushi in Sturbridge. The decor isn't anything to write home about. The only thing that helps the mint green walls is the darkness after the sun sets. They do have a cute cherry blossom thing happening behind the bar. The staff is always friendly & the food comes out quickly. I don't like fish but this place has great veggie sushi. The Ohio Maki roll is AMAZING (tempora sweet potato), as is the Bul Goki roll (beef tenderloin, sweet potato, avocado). I like to try some of the less fishy sushi options in hopes that I will suddenly be willing and able to stomach sea life. The love roll that was on special was pretty good considering it wa full of fish. We've tried a few of the appetizers and they were also good. I haven't tried any of the enterees however. I was disappointed with the deserts. They had run out of everything but I really wanted dessert. All that was left was the ice cream so I ordered the fried green tea ice cream. It tasted like Windex, yuck. Some of the sushi/sashimi rolls can get expensive but the presentation is always beautiful. I highly recommend this place if you are looking for sushi in the area. Delicious. Definately order the Ohio roll!
(5)Katie P.
We stopped here one day for lunch and were surprised to encounter very good sushi for being in the middle of MA in a small town. We will definitely be going back!
(4)Amy C.
Seriously amazing sushi! I've lived in NYC, San Francisco etc... and have never had better sushi. Try the Red Sox roll and the "rock and roll" - absolutely delicious. My boyfriend and I love it and come here whenever we're in New England!
(5)David R.
Good service and excellent food. We've been twice and came away happy both times.
(4)