Sozai Restaurant

"Second time dining at Sozai. This time it was for our anniversary and this place does not disappoint! We got the chiso omakase again, last time we had it was 2022 in April and every dish served was different (due to different seasons) so that is something we enjoyed. Loved all the thought that went into creating each dish and you can see the amount of work and pride the chef takes in sourcing the seasonal ingredients. Everything was fresh, we got to try two different types of uni from two different sources within the US and compare it. The chef is always a delight to chat with and we were so full after such an amazing meal. This will always be a very special place for us and we can't wait to come back next time for what we know will be another new experience for the taste buds."

"I'm very disappointed with omakase. We tried the Nami, and there were only two pieces that I liked, not two dishes. First, the soup was bland. The second one was the steamed octopus with daikon, which wasn't good at all. The smashed tuna with egg yolk wasn't mixed well, so my dish was really salty, and my companion's dish was tasteless. A major problem that I had with all the dishes was that there was water from the vegetable that ruined the taste of the fish. It is a common sense that you remove most of the water from the vegetable when you pair it with raw fish. I understand that is how you keep them fresh, but you don't have to add that water to the dish. There was a pond of water from all the vegetables in the middle of the plate. Towards the end, I could taste other vegetables on a piece of nigiri where that vegetable wasn't paired with. Also, do not wipe the plate with the towel you use to clean the knife and the cutting board while creating all the dishes. If there is dust or any other residue, just clean it with a dry paper towel or get a different plate, please. For the deep fried shrimp head, I recommend removing the intestines because it is a bitter cold liquid that pops and makes a mess everywhere. I can go on about the other dishes, but I am tired of typing. The two pieces that I liked were sea urchin and the tuna liver nigiri. It was one of the worst restaurants that I have ever tried. I was so excited to try this place, and all it left me was disappointments."

"Reservations are required and necessary for this jewel of a restaurant situated in a nondescript storefront in Clawson. We opted for the Omakase (Minato: $90/person) experience, which can only be accessed if seated at the sushi bar. The good-natured and playful Chef / Owner himself, Hajime Sato regales guests with the origin stories of the often creative and circuitous ways in which he must secure ingredients ethically and sustainably. For example, since unagi (eel) is endangered and often sourced unethically, Chef has adapted by using an invasive blue catfish (namagi), which was absolutely delicious. Although not cheap, the Omakase experience was very, very special. A hearty miso soup started the seven courses, which ended with ginger shaved ice. In between were dishes that I do not remember by name but will long be remembered by taste. The black cod nearly brought me to tears as it was so delicate yet yielded so much flavor and seemed to melt on the tongue. Don't miss the incredible sake pairings - Chef offers sake classes - there are more than 20 varietals that don't even appear on the menu. I recommend closing the menu and asking Chef to choose for you. As he shared with us, he makes recommendations based on the feeling he gets from each diner. Also not to be missed is the tea service. We had a roasted rice tea, which was made from a nearly extinct type of rice that the farmer is in the process of reviving and which the restaurant sources directly from the farm itself. If you want an incredibly personal experience eating sustainable and ethically sourced seafood, I highly recommend Sozai."

"My fiancé and I just dined in at Sozai for my birthday, and it was an incredible experience. We love Japanese cuisine and trying new things so we opted for the Nami Omakase. It was amazing! Every course was packed with intense flavor and great presentation! The service was beyond a 10/10 and Mike was so informative and warm. We loved learning about the different kinds of sake and the fish in each dish and where it came from. We can’t wait to go back!"

"I’ve been dying to come here for awhile now. The hype about Sozai is warranted. The everything was extremely fresh, even the Karaage chicken. It is such a cozy environment. There are many options on the menu. My fiancé typically likes americanized sushi, but very much enjoyed Sozai. This is definitely upscale, quality sushi compared to the sushi places in the surrounding area. It’s a simple, straightforward restaurant that serves high quality food. Would love to come back and try more items!"