Kobe Beef “Steakhouse Kozai” — Restaurant in Osaka

Walked in without a reservation at about 6:30 pm and they were able to accommodate us. The Kobe beef tenderloin was sold out, but fortunately we were able to have the 220g Kobe beef strip. We also had 150g of the wagyu tenderloin. The service and atmosphere were wonderful. Very quiet and a welcome respite from nearby dotonburi. The meal started out with smoked salmon and a salad, which were fine. Next we had a corn soup which was surprisingly delicious. Next we got some vegetables and our first beef. He started with the wagyu tenderloin, we asked for rare and he cooked it with expert precision. The wagyu was more flavorful and tender than Peter Luger's in NYC or Florentine steaks. Next we had the Kobe strip at medium rare which blew the wagyu out of the water. It was like nothing I'd ever experience from cooked meat, it was next level tender - it just dissolved in your mouth leaving so much flavor. The only thing I can compare it to is eating otoro tuna. It was by far the best beef I've ever eaten. Next our chef prepared a garlic fried rice which was also delicious. At this point we were completely stuffed, but couldn't say no to a scoop of refreshing green tea ice cream. The meal was expensive ~$150pp, but not outrageous considering...

Usually, I go to Misono in Osaka for high-end steak, but with the Osaka branch closed, I went with Kozai, and it was a worthy replacement. I went with the 170g wagyu "black beef" sirloin course. (I prefer wagyu over genuine Kobe beef. For me Kobe has just TOO much fat. Yes, it "melts in your mouth" but I like my steak to have a firmer texture.) The wagyu was an A+ -- absolutely bursting with beef flavor. All of the grilled vegetables were perfectly done, as was the seared scallops appetizer. The only negative was the garlic fried rice. It was cooked in beef fat, PLUS a big dollop of butter, PLUS an egg mixed in. It was way over the top. After eating a decadent hunk of meat, you want something a little more restrained than this gloppy, fatty mess. Thankfully, the meal concluded with a simple scoop of yuzu ice cream that offered a more subtle note. The service was friendly and efficient. There was some tasteful jazz music piped in. With the very low Japanese yen, the total for the set course + 2 glasses of wine + a seared scallop appetizer was almost exactly 100 USD. Extremely good value. (Note: the Kobe beef courses were quite a bit pricier.) I left full and happy. Would recommend,...

Hands down the best meal of our lives!

I don’t leave reviews ever but this restaurant was amazing. I’m not even exaggerating - it was the best restaurant I’ve ever been to.

The atmosphere, the accommodations for food allergies, the chef and staff were all absolutely incredible.

Our family of 6 came here for a special meal while on vacation. We have one child who is allergic to eggs, peanuts, and green peas and our chef was able to answer questions with ease and provide a full meal for him with no issues, even going so far as to make him his own egg-free fried rice in place of bread that may have contained egg.

My husband ordered the tenderloin and 2 types of seafood set, I ordered the sirloin and 2 types of seafood set, and we got the diced Kobe kids set for our 4 children. The chef did a fantastic job of pacing the different courses for everyone. The adult meals were 7 courses and the kids meals were 4. He cooked everything to perfection right in front of us and the plating was beautiful. Everything was seasoned just right and it was a wonderful experience for us all.

We will definitely visit again next time we...