Sushi rolls, sashimi & other Japanese plates are the specialty at this intimate, low-lit restaurant.
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Summary - terrible dining experience, slow service, uncaring waitress, no attempt to resolve from staff,
I am writing as I have left Kazoku, that's how disappointed I was. Kazoku was a place I enjoyed in the past (delivery) but my experience today in the restaurant, really put me off going again. Food is okay but service was terrible and I won't be going again. I gave the food 2/5 as the chicken katsu don my missus had gave her stomach cramps. This is a dish she had before there with no problems.
Experience We arrived 550pm and didn't get seen to for a while, we were able to get a waiter to take a drink order but that again took near to 20 minutes to arrive and tasted awful, don't have the juices, and it took a while longer for someone to take our food order. I nearly ate all the edamame beans while waiting, I was getting so frustrated I had to get up and talk to the staff as no waiting staff was coming my way. It became clear they forgot our order, no apology. Ppl who arrived after us were already on their mains while we hadn't started on our starters. 635pm our gyoza came, then 640pm the sushi came and the pumpkin croquettes which were bad they folded as soon as you touched it. Mains were good but by this point I was really frustrated with the long wait and now we had all our dishes served at once.
Here sealed the deal for a terrible dining experience. I wanted to speak to the manager which is obviously the oriental lady with the pony tail, glasses and works the til instead I got a young lady who seemed lost and was clearly taking the fall, she gave an apology through gritted teeth but no gesture for the inconvenience. The real manager didn't come forward. Poor customer service. Other staff claimed they didn't know who the manager was 🤷🏻♂️ I kid you not! By this point I just wanted to leave.
If the manager reads this, get in touch. Was a fan of your spot but it has really slipped.
Conclusion
Overall it was a disappointing dining experience, seems ordering online is the way to go with these guys they serve their online customers better than their customers in store. Also to add insult to injury the chicken katsu don my missus had made her...
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A great little Japanese restaurant. The food is lovely and reasonably priced, there is a bewilderingly wide range of options (the menu is a minefield for the indecisive 😏), and the staff are friendly and helpful.
If you like Japanese food, you shouldn't be disappointed.
It's a very small restaurant, with only seven or eight tables. This does also mean it's cosy - there is (by necessity) not much space between tables, so it's not an intimate dining experience.
Kazoku is rightly very popular, so you'll need to book well in advance.
They also do take away. They deliver, but it often takes a long time to arrive (2h+ is not unknown) so order early. The food has always tasted better when I've eaten it at the restaurant, though - I don't know if this is purely psychological :-)
May 2025: Quick update - we visited again recently and it was clear that the volume of take-away orders they were trying to service was significantly impacting their ability to maintain a reasonable wait time in the restaurant. I had to wait the best part of an hour for my food and my dining companion had nearly finished her food by the time mine arrived. Also there is a constant stream of delivery drivers walking into and out of the restaurant, which is fairly disruptive for such a...
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Feels Like Home – Even After 2 Years Away
After being away in Romania for two years, coming back to Kazoku in Hitchin felt like reconnecting with an old friend. I used to visit this place regularly — at least once every couple of weeks — and I’m so happy to say that nothing’s changed: the food is still just as delicious, fresh, and beautifully presented as I remember.
This time I came with my family and had an amazing meal together. I went for the ramen, and wow… the rich broth, the tender noodles, the toppings — everything hit the spot. Everyone else enjoyed their dishes just as much (the bento boxes and katsu looked amazing too!).
It’s rare to find a place where the quality stays consistently high over the years, but Kazoku nails it every time. Cozy atmosphere, friendly service, and food that makes you feel good inside and out. Highly recommend to anyone who appreciates real...
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