Kaiten (Conveyor Belt) Sushi has always been my go-to for a budget-friendly sushi meal. And while I’m on my journey to visit all the famous chains out there, today I’m checking out a Hakodate sushi chain, known for their freshness and large portion size.
So here I am, at Kantaro Sushi in Osaka, trying out Hakodate-style sushi for the first time. So what are their menu options? Are their portions as big as they claim? And is it worth a visit? Let’s get to it. How Good is Kantaro Sushi Actually?
–Ordering–
–Maguro Nigiri–
–Honmaguro 3-Piece Nigiri Combo–
–Negitoro Gunkan Maki–
–Negitoro Mountain–
–Honmaguro Nakaochi Gunkan Maki–
–Hamachi Nigiri–
–Amaebi Nigiri–
–Homemade Saba Nigiri–
–Tamago Nigiri–
–Verdict–
–Getting There–
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📋 Ordering 📋
Like most Kaiten Sushi places, you can make your orders via the tablet, or the conveyor belt.
Which method you choose is completely up to you, though I do prefer ordering on the tablet for maximum freshness.
Though do keep in mind that all tablet orders will be served on the same black/gold plate instead of the colored ones via the conveyor. Just to note if you plan on taking some photos.
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🍣 Maguro Nigiri (¥396) 🍣
The classic Maguro Nigiri. One of my pieces came butterflied for some added thickness (at the cost of some texture,) but other than that, it’s not bad at all – great, fresh tuna flavors as one would expect.
Also, before I forget to talk about their sushi rice. It’s quite nice! Light, airy, and very well seasoned.
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🍣 Honmaguro 3-Piece Nigiri Combo (¥1,287) 🍣
Upgrading from the standard Maguro Nigiri, here’s a 3-piece combo of Honmaguro (Bluefin Tuna) featuring the Akami, Chutoro, and Otoro.
Portion sizes on this one are quite big, which helps you experience more of the Honmaguro’s deeper flavor profile.
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🍣 Negitoro Gunkan Maki (¥319) 🍣
My go-to in any sushi place. The Negitoro features some aged tuna here as well, giving it a slightly darker, meatier flavor profile.
Not as chunky as I’d typically like, but overall not bad at all!
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🍣 Negitoro Mountain (¥506) 🍣
Continuing off the Negitoro Gunkan, the Negitoro Mountain features six cucumber (and sesame seed) Maki topped with some Negitoro.
Identical Negitoro as the Gunkan Maki, so same comments apply. But as I’m not the biggest fan of cucumber on my sushi, this particular dish isn’t my cup of tea. (Maybe you’ll prefer this though!)
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🍣 Honmaguro Nakaochi Gunkan Maki (Chopped Bluefin Tuna Rib) (¥506) 🍣
The Honmaguro Nakaochi, for the most part, is quite similar to the Negitoro. But the main draw to the Nakaochi comes from the coarser chop, allowing you to experience more of the Tuna’s natural flavors and intramuscular marbling – giving the dish a more premium feel to it.
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🍣 Hamachi Nigiri (¥616) 🍣
Ok… This is a giant (and thick) slice of Hamachi. The large slice works especially well here, accentuating the Hamachi’s firm, yet slightly sweet flavor profile.
It’s on the more expensive side of things, but the value speaks for itself.
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🍣 Amaebi Nigiri (¥319) 🍣
To be fair, Amaebi isn’t known for being very big, so I’ll excuse the sizing here. The flavors were very nice though – sweet, tender, and very clean-tasting.
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🍣 Homemade Saba Nigiri (Pickled Mackerel) (¥319) 🍣
The menu calls this “Homemade Pickled Mackerel,” and honestly? I’m quite impressed!
The Saba is quite a bit more acidic than most places I’ve tried. That combined with the aroma, fragrance, and slightly firmer texture make this one of my favorites here!
Portion size on this one is very nice too! (Though I did get the tail end of the Saba today)
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🍣 Tamago Nigiri (¥154) 🍣
One of the cheaper items on the menu, their Tamago Nigiri is also quite nice. Nothing to write home about, but the thickness to the Tamago easily makes this a great value-for-money option.
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⭐VERDICT⭐
So how good is Kantaro Sushi actually? Well, price-wise as a mid-range sushi restaurant, Kantaro Sushi sits between the budget-friendly Kaiten Sushi chains and the more expensive “traditional” sushi specialty shops – resulting in a shop that features the best elements of each: A more premium sushi experience at a budget-friendly price.
The value-for-money here is quite good, no doubt about it. But personally, I thought it was just good – but with nothing too exceptional. I tend to go for the extremes when it comes to sushi (Kaitensushi for days I want lots of sushi, Specialty Shops if I want to try out some truly fresh ingredients,) so Kantaro Sushi – while good – doesn’t fully scratch that itch for me.
But that’s just my thoughts! I know a couple people who really don’t like the cheaper Kaiten Sushi chains. And for them, I’m sure Kantaro Sushi will be the better alternative for a ‘budget-friendly’ sushi shop, since (by all metrics) their sushi is quite nice.
So, If you want some sushi that’s simple but still premium-feeling, want to try out some larger-sized sushi, or if you’re passing by Umeda, consider stopping by Kantaro Sushi!
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🚗 GETTING THERE 🚗
This Kantaro Sushi branch is located at Grand Front Osaka – South Building.
To get here by subway, head to Umeda Station (Midosuji Line & more,) follow the signs for Grand Front Osaka, and take the elevators to the 7th floor. (~8 Minute Walk)
Kantaro Sushi (Grand Front Osaka Store)
🌏 Location 🌏
Japan, 〒530-0011 Osaka, Kita Ward, Ofukacho, 4−20 Grand Front Osaka South Building (7F)
🗺 Map 🗺
https://maps.app.goo.gl/xpBVytcVtBY7kJVc9
⏰ Opening Hours ⏰
11 A.M. – 11 P.M.
💻 Website 💻
https://en.kantaro-hakodate.com/
🏠 List of Stores 🏠
https://en.kantaro-hakodate.com/locations.html
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