Nestled in a little city just north of Detroit, Sozai brings you the comforts of Grandma’s home cooking alongside the excitement of innovative new dishes. We are delighted to share ingredients from around the globe, but we have a special appreciation for those we source from local farms and fisheries. Sozai is proud to serve sustainable sushi with a close eye on traceability, fish populations, fishing methods, and farming practices.
Address and Contact Information
Address: 449 W 14 Mile Rd, Clawson, MI 48017
Website: https://www.sozairestaurant.com/
Menu Photos
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Award-winning Sozai sushi restaurant in Clawson permanently closes
163 votes, 76 comments. Huge loss for Michigan, but I am happy for Hajime and his family. It seemed that his heart was always in the PNW.
Award-winning Sozai sushi restaurant in Clawson permanently closes
A notable, small and award-winning sushi restaurant centered on sustainable seafood has permanently closed. Sozai in Clawson’s last day of service was Saturday.
Sozai Restaurant
We invite you to follow Hajime’s ongoing adventures on Instagram and Facebook. Sozai. 449 West 14 Mile Road. Clawson, MI 48017. RESERVATIONS ARE REQUIRED.
Reviews
Allie Browe
We had the Minato and the Nami experiences at the sushi bar. Highly recommend. We loved trying a wide variety of fish. Everything was fresh, delicious, and unique! Loved the sparkling sake! Despite this, I can’t give five stars because the owner wasn’t friendly and barely explained what we were eating.
… moreShawn Kumar
Reserved a spot here after seeing them win a James Beard award. Was genuinely impressed. The quality of the fish was excellent, the presentation was perfect.
They had a very generous list of omakase options including a veggie option. The options ranged from basic to “very adventurous” and demonstrated some very authentic dishes. I thought it was all very well priced as well. A similar meal in nyc would have been 250+ each.
Totally repeatable and deserving of the award
… moreThey had a very generous list of omakase options including a veggie option. The options ranged from basic to “very adventurous” and demonstrated some very authentic dishes. I thought it was all very well priced as well. A similar meal in nyc would have been 250+ each.
Totally repeatable and deserving of the award
Xuan
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.
… moreJelena Verkler
Went here on a Wednesday night for my birthday and had an amazing intimate dining experience. The chefs were super knowledgeable and gave us a lot of good information while also emphasizing the sustainability of the food we were enjoying. My husband got the minato and I got the slightly more adventurous nami. We also had some delicious tea and sake recommended by our chef. Will definitely be back here!
… moreRyan Brady
Had the sushi forward omakase meal, forget what it was called on the menu. The food was all very delicious and well presented. Having been lucky enough to have enjoyed high end sushi in much larger cities, I would say Sozai was pretty close in terms of food quality.
The ambiance of the place is pretty lacking, but certainly not to the extent that it interfered with my enjoyment of the food. We sat at the sushi bar and had the owner prepare our food for the evening. His personality might be best described as gruff, but again it didn’t take away from my enjoyment of the food.
Overall I would recommend this to people who are looking for an upscale sushi experience in the metro Detroit area.
… moreThe ambiance of the place is pretty lacking, but certainly not to the extent that it interfered with my enjoyment of the food. We sat at the sushi bar and had the owner prepare our food for the evening. His personality might be best described as gruff, but again it didn’t take away from my enjoyment of the food.
Overall I would recommend this to people who are looking for an upscale sushi experience in the metro Detroit area.
Alexander Baylerian
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!
… moreThe 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!
Jess Suski
Absolutely incredible. I have nothing negative to say about my experience at Sozai.
Every single dish was fantastic. The sake pairings with the meal were out of this world.
Tried a few new things I wouldn’t normally try other places. The sushi chef was incredibly knowledgeable and friendly. The fried prawn head was very good along with the monk fish pate.
My partner and I got the 7 course experience and I couldn’t be happier.
The chef in the kitchen made one of my favorite courses and that was the Skate cheeks. Powerfully flavorful, tender. Just perfect. Easily one of the best fish dishes I have ever had.
The rolled bruleed omelet tasted so good.
There was absolutely NO rush either. It was a two hour dinner but they didn’t try to have you bang everything out so they could get the next seat in.
I cannot wait to go again.
… moreEvery single dish was fantastic. The sake pairings with the meal were out of this world.
Tried a few new things I wouldn’t normally try other places. The sushi chef was incredibly knowledgeable and friendly. The fried prawn head was very good along with the monk fish pate.
My partner and I got the 7 course experience and I couldn’t be happier.
The chef in the kitchen made one of my favorite courses and that was the Skate cheeks. Powerfully flavorful, tender. Just perfect. Easily one of the best fish dishes I have ever had.
The rolled bruleed omelet tasted so good.
There was absolutely NO rush either. It was a two hour dinner but they didn’t try to have you bang everything out so they could get the next seat in.
I cannot wait to go again.
Alicia Brubaker
We loved it! My husband and I went for his birthday. It was our first time eating here. I got the omakase minato and he got the omakase nami. The food was incredible. Everything tasted fresh and you can tell there is so much thought put into developing each course. We especially the fried prawn head.
The staff were all incredibly kind and welcoming. They took time to explain what we were eating, how it was prepared, answered any questions we had. They also seemed to enjoy working together which made for a nice atmosphere. 10/10 would recommend.
… moreThe staff were all incredibly kind and welcoming. They took time to explain what we were eating, how it was prepared, answered any questions we had. They also seemed to enjoy working together which made for a nice atmosphere. 10/10 would recommend.
A H
Was here on Friday, 1/6/23, and it was a very good experience!
It was our first omakase ever and chef/owner Sato served us that night. He was awesome!
Very friendly and knowledgeable. The sushi was the best I’ve ever had. The sake was also really good, huge selection to choose from.
I got the Nami.
… moreIt was our first omakase ever and chef/owner Sato served us that night. He was awesome!
Very friendly and knowledgeable. The sushi was the best I’ve ever had. The sake was also really good, huge selection to choose from.
I got the Nami.
Linds Kennedy
What an amazing experience. This restaurant is for true food lovers. The fish is all sustainably sourced and mindful. The chef/ owner has such an amazing concept and dedication to his craft. If you are looking for rainbow rolls and California rolls, please do NOT go here unless you’re ready to try better food. His nigiri showcases the beautiful flavors of the fish, not condiments thrown on top. The sake menu is expansive and showcases sake you can not get everywhere. If you’re unfamiliar with sake, don’t worry, Hajime can help you find the perfect pairing or one at your comfort level. We are beyond lucky to have such an amazing place in metro Detroit. Places like this are why I am so proud to be a Michigander.
… more