Kazahana

One of the best omakase experiences ever! Fish was amazing and chef Naoki was so friendly! The space is just outstandingly beautiful, a true jewel in Telluride. What a beautiful surprise it was to discover Kazahana. Chef Naoki thank you once again, you re one of the great ones!

Worth every penny. Best sushi I’ve had outside of Portland. I had my fill of nigiri and every piece was fresh and carefully prepared. I will definitely be back.

Our Omakase experience was just incredible. Amazing flavors, impeccable service. Loved every single minute! The cocktails were also very good and a perfect pairing.

Incredible dinner. Otoro was the absolute highlight but all of the fish was delicious and fresh. Excited to come back for the omakase next time

We did the omikase experience, and every single bite was absolutely phenomenal. We look forward to repeating it!

Good sushi with generous cuts of nigiri.

Awesome sushi! This restaurant is brand new to Telluride. The head chef here, Naoki, has trained under/with world renowned sushi Chef Nobu. This restaurant is geared towards an authentic sushi experience. If you're looking for hot sake, California Rolls, Spider Rolls, and cream cheese in your Sushi, this is NOT the place. There are two kitchens here, one upstairs and one downstairs, so the style of service differs a little bit than what Americans are used to. In true Japanese/Asian tradition, the food comes out when it is ready, instead of courses like Americans are used to. As long as you are prepared for that, you'll be okay. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable and genuinely willing to help with any questions you may have. Also, the menu is written in Japanese, which is a little daunting at first glance, but there is a cheat sheet on the back of the menu to help you interpret it. Chef Naoki and his staff have created an amazing new restaurant in Telluride that does a great job of mixing in ski town fun with about as an authentic sushi experience as you'll get in Telluride. Great job Chef!

Unreal experience at the Kazahana bar in Telluride! We adored the sea bass, o toro, oyster and mackerel nigiri, buckwheat lobster risotto, soft shell crab, hamachi jalapeño sashimi and ikura taco! All amazing! Kind servers and enthusiastic sushi chefs. We went 2 nights in a row and will be back when we return to telluride next year. The manager Luke looks like prince Harry ;)

Nice addition to Telluride! They have a great happy hour special from 5-6pm for 50% off all sushi. Very fresh fish, cute and cozy vibe.

What a beautiful Sushi restaurant! Our friends took us for our anniversary and it was as special as they told us it would be. It’s one of their favorites in Telluride, and I can see why. I was craving Sushi, we had been eating a lot of steak and heavier meals, so our friends took us here. So glad they did! We let the chefs order for us, telling them what we liked and every single roll, sushi, sashimi were outstanding. The saki cocktails were delicious, the service was friendly, and perfectly engaging. I went back the next night so I could experience the freshest fish I’ve ever had in Colorado. Highly, highly recommend. One of my favorites in Telluride!

Best sushi ever! I’m talking legit nigiri not California rolls

This was hands down the best sushi I have had. The oysters were delicious and fresh! The hamachi was smooth and delightful. Every bite was perfectly executed! The cocktails were unique and flavorful. All the details were accounted for, and our last bite of the meal, smoked eel was one I won't forget!!! This is the destination if you're looking for a fresh meal with elevated service quality and execution.

So this is one of the more authentic feeling American sushi experiences I’ve ever had. Everything was prepared and presented with a unique cultural depth, all of the fish was light and fresh, the current sushi chef Haru actually lives in Japan, staying and working in Telluride for the restaurant. Kara our bartender was super knowledgeable with both the food and drink menus and helped navigate us through our choices with little effort. Expect to spend a little, but in this case you pay for what you get. 10/10 would and will eat here again.

Best sushi I've had in Colorado easily. I've given other 5 star ratings because they didn't deserve a 4 star but this place is actually a legit traditional sushi experience which rises above the standard 5 star rating. It's expensive but the quality is what stands out besides the chefs attention to detail. The chef "K," as he went by, was simply amazing. He elevated our already amazing dining experience. The service is just a tad bit pretentious but the chefs made the experience everlastingly wonderful. I always go for the Nigiri first and their cuts were ichiban! (Ichiban means #1)

Fresh, delicious, generous portions. A lot of variety on the menu, and love the delectable options for the sushi lover. We also enjoyed the mixology behind the specialty cocktails. Kevin and all of the staff are amazing - providing top notch service. Kazahana is a fantastic addition to the Telluride food scene!

We loved our experience at Kazahana! Every dish was excellent, especially the cod! We also loved the tartar and shrimp tempura. The fish was incredibly fresh. Our service was great, too! Very accommodating to us trying to get out before the 4th of July fireworks and have great recommendations on the menu. Would highly recommend a visit to this spot!

I was a little skeptical about good sushi way up in the remote mountains of Telluride. As someone who has had sushi at some of the best places in the US, I came away seriously impressed with Kazahana! Had the omakase with wine/sake pairings. You are led to the omakase bar in the basement and you are transported right to Tokyo, for one of the most traditional Tokyo-authentic sushi experiences I've ever had. Chef Takahashi is a master and a joy to watch his masterful hands. The fish was super fresh and every piece was delicious. Perfect rice covered with nicely sized pieces of fish. Wonderful wine and sake pairings. The whole experience exceeded my expectations and I look forward to returning. Sure it's not inexpensive, but worth every penny for this quality this far in the middle of nowhere. I ate at all the Telluride hot-spots during my vacation and Kazahana stood out as the best of them all. :)

Do not ask me how my new favorite sushi restaurant is located in Telluride, 1000+ miles from an ocean and easily 60 miles from an airport with logistical capability. The owner, Josh, let me know that a lot of the fish cones from the Tokyo fish market and is flown in as fresh as any coastal city. Now, not unexpectedly, you do have to pay for it, but this is a GEM of a place. If you want world class sushi in the most beautiful town I've ever been, check out Kazahana. You will be glad you did.

Went for the happy hour. One of the places open in the month after the resort closes in spring. Their happy hour prices were the same and normal prices at a standard sushi place. However, it was very good!! Got drinks and a ton of sushi for under $100 for two people.

Amazing sushi in paradise, it couldn’t get better than this ! Kevin was an amazing sever and his service was the highlight of our trip! The sushi was amazing and we took advantage of their happy hour between 5-6 pm. Can’t wait to come back, kampanchi was amazing . Mmm

One of the best meals I've ever had. It's not cheap, and for more good reasons I can likely articulate. They had a chefs sampler I had that included a miso soup, INCREDIBLE handmade h'ordevres/tempura, 4 very generous pieces of nigiri, and a lovely choice between a specialty beef or cod dish. I was surprised by the obviously high quality food they serve. Everything served was beautiful as well. The unagi/avocado roll my wife graciously shared with me, and the nigiri I was paired with were without question the best I've ever had. We ended with one mochi split between us, which ended up being perfect! I'm very thankful to have eaten here. They had no problem working with shellfish/dairy sensitivity as well. The staff in general were very kind and attentive. You can probably see I don't leave very many reviews in general, but I had to leave this one because I can't stop thinking about how good this meal was. 11/10 my friends, please never stop whatever it is you're doing there, because you're doing it right!

The quality of the sushi, steak, and appetizers was above 5 star rated places in Miami or NYC. Highly recommended 👌 Definitely do not miss out! 20 year local and I'm very impressed. Rudy was the best server, very knowledgeable!

Visited recently with friends who have a home in Telluride, and we were blown away. We loved just about everything that hit the table—so much so that it was genuinely hard to stop ordering. Kyle, our waiter, delivered exceptional service. The whole experience felt remarkably high‑level, especially considering you’re tucked away in the middle of the mountains. The fried sea scallop was absolutely divine, and the fresh yellowtail was outstanding. My only tiny note for the chef would be to slice the yellowtail just a bit thinner—but that’s purely personal preference. If you’re in town, this spot is a must. Huge thanks to our friends Zeke and CJ for introducing us to it. We’ll be back every time we’re in Telluride.

sushi is one of my absolute favorite foods, so i've tried a lot of it. this place had hands down the BEST salmon rolls i have ever tasted in my entire life. had me wanting to order 3 more (and i was dead serious about finishing all of them). the atmosphere is perfect even though we sat at the bar. chef's kiss (literally). also 10/10 lychee mocktail (i think its called zen garden). yes. just yes.

Come here every time I’m in telluride and it’s always five stars. This restaurant sets the tone for excellence. The lychee martini is an incredible pairing for any sushi dish. Miso soup is a perfect balance, with the softest tofu. Salmon nigiri always on point. Rice is done just right. Dumpling sauce has the right amount of vinegar. I’ve tried almost everything on the menu and it is all amazing.

Going to knock a star off last year's review. The menu has changed, and the sushi, while still excellent, doesn't quite seem to match up the quality I've seen in that past. I think the dessert sampler is gone now too. Still the best sushi in town, but for the price I wish it had been as good as it was before. Staff still incredible though.

Cute little sushi spot in Telluride. Quality was not as high as I expected it to be for the price (I paid around 90 for 2 basic rolls). A bit of a wait but staff was nice and accommodating

Good service and good environment, but unfortunately the omakase quality was not worth $200+. I have had better omakase in other high cost of living geographies for half the price. While some pieces, such as their amberjack were quite well designed, overall I felt that this sushi restaurant did not maximize the potential of much of its high quality raw ingredients. 1) many of their nigiris was very heavy on sweet sauces, an odd choice that detracts. 2) the unagi's flavor in particular completely overshadowed the the caviar and the uni Probably a fine restaurant for sushi or ala carte ordering, but I would caveat empor splurging on omakase here vs say somewhere with a higher density of competition for high end sushi restaurants. Also they added a 4% surcharge when we got the receipt that was not mentioned when we started the meal. This is a type of hidden "junk fee" that removes trust between customers and business owners. While still legal for now, the much more consumer friendly strategy is to raise menu prices.

We dined on a winter Monday not knowing if/when their fresh deliveries were. Everything we ate was very delicious and fresh. The salmon sashimi were nice size chef cuts. The yellowtail was particularly excellent. We ordered 2 soft shell crab rolls (different) and the chef's special with a little mild onion on top was the stand out (both excellent to be clear). We both started with a spinach miso which was perfectly prepared with plenty of spinach and far from salty. Very nice meal in a difficult to reach ski town. I enjoyed a very nice cold sake glass as well. Worst thing you can say which of course we expect was the $$$$ and the insulting 4% blah blah blah added charge which it seems all of the better Telluride restaurants add. I resent it. Charge what you want up front in your food cost but don't nickel and dime your "guests" and then ask for another 20-25% tip for the exact same purpose. Pay your workers well and add the cost to the food. No problem.

A great Japanese spot. Definitely more authentic than the "American Japanese" people are used to. We enjoyed the ramen, udon, edamame and a sushi roll. I would give it a 5 star, but my ramen was delayed about 10 minutes after the rest of the food.

We had high hopes for this place but were very disappointed. First off, when we walked in the front door, the smell of fish was so awful I looked at my husband and said "I can't eat in here." He suggested we wait to see where we're going to be seated before leaving. Fortunately we were seated downstairs, which didn't smell. But it was a bit claustrophobic for me since there are no windows. But it's very pretty downstairs. We ordered a bottle of wine from the manager but then she came back to tell us they were out of it. She then came over with two other bottles that were "in the same price range." So we picked one. Before she opened it my husband looked at it on the menu and it was $50 more than the one we originally wanted. We said we would pass on the bottle since it wasn't what we wanted in the first place, and just ordered two glasses of wine. We were very disappointed in the menu - it wasn't very creative in our opinion. Our favorite sushi place back home has the most creative rolls, and this menu was very limited in what they offered. The triple spicy roll was amazing, but that was about it. The unagi nigiri wasn't even close to being warm like it should be. We ordered the chef's "special" roll, but there was nothing special about it. It was almost tasteless. I realize Colorado isn't near the ocean, but neither is where we live. I just think the menu needs more creativity. When the bill came we were charged $120 for the bottle of wine we never got, along with a 4% "employee health & housing fee." There is no mention anywhere on the menu about the fee. I disagree with those kind of fees in the first place (but pay them as long as they are disclosed up front), but for them to try and sneak it onto the menu is not right. They corrected the bill but overall it was just a big disappointment for us.

It was okay. Overpriced like a ski town but it was good. Just excepted more . Maybe that’s my fault . I had high expectations. Service was very good just again not what we expected. Just okay.

The omakase was lacking in quality both due to the quality of the fish and the skill of the chef. A lot of the fish was drenched in various sauces, overwhelming the flavor of the fish. For the price, I could get substantially better in many major cities but it is probably to be expected as this is one of the few places in Telluride that serves sushi. I would recommend just ordering a la carte.

Second try here, first time was Spring '23, was unimpressed but it was a new restaurant so I thought I would give it another shot this December '23. Poor decision. Firstly, quite expensive sushi, $8 for a single piece. But beyond that, our nigiri and rolls had dry, undercooked rice. We mentioned this to the waiter and he offered nothing except to say "Sorry, we're slammed". Didn't offer to re-do the order, no discount, no comp, no manager, just a super lame excuse. Bro, glad you're busy but really? How can you screw up rice at a 'high-end' sushi restaurant? I can understand a fish issue to a certain degree, but rice? We will not be back, now out of our Telluride rotation and by far the least best meal during our week-long stay.

We were really excited to see a new restaurant in Telluride, however were extremely disappointed. For starters, we ordered 3 tofu miso soups and were given the TINEST amount (maybe 2 oz), for $9 each, what a rip-off. Then we ordered two types of sushi roles, which were underwhelming and incredibly overpriced (again, small portions). The decor inside the restaurant was lovely and the staff were friendly. I do NOT recommend this restaurant.

I booked all my dinner reservations for my entire trip to telluride thru my hotel a month in advance. It was clear - dinner for two with service dog. All was confirmed and as per concierge at my hotel even a credit card was required to book the reservation. I get to telluride and have a bad experience at the “inter” National because of the service dog so I ask hotel concierge to confirm all reservations again. I am reconfirmed for my dinner again hours before the appointment. We arrive to dinner and are greeted by a hostess who asks me if I have a reservation to which I reply yes and give my name. She looks for a few seconds and says was your stay booked thru your hotel? I say “yes why?” and she says “well I see a reservation but it’s just under hotel name and doesn’t have guest name.” Then she tells me she will be right back and leaves. About a minute later a man comes up looking like he’s going to cry and without ever looking me in the eye he tells me “we don’t accept pets we are refusing your dinner service. “ I thought about it for a second and since I am on vacation we just walk out because I refuse to let some mediocre restaurant ruin my trip. I don’t understand the issue with service dogs in this town. Telluride appears to be pet friendly but in reality they are the opposite. This shanty little hole in the wall restaurant is hiding behind a pretentious, insecure staff who doesn’t take someone’s service dog seriously. With service like this and after reconfirming reservations as many times as we did only to be told at the door they didn’t accept pets - proves the ethics, empathy, and morals of a place you are trusting to serve you raw food. Can’t just blame staff here this comes from ownership. This place gives a whole new meaning to omakase. We ended up at La Piazza that night which is so amazing and frankly we’re relieved. The last thing anyone wants is over priced, small portions, questionable food only to have to go get a second dinner afterward regardless.

I had high hopes for Kazahana after a long day shredding the slopes, but this place left me and my buddy thoroughly disappointed. We were looking forward to unwinding with a few drinks during their happy hour (which ends at 5:00 PM), but the experience was a letdown from start to finish. We arrived just before the end of happy hour, eager to take advantage of their advertised drink specials. Despite being seated promptly, no one came to take our order until 5:01 PM—literally one minute after happy hour ended. When we asked about the happy hour prices, the server curtly informed us we’d missed the cutoff and would be charged full price. I get that rules are rules, but the lack of urgency on their part to even check on us before the deadline felt unfair. We’d been sitting there, ready to order, but they couldn’t be bothered to get to us in time. It’s a small thing, but in a ski town where people are coming in tired and hungry, a little flexibility would’ve gone a long way.

We tried to go to happy hour 5 minutes before it ends. Get seated at the bar and they waited until happy hour ended to ask us our order. Vibes were off. We wanted to come for omakase but the looks we got and service was enough that we wouldn’t ever come back.

I know it's Telluride and prices are higher here but paying $28 dollars for a shrimp tempura roll I could have got at literally any other restaurant in the country for 64% less, I expected one of the most delectable roll I've ever had in my life....aaaaand it was just a normal shrimp tempura roll.

Unfortunately I was so disappointed in this experience! I called at 4pm to make a reservation for happy hour at 5pm and I was told they don’t take reservations for happy hour. Totally fine with that. We showed up early at 4:45 to wait in line. Once we got to the front, there was an open table for 4 and the hostess said it was reserved. I said “I thought you don’t take reservations?” and got super flustered and said they were making an exception. My group walked away confused and the 2 people behind us got seated at that open table. It was soooo weird