Kura Sushi: 10 Most Popular Restaurant Chains in Taiwan

Started in 1977, Kura Sushi 藏壽司 (cáng shòusī) is a Japanese restaurant chain that has since spread to over 500 locations worldwide across the US, Taiwan, and Japan. Come find out why this popular sushi restaurant in Taiwan is so popular that a branch even opened in Orlando Florida in 2022!

Kura Sushi’s popularity can largely be attributed to its innovative technology. As “pioneers of the revolving sushi concept” (Kura Sushi US), the company creates a relaxed vibe by implementing a rotating conveyor belt of sushi in their stores. Not only does this minimise contact between the staff and the customer – Covid friendly! – it also allows the customer to eat at their own pace, free to order whenever.

The restaurant chain is also innovative with regards to its product. Though there are of course your basic fish rolls and assortments for picky eaters, Kura Sushi incorporates many different and interesting options. Compared to other sushi chains like Sushiro-ran or Sushi Express, Kura Sushi’s sushi is arguably more flavorful and creative. They also have limited offers on certain products and only offer them in certain stores, making your sushi experience unique.

One more thing that makes Kura Sushi especially stand out is its lottery game. No, you’re not gambling with sushi; gambling is illegal in Taiwan aside from the lottery. For Kura Sushi’s friendly legal lottery game, you have the chance of winning a small toy from what almost looks like a gumball machine attached to the top of the booth. See below for what we’re trying to describe.

How to play the game:

Once customers dispose of 5 plates, you will get the chance to play the game, though ‘play’ is a generous word. This is all about luck. Winners of the game will argue that there is some skill to it and swear by a certain technique. They are lying. That being said, an urban legend says that if you violently tap the screen with your strongest finger, regardless of where you tap, you will win.

What kind of prizes can you win?

While you will not win an iPhone or anything grand from this game, prizes are limited edition merchandise usually linked to a cartoon or TV show. Kura Sushi currently has a partnership with Chibi Maruko Chan (櫻桃小丸子) – a manga turned anime series – giving customers the chance to win stickers, badges, and keyrings of the characters. They’re pretty cool, even if winning just a sticker is a little disheartening. Kura Sushi x Chibi Maruko Chan prizes are available until October 10th, so get those fingers tapping!

Price: Is Kura Sushi Expensive?

Kura Sushi is fairly cheap, but obviously this depends on how much you eat. In Taiwan, each plate costs a minimum of $40, with the more expensive or fancy sushi costing $80 (two plates worth often for just two pieces). Generally $40 is for 2 pieces of sushi, although sometimes it can be 4 (tuna or cucumber rolls) or 1 (special fish). The restaurant also sells ramen, snacks, and desserts, for varying prices but nothing is really expensive. Tea (matcha tea) is free and customers can give themselves refills of hot water and powder at their own table.

Overall Verdict

Experience: 10/10

For the experience Kura Sushi provides, we highly recommend a visit. Not only can you taste that the restaurant stays true to its aim of providing quality ingredients, but the variety from which you can choose from is astounding and is sure to offer something for everyone – even the picky eater. 

Price: 9/10

As we’ve previously mentioned, the price really depends on how hungry you are and how many people are eating. That said, for two people you’d be pressed to spend anywhere near above $500, which is saying something. The only downside is that you have just an hour to explore all that Kura Sushi has to offer.

Enjoy eating at Kura Sushi! We recommend booking online to beat the rush and avoid waiting. To book your arrival slot online, simply head to this link, click on 店鋪檢素 (diànpù jiǎn sù), find the store you want to go to, and click on 指定時間 (zhǐdìng shíjiān) to book the time for your reservation. Happy eating!

Want More?

Want more awesome articles from CovertProfession? Check out the best travel destinations in Taiwan for this summer on the Travel page, plus watch out for more advice on where to study, where to travel, and most importantly where to eat.

♥️ Think Sushi-ran is better than Kura Sushi? Leave a comment below! ♥️