I had been hearing about Kozara Yakitori for a while from whispers online and quiet mentions from friends who described it like a secret you had to earn. No sign, no obvious entrance, just a curated specialty store front in Juna. I didn’t fully believe the setup until we pulled up and saw it for ourselves.
From the outside, it looked like a regular specialty store. Fluorescent lights. Basic shop. Definitely no smell of charcoal in the air. But once you step through the secret door, you’re somewhere else entirely.
You hear “Doo Wop” through the speakers. The lighting dims. The air shifts from humid to umami.
Inside Kozara, there are no distractions. Just 22 seats, soft wood tones, the soft sound of skewers sizzling over charcoal. You feel like you’ve entered mid-conversation—like this place has existed long before you arrived and will quietly continue long after you leave.
We Were Full, But We Stayed
Photo from WIM in Davao
Kozara was full when we got there. There was a short wait before we were seated—expected, considering the size of the place and we didn’t have a reservation. Honestly, it made the anticipation sharper. Once we settled in, we ordered a couple of drinks to start: a lemon sour, a whisky highball, and a couple of cold Engkantos.
We weren’t even hungry, but curiosity took over. So we ordered the whole yakitori menu to share—every skewer on the list. We also added grilled edamame, which I always underestimate. The yaki onigiri came next, crispy on the outside, soft and slightly smoky inside. And the ankimo: monkfish liver, rich and silky, the kind of flavor that quietly demands your attention. While I wasn’t able to try a lot of the dishes since I was full but the guys finished all of it.
You Can Tell This Place Was Built with Care
Photos from WIM in Davao
There’s a certain kind of confidence in how Kozara presents itself: unbothered by trends, unseduced by aesthetics. It’s not trying to be Japanese. It’s not trying to be Davao. It just is.
The couple behind it built it out of love. They’d traveled, tasted, studied, and come home wanting to create something that wasn’t just a copy of what they saw abroad. Their tare (the sauce brushed on the skewers) has been aging since 2020. Four years in, it’s thick, layered, alive. The salt they use comes from Iloilo. Even their vegetables are locally sourced.
It’s that quiet obsession with the details that gives the food its weight.
It Wasn’t Loud. It Didn’t Need to Be.
Some places are designed to be photographed. Kozara isn’t. It’s made to be remembered.
The space is small but doesn’t feel cramped. It’s private without being cold. You could bring someone here for a date, a slow catch-up, or a solo night if that’s more your pace.
It’s the kind of place you rave about on the spot. It’s the kind that hits you on the ride home, where the taste stays with you, the space echoes a little, and you find yourself wanting to go back, even if just for one more skewer.
The Kind of Secret You Don’t Mind Sharing (Once)
Photos from WIM in Davao
Would I recommend it? Yes.
Would I go again? Absolutely.
Would I tell everyone? Not really. But maybe just you.
If you find yourself in that mood where the city feels too loud, your to-do list’s already been ticked off, and you’re looking for something simple but special—Kozara is worth the detour.
You just have to know where to knock.
Have you been to Kozara?
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