Where Costco's Kirkland Signature Sushi Is Actually Made

New Costco arrivals often make waves on the internet, and the recent expansion of Kirkland Signature sushi is no exception. The sushi was first served exclusively in the Issaquah, Washington location in 2023, which is close to the chain's headquarters. In early 2024, the chain announced that the sushi was coming to Costco locations across the U.S. thanks to good performance in Issaquah, leading curious customers to find the sushi at their local location and wonder where exactly it comes from.

While customer comments on Reddit seem to indicate that some Costco locations ship in sushi from local joints and sell it, the Kirkland Signature sushi is made in-house. This is made clear by the fact that the locations selling the Kirkland Signature sushi have their own sushi-making room, which wouldn't be necessary if the sushi was made elsewhere and not in-house.

Exactly what being made "in-house" means has been debated, however. For instance, one Reddit comment stated that the fish is pre-sliced and the workers only assemble it, while others have claimed to see the workers slicing the fish themselves. The procedures may vary by location, accounting for this discrepancy. Nevertheless, it's certainly rolled and prepared within the store, making it much fresher than other grocery store sushi. It isn't clear exactly which locations have it as of right now, but you can always call your local Costco to check.

Sushi isn't a one-size-fits-all category, with every sushi enjoyer having their own preference on what sushi is best. Luckily, Costco has sushi lovers covered with a variety of different types of sushi. Back in 2023, the original sushi bar at the Issaquah location sold California rolls, spicy tuna, salmon rolls, nigiri, and poke bowls, a sashimi tray, and ahi tuna with shrimp. More recent reviews of Kirkland Signature sushi seem to indicate this is still what's being served at warehouses with fresh, in-house sushi today. Note, however, that many locations also sell sushi from other brands, such as Snowfox, and this is not made in-house. Generally, only the Kirkland Signature branded offerings are.

An anonymous Costco employee told The Seattle Times that Costco sushi uses Tamaki Gold Rice (the second best sushi rice according to Tasting Table), as it holds up well to being stored in a cool container for long periods of time without losing its consistency. The team even flew out to Japan to meet with "rice masters" in order to get their offering perfect. Costco's attention to detail seems to have paid off, as people flocked to the Issaquah location when it first started making sushi, and it was flying off the shelves within minutes. Reviewers have said that you can tell a quality difference between Kirkland Signature and the imported sushi, especially in the texture of the rice. Many have compared it to local sushi restaurants, which is high praise for grocery store sushi. If you love sushi, it might be worth looking into a Costco membership.