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Hamamori Restaurant and Lounge
Categories: Restaurants Sushi Bars Restaurants Japanese Sushi Bars, Japanese [Edit]
3333 Bear StSte 320
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
(714) 850-0880
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Garage
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Ambience:
- Classy, Trendy, Upscale
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
132 reviews for Hamamori Restaurant and Lounge
Review Highlights
"kobe meatballs : stuffed with foie gras before frying."
(in 16 reviews)
"The Kurobota Pork Belly Kakuni was caramelized and baked."
(in 5 reviews)
"Albacore with Crispy Maui Onion 5/5."
(in 5 reviews)
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132 reviews in English
-
Review from Mimi L.
2/7/2012 7 photos
Fresh sashimi, really fresh!
A little hard to find this place, we had to call for the exact location, didn't expect it was in South Coast Plaza. A small restaurant, white trendy decor, I liked it.
Ambiance: 4
Decor: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Total bill for 2 with bottle of 720ml sake: $135
Ordered bottle of dry saks, it was strong and yummy. The sushi menu looked very good. But we were just too lazy to look through it and choose, so we just went easy way to order.
Half dozen of Kumamoto raw oysters: meaty and sweet, great with the special sauce came with it!
Ocean salad: very tasty ginger sauce, fresh raw fish, shrimp, Octopus, scallop, loved it !
Filet Mignon: it came with fried asparagus and mushrooms, medium rare was perfect with special house sauce.
Assorted Sashimi: so fresh! Loved loved it!
2 entrees came with house salad and miso soup. The portions were big, I couldn't finish my sashimi.
One piece of seared toro: very delicious!
The service was a bit slow, but our server was very friendly, poured sake for us all the time. Good job. :)
I really liked the food, everything was so fresh, next time I will definitely try more different sushi, or tasting menu. Good sushi place, great for a sushi dinner date, or dine with friends and family.
Ps. It was kinda packed on Saturday night, I suggest make reservations first. -
Review from Steven N.
I've been eying this place for the last 6 months, reading the reviews and asking around what peeps thought of this place located on the 3rd Floor of Crystal Court. Most people said it was pretty good, but a little bit pricey. I wouldn't expect anything less for good sushi and being located in SCP's CC. Did you know that Costa Mesa has the most sushi bars in OC? About 30. How do I know these things? Well, I was dumb enough to think I could try them all. Then my bank and my belt not so gently reminded me to slow my roll.
All good sushi meals must begin with booze and my poison of choice that day was a large bottle of Asahi for $8. About a buck more than most places I go to, but no biggie. Their Lunch Omakase for $35 piqued my interest, so I went with that. I found it a pretty good deal for 6 courses. 1st Course was an organic tofu with tomatoes http://www.yelp.com/bi... I'm not a big tofu fan but this was the best tofu I have experienced. Organic makes everything better!
2nd Course was a Seafood Salad http://www.yelp.com/bi... The fish wasn't super high quality, but all items were soft and clean tasting.
3rd Course was Tempura with veggies and shrimp pieces http://www.yelp.com/bi... Nothing out of the ordinary here. Your standard fried grub in a light, crispy batter. I did appreciate it was not drenched in grease though.
4th Course was a Trio of Sushi http://www.yelp.com/bi... All 3 pieces were soft, clean and fresh tasting.
5th Course was Miso Soup http://www.yelp.com/bi... This was pretty good. Very hearty with chunks of mushrooms and it wasn't very salty like many miso soups.
6th Course I chose the Filet Mignon http://www.yelp.com/bi... I think this would have been excellent if I got it medium rare as ordered. This was more medium well. Seems I'm striking out on medium rare lately. The meat was still very tender and moist. The mushrooms piled on top and the sauce were both delish.
Omakase was done and I went to the menu and ordered a single piece of toro with uni on top for $9 http://www.yelp.com/bi... This piece was an O Toro which means it is much fattier. I'm not big on it being this fatty, but you can taste the quality of the tuna. The uni was decent in smoothness and sweetness.
Next, I ended my meal with a single piece of Sea Bream for $3.25 http://www.yelp.com/bi... This piece was excellent. Very clean and soft. My friendly sushi chef (Toshi) informed me no soy sauce needed. I kindly replied back with, I never add anything additional to my sushi. I'm a purist when it comes to sushi and take it how it is served to me by my chef. The only time I add anything is when the quality of the fish is not so good.
This was a pretty good meal and I would be back because I like that they offer sushi by single pieces, versus two. You get to sample a larger variety this way and it usually works out better for your belt and wallet. -
Review from Captain P.
San Francisco, CA
1/21/2012 1 Check-in Here
I reached out to several people on my friends list I would be in town and if they wanted to get together for dinner...why not?
Anyway, I got two replies told them they could each bring a friend and I would pick the restaraunt...I decided on Hamamori because of location and also I was in the mood for Sushi, yet did not want to drive to LA.
Three young, beautiful, Yelpers showed up...
So I got to Hamamori, ..and once the introductions were over, ordered drinks for all..and then I did all the ordering for the food....
Jumbo asparagus
Edamame
Shiitake mushroom "frites"
crispy salsify, truffle creme fraiche
4 Miso soup "inaka" style
Jumbo prawns and vegetable tempura and four pieces of each of the following Nigiri
Aji
Anago
Anko
Ebi
Hamachi
Ika
Ikura
Inada
Kanpachi
Maguro
Saba
Sake
Tai
Unagi
We agreed that all of the food was delicious, service was "excellent", atmosphere and company was perfect.
What made the evening so much fun was that these young ladies were so friendly, and they did like sushi, actual sushi!
always nice to meet new people with no expectations, I paid for the bill and we all said our....."til next time" -
Review from Alan T.
1/17/2012
My friends decided earlier today to "liven up" my usual wear by taking me to South Coast.
My mind did not stray far from the possible happy hour deals this place had to offer...
Sure enough, 5 o'clock rolled around and I hurried over.
We were greeted with a somewhat enthusiastic "Irashaimase!"
The 5 of us sat down at the bar and noticed the Japanese chefs behind the counter;
at that point, I had high hopes.
The chefs didn't really open up to us until my girlfriend and I started speaking in our broken Japanese :)
There were times that they'd speak too fast that I couldn't comprehend them;
at that point, the only reply i could give them was my blank, "huh?" look.
They had a rather sizable happy hour menu with at least 10 food items and 10 or so alcohol choices.
We all ordered various appetizers; while the others conversed during the wait for food, I admired the interior design.
Behind the sushi counter was a set of nice blue glass things, and the ceiling and adjacent wall had a wavy texture that was probably supposed to signify water... or the ocean...
...because Japan is an island; and an island is surrounded water, and water is where the sushi place gets their fish...
I don't know if they slipped something into my happy hour priced martini, but I thought those same exact words in that moment.
Food came and everything was delicious. From my albacore sashimi in a yuzu vinaigrette with sauteed onions to my rock shrimp tempura, everything tasted with the quality you'd expect from a good Japanese restaurant :)
Eating good food always makes me satisfied even if my stomach isn't totally full.
We left that restaurant without that heavy, post-korean-bbq feeling.
I will return for more! -
Review from Akiko I.
- Locale Destination -
It's on Bear St and S Coast Dr in Costa Mesa. It's in the Crystal Court - South Coast Plaza, the same building as "Crate & Barrel" and "Apple Store", 3 rd floor. Right next to "Oliver People", right in front of the escalator. The decor is very modern, clean, and beautiful. It's more like an European, not Japanese, fine dining atmosphere. White, dark brown, clean lines with cool glasses... Beautiful. The service is poor - I mean not sushi chef, servers. Too slow for refilling drinks and changing clean plates... The sushi price on the list is by one piece.
- Gluttony Expedition -
Uni shooter: You mix all the ingredients - quail egg, grated yama-imo, uni - and drink it. The ponzu was a bit too salty for me.
Lobster from Main: The lobster was meaty ;) The vinegary ponzu sauce wasn't bad. Not bad.
Scallops with truffle: I didn't like the way the scallops were cooked. OK dish.
Tuna tartar with seaweed sauce: The seaweed sauce was very Japanese and avocado was on top of the tuna. Both didn't enhance the tuna. Meh.
Pork Kakuni: Sweet yet nice kick of mustard. Great!
Yellowtail sashimi with chili & yuzu pepper : SPICY! The chili on top of the sashimi was really spicy. Yuzu pepper added a nice accent to the dish. Yellowtail by itself was just OK quality.
Asparagus: Deep fried asparagus coated with smashed rice crackers with Himalayan salt. It's crunchy. The pink grinned Himalayan salt (Very EXPENSIVE) was something different from regular salt. It looked almost like a flour and tasted great. Interesting. I enjoyed it.
Snapper sushi with foie gras: Great.
Scallop sushi with Roku-suke salt: The seasoned Roku-suke salt (salt, dried shiitake mushroom, and dried kelp) added a great kick on scallop. The salt itself is so good. Excellent.
Engawa sushi: Great.
Uni sushi with wasabi: OK
Egg: It's very fluffy and sweet. Not for me ;p
- Conqueror's Deduction -
3.5 stars as a whole. Fun sushi bar experience, for sure. Food wise, hit and miss. The price wasn't so bad - $130 for these. (No tip included) I thought it would be much more expensive.
As you all know, especially my sushi place rating is very very picky:
The chef told me this place was more like "Restaurant" than "Sushi bar" - they got more appetizers than sushi choices. Nothing but "Pork Kakuni" was straightforward nor authentic. But I preferred the sushi over appetizers - though sushi wasn't so authentic. Yeah, some appetizers were great, but not all. The sushi I tried were all good.
This is the place you challenge the sushi chef what he can offer - for you. Tell him what you like and what you don't like - even during the meal. If you think it's too spicy or too salty, tell him! He can adjust your preference from the next dish. Don't just sit there - you need to help him so that you can enhance the sushi bar experience more! That's the fun and great thing about sitting at a sushi bar.
I have great respect for sushi chef, but I also think I have the right to judge whether if I like the taste or not. They're not a psychic, so you got to tell him WHAT YOU LIKE. They're willing to accommodate your needs and wants.
This is not so authentic sushi. "Authentic" sushi means "straightforward" sushi - just eat with a soy sauce without any gimmicky seasonings enjoying the taste of the fish. You don't see sushi that just requires just "soy sauce" here. Everything was seasoned. The most ingredients they use were very Japanese. But they don't mind using truffles, Himalayan salt, foie gras etc. The presentation was more contemporary. But the sushi bar experience is authentic. I can't wait to challenge Mr. Hanamori next time ;pListed in: My sushi history in CA...
-
Review from JayDee L.
Orange County, CA
12/23/2011 3 Check-ins Here
No thank you!!! Never again...
My friend and I yelped to see where to eat near SCP and found this place.
There were so many things that went wrong:
- FOOD: I expected better..
- SERVICE: None existing. We ask what she would recommend and she said she had no idea and that she's kinda new. We BOTH were expecting that she would do some research (trying out their food/look on yelp and read reviews) but NOPE... No recommendations at ALL! In addition, she spilled soy sauce on my friends chair and never apologized or say anything. Nobody said Good bye.. Thank you... or anything when we walked out either.. -_____-
- DECOR: VERY WHITE... clean... modern...
-PRICE: Pretty high for what it is... In my opinion, I don't think it's worth the price due to service/food and my experience I had that day (sorry)
I honesty don't have much to say about this restaurant. My friend, Tiffany and I were VERY surprised how high they were rated on Yelp. I wrote a short memo on my iphone to write a review on this restaurant and I couldn't even recall this restaurant until I had to yelp it and look at the decor of the restaurant and think for a second..
I guess that means "SAYONARA, HAMAMORI!" -
Review from Maggie C.
Omakase tasting lunch is only served until 1:30 pm. I made a reservation using http://opentable.com for lunch here on the weekend.
FYI you are not qualified for dining points if you reserve opentable from yelp. I probably will stick to reserving from the website directly instead of using yelp.
I showed my opentable reward cheque to the waitress and asked her if I could use it. She checked with the manager and the manager said no. I was a manager before and I would check before saying no to the customers. I complained to opentable and opentable apologized to me and awarded extra points. FYI yes the restaurant was supposed to honor my reward cheque.
Ordered executive sushi and chirashi sushi.
Executive sushi $28: beautiful presentation like little jewels but the taste wasn't there. Give me ugly sushi and I would eat it as long as it was tasty. No need to impress me with beautiful stuff.
Chirashi sushi $19: it was pretty too and it was just average.
Miso soup: The complimentary miso soup was unusual but it was good. It had onion, green onion, mushroom, silky tofu.
Salad: We also got complimentary salad with raspberry halves and caramelized cashews. The dressing tasted like ginger sauce. It wasn't bad.
This place was disorganized. We got the soup then the salad, the next table next to us got the salad before the soup. 3 tables were not cleared for a long time. One of them wasn't cleared until 15 minutes later, another table was messy when we walked in until we walked out (more than 1 hour) and the other table was messy for about 30 minutes.
The waitresses were sweet but they were having a hard time keeping up with the customers. This place needs to hire more people. The waitress even doubled as a hostess too. Not suprised if the waitresses prepared our salad and soup in the kitchen too. We got the chirashi way before we got the executive sushi.
Unagi was good and the others were either not good or average. I was kinda disappointed with this place.
2 stars!!
Hamamori is almost yummylicious!!Listed in: Sushi,Sashimi & Nemo
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Review from Danny K.
Torrance, CA
12/29/2011
before i tell my story..keep in mind..i love sushi. I have friends that own sushi restaurants and i have been to many.
I went here with my cousins because one of them said good things about this place.
As soon as we got there, we were waiting by the entrance for about 5 mins which then my cousin decided to stop one of the waitresses and asked for a table..
We sat at a table near the sushi bar(i was facing the sushi bar)..and decided to only order from the sushi menu. Not a big order..there was only 3 of us. 2 rolls and a few nigiri style sushi(..thats just regular sushi...you know...raw fish on rice...lol).
We got our water...and then waited...and waited...
30 mins later...we got one roll... ...it wasn't a roll we ordered.
I'm a very polite person and i dont like making people upset so i politely flagged down our waitress and told her this wasn't one of the rolls we ordered and reminded her which ones we did order. she was kind about it and took it back.
(..we wish she left it because we were hungry..loll)
So, we continued to wait...and wait...and wait some more...
A little more than 30 mins later.. we get a plate with 5 pieces of sushi on it..
We were all surprised that it took that long for us to get 5 pieces of sushi. We assumed it was going to be the 2 rolls that we ordered...anyways...
We ate the sushi..it was good. it didn't blow my mind..but it was good.
It took us about...30 seconds to finish that...and 15-20 mins later...we get another plate. ..4 pieces of sushi.
This time, the sushi was just...ok.
By this point..i've gone past disappointed and just wanted my check for what I ate so I can leave and go grab a burger or something lol.
But my younger female cousin had other plans..without saying anything to us, she flagged the waitress and asked to speak to a manager.
The manager(who seemed more like a head waitress than a manager..) came by about 10 mins later (yes, 10 mins later..). She asked if everything was alright and my cousin pretty much just explained to her about our.."experience"..with this restaurant that evening.
Keep in mind, we still haven't received any of our 'correct' rolls..and by this time, the restaurant was almost empty because it was 10pm! When we got there, the restaurant was probably only about half full.
The manager was very nice and polite with us and she apologized many times. She asked if there was anything she can order for us. We weren't really interested so just insisted that the chef or herself can decide.
About 5 mins later, our rolls came out. They weren't that great..we all expected better...especially for the price.
About 10 mins after that...we each got a plate of 3 unique sushi. When I say unique, I mean nigiri style with a little twist. Each piece had something different added to it and had its own unique flavor. I can't remember exactly what it was but..this really stepped the game up. These 3 pieces of sushi had WAYYY more flavor than what we originally had ordered.
After that...the manager also brought out an appetizer that was shitake mushroom slices with a sour cream with truffle oil dip. that was delicious as well~
She also brought out their miso soup...which actually wasn't very special...
just miso soup with mushrooms and onions. ..it's miso soup..if u make bad miso soup..THEN u should be concerned..lol.
After all that..she comes back and asks us if there is anything else we would like.. I could of eaten more but..it was getting late and I honestly just wanted to leave..lol. ...BUT..she suggested their pumpkin flan dessert and I have a taste for pumpkin so I was intrigued. lol
We tried that and it was surprisingly good. It was more just like a pumpkin custard than a flan though..
The manager came by again and asked if she could do anything else and still apologized. We said the food was great and that we appreciate her doing what she can and just asked for the check.
When we saw the check..this was interesting..they charged us for everything they brought out to us...BUT..they did give us a big discount. I was ok with that.
We left a generous tip and then left.
Overall..the experience was tragic..though the manager did do a stand up job trying to make up for it.
The food was good, not great. When it came to the sushi and the price, I would probably go somewhere else..especially since I'm not in that area that much anyways.
Personally, the only reason why I would go back...is because there was a REALLY cute waitress there that I wish I had more of a chance to talk to..loll.
At one point..she came to clear off some of the plates at our table and I asked her what her ethnicity was..she said filipino and mexican..so i said.. "oh ok...i just thought you were really pretty so i was curious."
she blushed, said thank you and walked away. lol
ps - if you're that waitress and u're reading this..hit me back~ xD -
Review from Sarah O.
San Diego, CA
12/30/2011
This is a pricey place..so of course there is a certain amount of expectation that you will expect. The food quality is very good, although the sushi portion sizes COULD be a little bigger with the prices they are charging. But nonetheless, the quality was great and fresh. However it was a little disappointing that they would sell the nigiri sushi in orders of one rather than the usual two at most other sushi restaurants...
It took hours (as my cousin below had stated) for us to receive our food--it was quite ridiculous and I was considering giving them a 2..or maybe even a 3 if I was feeling nice if at least the manager apologized..but the manager made up for it by going above and beyond. This is the kind of service that I would expect from a place like this! So.. why the 4 stars instead of 5? Once again.. its just because its quite overpriced even for its quality, i guess you're just paying extra for the nicer set-up and ambiance they have. Which i'll admit was pretty nice.
The crab roll was pretty good, nothing too crazy... just light and fresh. It was like a california with crab meat on top.
The yellowtail nigiri was like butter, loved it--but once again, skimping on the slices was a bit disappointing!
I had this 3 piece tuna plate they gave us and one of them was topped with foie gras, and it was DELICIOUS! I don't know what the dish was called, but the foie gras topping is a must try, it was paired amazingly for great texture!
The shittake mushroom appetizer is pretty good too, their truffle oil sour cream dip made a very nice combination--this I would recommend as well...
And lastly, I would recommend their pumpkin flan dessert!! The first bite was interesting...I didn't know if I liked it or not haha but after a couple more bites (esp with the caramelized nuts and fruits) it was heavenly and addicting!! (:
I think its a great place to go for a date, special occasion, grouping, etc..but not a place I would go regularly just to enjoy the sushi because it'll break your bank! -
Review from Mari A.
Los Angeles, CA
1/12/2012
Everybody on Yelp claims to know the merits of fresh uni. But of fresh uni tinged with purple and blue and brought fresh from Santa Barbara daily, perhaps not. This was the best uni I have ever had in my entire life. I try to never say that phrase, "entire life". It's just too hard to top! This uni is still too hard to top!
It was so succulent, so sweet, so fresh, so insane in the membrane, that it seared itself into my memory with its lovely seawater gonads.
Ah, gonads.
I mean, ah, uni.
Service here is impeccable (shout out to Nori!), the ambiance is classy, and the sushi is inspired. It's worth the trip to try the sushi but the only minus is that it closes so early due to its location (the OTHER South Coast Mall - the lonely sister, if you will).
Stick to your guns and get the sushi. It's what's good. -
Review from Mahesh S.
10/4/2011 1 photo
If you ever get tired of the super cool noisy hipsterish happy hour scene at Charlie Palmers and Anqi and Ra Sushi , but looking for a quite dreamy secluded romantic calm place of choice for happy hour, look no further. Hamamori got you covered.
Its 5 to 6:30pm 7 days a week.
from the drink menu, the deals are 5$ off signature cocktails(you pay 7$), and 3$ kirin draft.
selective apps are discounted 2 to 3$s. jumbo asparagus is a must try ($5).
california/spicy tuna/cruncy/salmon/salmon skin/spicy shrim and vegetable roll - all are 7$s. if you want to get fancy, try the 9$ sample plate that come swith 3 types of sushi.
their roll choices during happy hour isnt the best they offer, but its descend enough for a 7$.
The best part, the happy hour prices are offered all through the restaurant. not just at the bar. Both times we went there were plenty of tables available during this hour.
THe place itself is gorgeous!!! all white table/walls, and ocean blue colors thorugh the restaurant - is very romantic/and calming!!! and the happy hour scene is very low key, so head over here if you are looking for a quite time!!!!!Listed in: So you have a date?
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Review from Ella M.
Corona, CA
1/4/2012
My first time here and my first time meeting a friend for lunch. I can't believe the food. I can never forget the taste and the company. The ambiance was pretty amazing. The service was pretty awesome. I love this place I can't wait to come back.
-
Review from catherine q.
Irvine, CA
11/1/2011
The restaurant have this contemporary white Gaudi style. It give you a dine in the ocean feeling. This place is beautiful.
Service is friendly and gentle.
We had Chef tasting menu. It was just alright, nothing really stood out.
The quality and the time they prepare for the food is just some kind of upper class Isakaya Wasa. Which I assumed it's the same owner.
This is a beautiful place to eat. -
Review from K O.
Irvine, CA
Love this place!!! I've been hesitant to write a review because I do not want this place to get too busy that I can't make reservations! I know, I'm selfish!! But it's because I love my SUSHI!!
Hamamori's is your contemporary yet traditional sushi hot spot! It's perfect for families, couples, groups and even business meals!!
Toro is so yummy! Tai(white fish) sashimi awesome! UNI-- best I've ever had!! I promise! It's huge and sweet! Wild yellowtail (kanpachi) melts in your mouth, Spanish mackeral is delish-both sashimi or sushi! Lobster with Hama-san's special dressing is worth ordering every time!! The Kobe beef with 3 dipping sauces is phenomenal--- you cook it yourself over a huge piece of stone and eat it as you like. Melts in your mouth!
You can sit at the sushi bar or get a nice table! If you have any likes or dislikes, let the server or sushi chef know and they will be happy to give you suggestions or make recommendations! They have a expansive sake menu too!! The sushi is not cheap, but I promise you are paying for top quality!!! Hamamori's is a GEM in Crystal Court!!!!! Check it out! -
Review from Fuji K.
Seal Beach, CA
This place has pretty much everything you need for an amazing dining experience. Hamamori offers great decor, service and food. The sushi is top grade and purchased from reputable Japanese Fish distributors.
When dining here you cannot help to notice how well the restaurant flows and makes you feel at ease when you are trying to enjoy your meal. The menu is superb and allows you to try many small dishes and sample high grade sake.
All I can say after reading some of the lower reviews, if you are here to eat "rolls" you are at the wrong place and it is hard to take your sushi ratings seriously. You should stick with Kabuki or something...YUCK! You do not go to a reputable high end sushi establishment and eat "Americanized Rolls"...that is just a complete fail.
Bye for now! -
Review from Jennifer P.
Irvine, CA
12/27/2011
For me...the best sushi in Orange County. Yes, it is slightly pricer than your average sushi dive..but the quality and creativity justify it. Note: You shouldn't come here if you are seeking rolls or your basic sushi..there are plenty of other options in the area. However, if you are looking for a nice ambiance, chic decor, with a step up on the sushi creativity, this is the place to go. The must haves:
1. Hamachi sprinkled with Himalayan salt and Japanese Lime Pepper. The taste pops while the sushi melts away. Delicious!
2. Korabuta Pork Belly: OMG. Delicious savory and sweet flavors with the most tender pork you have ever tried.
3. Yellow Tail Sashimi with Chili and Yuzu
4.Albacore with crispy maui onions sushi
5. Shiitake Fries
Can't remember more off the top of my head..but.. just go.. it will be worth it! -
Review from katie t.
Anaheim, CA
9/11/2011
Hammamori is a nice looking restaurant. I love the decors. So crisp and clean. All white with crystal chandeliers. Would be a nice place for a date.
Overall, the food was average. I expected more for the price.
Shitake mushroom fries - The star of the meal. It was so unique and earthy.
Seared Toro, Seared Scallop, Hamachi - The fishes weren't as fresh as I thought. The presentation was nice but the fish did not taste as great as the price I paid for them.
Tuna on crispy rice - It was pretty good but tuna itself was mediocre
Vegetable roll - Average
Spider Roll - $18? I like the cucumber wrapped around it. The crab was not crispy.
Crunch Roll - $18 also? The shrimp tempura was not crispy.
Sparking Sake - This is my favorite sake!!! Imma look for it, buy it, and stock it!!!! -
Review from Mimi L.
Irvine, CA
8/1/2011
I never knew there was a sushi restaurant inside the South Coast Plaza mall! Well the other mall & not the main one. I learned of Hamamori from the Costa Mesa Restaurant Week. Hesitant to go but gave it a shot anyhoo since the restaurant was pretty well reviewed by the yelpers here.
So Q & I came here on a saturday nite. We made reservations for 8pm at the sushi bar. When we arrived it was NOT busy at all. But the sushi bar was full & the last 2 seats were reserved for my Q & i. We were served by Yoshi-san.
:: RESTAURANT ::
Located in the South Coast Plaza West (was renamed from Crystal Court) & situated on the 3rd floor with a view facing the main mall. When you ride up the escalator you can't miss it cuz it's smack right in front of you to the left. There were seatings inside & outside the restaurant. The sushi bar only seats about 8 ppl I believe.
Very well lit (due to the very white decor & white cushy chairs), contemporary, sophisticated & clean.
:: FOOD ::
Quality of what we were served was superb & fresh. We had the following:
++ Toro & Uni Sushi (FAV)
-- never had it combined & it was super DEELISH.
++Seared Scallop w/ Truffle
-- very yummie & the scallope was perfectly seared & seasoned.
++ Amaebi (FAV)
-- Yoshi-san trimmed the tail off which made it much easier to put in one's mouth in 1 bite :D Most places leaves the tail
intact. Rarely do I eat the fried shrimp head but this is the 1st time i did (not the eyes or antennaes)! Yoshi-san did a
really nice job of somehow cutting/making the head "meat' more visible & edible.
++ Shiitake Frites
-- yummie mushrooms to munch on to pass time cuz we go thru the
sashimi/sushi pieces too fast. very nicely fried & went well with the crème fraîche.
++ Salmon Belly Sashimi (FAV)
-- its good fat!
++ Spicy Scallop Handroll no Rice (FAV)
-- huge scallops were diced up to make this roll & not frozen baby scallops. Yummy with the avocado!
++ Hamachi Sashimi
-- nicely presented & seasoned w/ salt & lemon.
:: SERVICE ::
So the restaurant was not near super busy & I felt the servers could have been a little more attentive to our empty tea cups. I had to flag them down twice just to get our tea refilled. It was nice that they were quick at clearing out each plates our sushi or sashimi was served on.
:: VALUE ::
Like all the yelpers have mentioned it's not cheap dining here. But great sushi isn't cheap. Q & I spent a total of $140 including tip +2 tea + a hot sake. We didn't leave here 100% full but that wasnt our goal. We did leave here knowing that we liked the joint & would definitely come back. -
Review from Cynthia B.
Tustin, CA
8/26/2011 1 Check-in Here
Went here for restaurant week and was very impressed with the quality and quantity of food we got.
For $30, we had seven courses each. The sushi was absolutely amazing, and the tuna might have been the best I ever tasted. Very fresh, melted in my mouth.
For the main course I had the salmon and it was seared just perfectly. The BF had the beef and it was also cooked very well. Great flavors and yummy sauces here.
They get minus one star for the service. Our server seemed very irritated to do her job, and at one point she plain disappeared. She was rude to us and other customers, and that just don't fly!
So, 5 stars for the sushi, and 0 for the service. I will definitely go back, but will sit at the sushi bar. -
Review from Lica N.
Ahhh Sushi, Sushi, now! Hamamori is grade A+ good!
I have known James Hamamori for almost 8 years from when he was manning Wasa at the bluff and all the way back to Wasa in Tustin. He is very friendly and will make you feel at home in no time at all. If you want to dine and enjoy some fresh and amazing sushi you have to come taste what he is doing here at Hamamori.
I came here at lunch to celebrate a birthday for a very dear friend and coworker. We all frequent Wasa so James was happy to see us all. We sat at the bar so we could all catch up as it had been a while since we had seen him. James insisted that we order stuff that we can't get at other sushi places including Wasa.
* Shiitake "Frites" with White Truffle Scented Crème Fraîche - It had the right amount of truffles scent to arouse your nostrils. This is a must get dish! http://www.yelp.com/bi...
* Kurobuta Pork Belly Kakuni - I've had kakuni in several other places and most are good but this plate of fatty yummy goodness was amazing. It was sweeter than most places but with the fat of pork belly it just blended well. Even the daikon at the bottom was good. http://www.yelp.com/bi...
* Okaki Coated Jumbo Asparagus with Himalayan Shichimi Salt - Okaki is japanese rice cracker. This presentation was totally amazing. Way better than just using panko or american bread crumbs. Sprinkle some of that shichimi salt and take a bite of crispy goodness. http://www.yelp.com/bi...
So before we move onto the sushi I want to point out that the sushi is all one piece and not 2 as you would get at most sushi restaurants. Despite what James said I had to get my traditional stuff like Aji and Amaebi. How can I not! I did order some from the Hamamori list which is the fusion part of the sushi menu. See pic for list of the Hamamori fusion sushi.
* Seared Scallops with Ginger sauce - The ginger sauce made the scallops sweeter. The sauce was light and had the right amount of ginger kick to it.
* Albacore with crispy maui onions - The crispy onions went really well with the albacore which was light. I luv onions.
* Seared Scallops with Truffle infused miso and sliced Truffle - Anything with truffles is good in my tummy. The miso infused sauce was light and the scallops were sweet. With the sliced truffle it added a nice woodsy & buttery taste. YUM! http://www.yelp.com/bi...
* Mirugai - I don't normally order clams but they didn't have squid which I luv. Great texture, it wasn't as hard or tough as I've had at other places and had a good sweetness to it. http://www.yelp.com/bi...
* Amaebi - One of my faves! I can eat this all night and if they are fresh and live like they have here it's delish. Sweet and light!! They of course bring out the fried bods that are just as amazing.
* Aji - Another one that I luv. The aji here is fresh and the ponzu sauce just goes well with it.
* Hamachi with Yukari, Himalayan salt and Lemon - F'ing Amazing!!! Mouthgasm I tell ya!!! This was by far the best damn thing I had here. You eat it just like that without adding to your soy/wasabi. It had the right amount of fattiness and with the salt and lemon the flavor just bursts in your mouth like the fourth of July. It's stinking good. I don't normally order hamachi but I definitely will order them here. http://www.yelp.com/bi...
* Madai w/ Yuzu kosho - Known as Sea Bream. Hmm I had never heard of this before and so I had to try it. It's a very light airy fish with a texture that is very very soft. With the Yuzu kosho it gave it a very good amount of kick and was very tasty. I likie! http://www.yelp.com/bi...
* Uni - Hehehe James gave me a piece of Uni to try. I don't really care to order uni but will definitely order it here. OMG it was fresh, delicate, sweet and delectable!
* Kabocha Squash Crème Bruelee - A surprise dessert at the end for E's birthday. Luv kabocha and this was very tasty. The fruits went really well with the creaminess of the kabocha.
They also offer a Chefs tasting menu, udon, soba, donburi (rice bowls) and ozens (Obento style) for those who don't want to eat sushi. Seating is ample, the staff is very attentive and friendly. Again, If you looking for a unique sushi dining experience and dont mind spending some extra green than Hamamori is the place to go.
Its hands down best sushi in the OC yummy goodness!Listed in: ANA ~ All Nippon Appetite!, Fishing for Sushi!
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Review from Tracey N.
Irvine, CA
8/2/2011
WOW!!! OH MY YUMMINESSSSS!!! AMAZING!!!
Came here with a group of friends and reserved the whole bar area! Hamamori is a upscale sushi restaurant located in Crystal Court (across from South Coast Plaza) and it definitely does not disappoint!! When you walk into the restaurant .. everything is so sleek, clean, and white! LOL
Why I love this place:
- Try the Fatty Tuna (Toro)!! OMGGG it's better than sex!!
- The Washu Short Rib Ishiyaki Platter -- $30/plate but so freakin worth it!! Melts in your mouth like butter!!
- Yellowtail & Salmon were super fresh also!!
- Hamamori (the chef) is awesome!! He's really funny and is the sweetest guy ever!!
This is definitely my new favorite sushi spot!!Listed in: Date Night!!
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Review from Victoria R.
Santa Ana, CA
12/3/2011
Best sushi in town. My family and I love Hamamori's and it's our "go to" place for special occasions. It's a bit pricey but well worth it. The best thing is to dine omakase style and just let the chef give you what he thinks if best that day. James Hamamori is the head sushi chef and owner and he'll put you into epicurean heaven. Every day, he gets special order seafood items and he makes fabulous sauces as well. Just put yourself in his hands. You won't be sorry. If you want to know exactly what you're getting first, you can order the executive sushi plate and it will describe everything in advance if you are not feeling very adventurous.
My kids always order from the dining menu as well. They love the crispy pork belly, fried calamari, lamb chops and miso cod. They will often get the tasting menu as that never disappoints either.
The ambiance is lovely and you don't feel like you're eating at the mall. It's a great place to take a date or celebrate anything. Run, don't walk, to Hamamori's! -
Review from K P.
Los Angeles, CA
8/30/2011
This place is upscale and certainly worth every penny!!
The ambiance was just my style...contemporary decor with light club-lounge music playing in the background. I felt right at home. I arrived just before the peak of lunch hour and it was hardly crowded...not necessarily a bad sign. Later on the regulars started to arrive which tells me that this is a local favorite. I sat at the sushi bar and sushi chef, James, was friendly, social and just downright accommodating. This guy definitely knows how to treat his guests. I ordered the assorted sashimi with a glass of red wine (actually, make that 3 glasses). This dish was fun and did not disappoint.
Hamamori is a little unique for my tastes, as it's an upscale restaurant located in a mall. Additionally, I like how I can park in the free underground parking structure and take a short stroll to Hamamori without ever having to step foot outdoors.
I have become Hamamori's new local fan and will return again and again. -
Review from Kelley K.
Hamamori, I want to give you a hug and congratulate you for truly earning this 5-star review.
I have eaten here thrice (oddly every time was a Sunday afternoon around 430pm) and each time the dishes were consistently outstanding and the service superb. You MUST get the Shiitake Frites and the Okaki Asparagus. The Shiitake Frites come with creme fraiche and a crispy root topping, and with a squeeze of lemon juice, it's perfect. The Asparagus is coated in crispy rice granules, and you dip it into this Japanese salt--the textures are amazing together and just so yummy!
This place is sooo underrated and under visited. Every time I go the service is awesome (a little too awesome) because we're like one of two tables that are occupied. And the food comes out soooo fast! And did I mention that everything is super cheap during happy hour? $3 Kirin draft, $5 for each of the dishes I mentioned (usually $12). Maybe it's just the time of day I go, but since you're practically their only customer, they're pretty lenient on accommodating you if you're early to the happy hour. -
Review from Milee S.
8/22/2011 1 Check-in Here
My friend and I were in the sushi mode the other day and we stopped by here, as I've always wanted to try this beautiful restaurant (it reminded me of dining in a jewelery store--the light blues, teals and pearl colors).
We came while it was still happy hour and didn't need a reservation. The restaurant is pretty empty and didn't fill up during our entire dining time. There were several drinks, rolls and appetizers that were available for the happy hour price (menu on the website). We started with calamari and edamame, along with a crunchy roll and spicy shrimp roll. The calamari was amazing...we ended up ordering two of them! The batter was really light and tasty and the dipping sauce was great too.
The edamame was typical edamame, though had a little garlic kick and some black sesame seeds on it. It was enough for two people for sure. The rolls were really tasty as well; so we ordered good. For drinks, we had a lychee sake and the riesling. I highly recommend the lychee sake.
Overall, good dinner and good value. Try it if you are in the annex of the South Coast Plaza. -
Review from Conde A.
Long Beach, CA
7/20/2011
Ok so I am one of those people who prefer what I think of as the "LA Style" sushi - give me a delicious spicy tuna on crispy rice and you have one happy camper!
Last night, I am SO happy to say - I have finally found a place in the OC that would rival most of the popular places up in LA.
My BF and I were looking for a good place to go that's near his house and happened upon some excellent Yelp reviews of Hamamori and decided to give it a go and - WOW - am I glad we did :)
First lets talk about service - absolutely fantastic! We even mentioned it was our first time there and our server bought us a round of cold sake! Our food was brought out at a good pace, our drinks were kept filled - couldn't ask for more.
Also, the flavor combinations were so good by themselves, we never once asked for soy sauce or wasabi (which I'm totally addicted to when I eat sushi)
SPICY TUNA CRISPY PIZZA: If you like spicy tuna on crispy rice, you are going to LOVE this. Perfect amount of crunch with the rice, nice and spicy and with thin slices of parmesan cheese (not melted) placed on top - such a good combination of textures and flavors
SEARED HAMACHI WITH JALAPENO: New take on again, one of my favorites! I love the buttery texture of yellowtail and then the kick of a slice of jalapeno - yum!
ALBACORE SASHIMI WITH CRISPY MAUI ONION & PONZU: Besides the "pizza", this was the favorite of the night for both of us - mmmmm those onions bits
SEARED SCALLOP W/ TRUFFLE INFUSED MISO & SLICED TRUFFLE: delicate flavors and definitely worth trying
Then, for dessert we tried the Yusu Cheesecake - light, citrus, delicious!
We meant to try the SHITAKE FRITES because they got great reviews, but in the excitement of everything else, we forgot until we were full - guess we'll have to go back again (DARN - lol) -
Review from Kymberly T.
Orange County, CA
7/28/2011
Not worth my hard earned money.
Maybe I'm being relentless but when I came the salad was dead, but I mean the salad leaves were literally soggy and brown. I expect that any respectable establishment and chef would not allow anything of that sort to even be in the kitchen still, let alone on a plate to serve. That was severely disappointing. Also, the fish was bland and definitely not fresh. 1 star for the crappy food, an additional for the awesome decor. -
Review from corinna t.
Long Beach, CA
5/26/2011
LUNCH REVIEW
Fish Quality: 5 stars
Other food quality: 3.5 stars
Value: 5 stars
Service: 5 stars
Ambiance: 5 stars
Would I go back? Yes
We ordered the sashimi combo, tempura combo, and miso Caesar.
The sashimi lunch came with miso soup (with a decent amount of tofu which my po po was psyched about), decent size salad (but not the best flavor I've ever had), rice (nice texture), halibut, salmon, tuna, hamachi, and albacore. The fish was excellent quality, although different sizes, which made me wonder if we were getting the scraps. I guess it doesn't matter since it was yummy.
The tempura lunch had fun things like shiso leaf, shiitake mushroom, seaweed, burdock root, carrot shavings, along with the standard shrimp, sweet potato, etc. Everything was crispy too, not soggy. And the dipping sauce had good flavor as well.
The miso Caesar sounded interesting in theory, but why I wanted to try a variation of one my favorite salads I can not answer. It was sweet, a little soggy, and I could see the anchovies but not really taste them.
Ice green tea was tasty!!
We didn't ever have to ask for refills or for them to take plates. Nice, non-overwhelming service.
Bottom line: stick to the fish. -
Review from Robert S.
4/26/2011 7 photos
Great dinner place for some Real Housewives of OC.
I'm not really sure how I feel about this place. It's a really odd setup in my opinion. The restaurant is located on the top floor of South Coast Plaza (Annex), but it opens up into the mall. It gives you a "food court" feel, but at the same time, this place is kind of classy. My fiancé planned a party for me and 14-16 friends and the restaurant had some trouble accommodating for the large party. We were seated in the corner of the "patio" area, which opened up to the rest of the mall. Since the patio area is small, our group was put at 3 different tables in kind of an L-shape setup. Conversations were awkward, it just felt like 3 groups of people doing their own dinners. I wouldn't recommend this place for large parties.
The food itself was pretty good, but be prepared to shell out some big bucks. I ordered the Albacore Sashimi with Crispy Maui Onion & Ponzu as well as the Agedashi Tofu and Shiitake Frites. My fiancé ordered the Chirashi. The Chirashi was well presented and had nice portion of sashimi. The sushi rice was well made; not soggy and just the right amount of vinegar. The Agedashi Tofu was well made, but the Shiitake Frites was kind of strange to me. It's kind of a fusion truffle fries made with mushrooms. Not bad, just different. Overall the fish was fresh, the food was pretty good, but I'm not sure if this sushi place would be on the top of my list to visit again.
I would give this place 4 stars, but because of the steep prices and open mall setup, I'm going to have to bump it down to 3 stars.
A little about my credentials:
I first got into cooking & food when I was in college. After being rejected by numerous girls and getting zero action, I decided it was time for a change. I needed a new makeover to boost my geeky, engineering image. I applied for a cooking position at a Mediterranean-Italian Restaurant near my home and learned to cook all sorts of pastas and dishes. I never became a professional chef, but I continue to enjoy & love food. 9 years later and 55 lbs heavier, I am now an engineer that travels all over the world trying new foods and learning about different cultures. -
Review from Annie H.
Irvine, CA
7/2/2011
I booked my fiancee' s birthday dinner here, and it was a blast!
Hamamori has a loungey chic feel, and surprisingly is located in the South Coast Plaza ("the other side" top floor). I had booked about 15-20 seats, and the restaurant was very accomodating. It definitely did not have a "mall feel" as the restaurant expanded into the plaza area, yet was guarded by an enclosure which we could not see over when we were seated. There were plush white leather seats, glass tables, all of which combined made for a very tasteful, sophisticated evening.
The food itself was pretty delicious too! Fresh sashimi, unique fusion-style dishes, and lots of neat drinks that really made this place seem like a stand-alone lounge. Parking is convenient as it is free in the downstairs garage.
I would come back again, but only with *posh* people. LOL! -
Review from Emily Y.
Irvine, CA
4/15/2011 1 Check-in Here
I would give this place a 5, but I've found that over the years, the thickness of their sashimi has steadily... thinned. It's a little disheartening, but the quality has remained the same.
I'm a bit hard-headed in the fact that I order the same thing each time I go (namely, the $26 sashimi meal which comes with miso soup and salad with Japanese squash garnishing), but lately, I've sampled their Happy Hour offerings and have been very pleasantly surprised. Their fried shitake mushroom platter was absolutely FABULOUS as was their fried calamari.
I still can't believe it's in a mall, but it's one of my favorite sushi restaurants in Orange County! -
Review from Kay D.
2/23/2011
I was in charge of taking a visiting professor here for a fancy dinner, so we were trying to be somewhat impressive (without breaking the bank!). Hamamori, job well done! It really does give you that metro feel without having to actually go to a big city; it's stuck just inside South Coast Plaza with a sweet view out over the rest of the plaza with palm trees and such.
I was only semi-impressed with the food, but for the sushi dishes the fish was super fresh and high quality for sure. We got there at the end of happy hour (5:30-6:30pm every day), so we ordered a bunch of $3 Kirin draft beers and $5 appetizers at the behest of our guest of honor: crispy calamari, assorted tempura, spicy tuna tower, and sweet soy spare ribs. The tuna tower was great, but we had to order a couple of them because we had 6 people and each appetizer was good for about 3 bites. The ribs were also tasty; the tempura items were meh. We also got some $5 happy hour rolls, all of which were rather mediocre: spicy shrimp roll, California roll, crunchy roll, and the salmon roll.
For the entree I ordered the chirashi (think of it like a bowl of sashimi with rice and such) and the albacore sashimi with crispy maui onion and ponzu sauce...unfortunately my albacore never appeared, but by the time I realized it I was so full I didn't care anymore (and they didn't charge me for it, so whatever). The chirashi was good; the fish was superb! It also came with miso soup and a small salad, which were nothing extraordinary. Other people at our table had the cod and various other sashimi dishes which all looked delightful.
For dessert, some people ordered green tea ice cream and mango sorbet. I passed and just had some hot green tea, which they then brought for the whole table. It was good!
Overall we had a great time and our fancy guest was impressed with us. For 6 people, we spent $400, mostly due to the happy hour I'm sure. I'd probably come here again as long as somebody else was picking up the tab! If you want sushi that is just as good, but much less fancy, I suggest you head to Sushi Wasabi (http://www.yelp.com/bi...).Listed in: OC Register's Top 25…
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Review from Brenda L.
Irvine, CA
9/1/2011
The BEST service...best food!!! Love it! They have a great lunch menu. Agree with KP. ....This place is worth every penny!
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Review from Derick R.
Huntington Beach, CA
10/28/2011
Simply put, if you have not sat at the sushi bar and let James Hamamori just surprise you course after course, you really need to make that happen. Amazing and fresh every time. Thanks to James and the Hamamori gang.
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Review from Trang F.
Huntington Beach, CA
10/2/2011
Pretty good. Love their cal roll. Has special crab meat.
It was so long ago that my husband and I ventured to this place in crystal court south coast plaza. It was pretty empty as I remember it, and the menu was all fancy and intricate in detail for each item. I liked my experience there but I think because of the high prices I don't think I ever had an itch to ever go back. It was a nice dining experience, but I have always thought that I could find something else elsewhere with more comparable prices. -
Review from Alice L.
2/22/2011 1 Check-in Here
My bf took me here for Valentine's for a late dinner as my work schedule was all messed up that day.
We were 15 minutes late and they took us in with no complaints even though it was 20 minutes left until their closing time.
This is located in Crystal Court on the 3rd floor which I rarely go, so it was surprising to see a nice sushi place here. They're also part of the Wasa group so Wasa Sushi and Izakaya Wasa is coupled with Hamamori.
We sat at the sushi bar and ordered 2 items, the Kaede (5 Course Taster $45) and the Sushi Combination ($24 w/ miso and salad)
**The Sushi Combi came first and had 9 different nigiris, a pair of tamago no rice, and 6 pieces of cut tuna roll. Nigiri were Salmon, Tuna, Yellowtail, Ebi, Uni, Eel, Tako, Albacore, Red Snapper.
I usually don't like tamago, but this was very good! Slight sweetness and good texture. The Uni was amazing :D Super fresh, mmm! The rest of the sushi was also fresh and was a decent amount for that price.
After we finished the sushi combi, 10 mins or so later, we were asked by the sushi chef if everything was ok in a tone like.. "would you like anything else?" That's when we realized they forgot our Kaede order xD
The 2 chefs Shane and Yoshi were so apologetic that they gave us freebie appetizers while we waited for the Kaede order.
**Albacore with Maui Onion and Ponzu- YUM. I don't usually like albacore but with the crunchy onion bits and the ponzu, it was very tasty.
**Fried Shrimp- Gigantic fried shrimp with shrimp head (that had EGGS IN IT OMG BONUS) Crispy and yummy.
After those 2 appetizers and the Sushi Combination we were seriously thinking of canceling the Kaede order because we were getting full. But the order came fairly quickly and we weren't disappointed with their cooked foods.
Kaede has:
1. Japanese Mushroom Salad-
I was OK on this as it was the same salad that the Sushi Combination had except there was the addition of mushrooms on top.
2. Appetizer Trio of:
Okaki Coated Jumbo Asparagus
Rissole of Kobe Beef and Foie Gras
Rock Shrimp Tempura with Kanzuri Mis
This looked very impressive when it came out. All 3 of these were fried but not too heavy. Surprisingly I was rather meh on the Rissole of Kobe Beef as it was grounded and just tasted like a glorified meatball.
3. Chef's Choice 4 Piece Sushi
Tuna w/Seaweed Sauce
Scallop brushed with lemon & pepper
Salmon with daikon and ikura
Albacore
Out of the 4, I liked the scallop the best although all 4 were very fresh. The seaweed sauce on the tuna was unique too.
4. A choice between Tamari Marinated Black Cod or Miso Marinated Petite Lamb Chops or Miso Marinated Pork Rib
Since I don't really like lamb and I didn't feel like pork, we went with the Black Cod. Super tender! And the skin was glossy and marinated well.
5. Organic Ice Cream, we chose Mango.
So delicious :D And it came with fruit. It was almost like a sorbet.
Overall the meal was lovely, and chatting with the 2 sushi chefs was very fun. A nice once-in-awhile place as it is fairly pricey. ^^ -
Review from Michelle C.
Orange County, CA
10/1/2011
My husband and I just had dinner here last night. It was our first time dining at Hamamori and although the ambiance and setting was gorgeous and we had a view, the food was just mediocre. I was disappointed. Nothing really stood out to me in terms of their sushi, sashimi, or rolls. Their shrimp tempura was good, but that was about it. Ambiance is classy and modern chic, great service. Just mediocre food.
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Review from Kyle F.
8/3/2011 3 photos
The Man, The Myth, The Legend...I give you James Hamamori and his divine sushi restaurant!
So after having a bunch of conversations with Lica N about sushi, which all stemmed from my going to wasa (where james used to work waaay back in the day) I made it a point to visit Hamamori this week come hell or high water. So today at work, even though I brought my lunch, I really wanted to go here and I asked around and to my surprise everyone wanted to come haha...so the 5 of us travel the whopping mile to Hamamori. The first person who I suggested this to was not a big fan of sushi, and that was because of the few times she went she said the fish was not good and the overall meal really put her off from sushi. I said that you won't have that experience here and just give it one more try and she agreed.
One thing I have to say is this place just oozes elegance and class, good thing I was dressed in my suit for work...idk if sandals and shorts would suffice haha. But even though it is all white and very "fancy" it still has a very warm and comforting vibe to it. You don't have to be worried about having a conversation and someone next to you saying "hush hush" like some other very classy places. 3 of my co-workers ordered he jidori chicken lunch special (which for 14 bucks came with soup, salad, a few sides, rice and a nice portion of chicken...so it was a really good deal). Another co-worker got the edo udon and I probably went a bit over the top, not in my mind though, but hey you only live once. I started with the crunchy prawn roll and 2 order of the tuna and salmon sushi (http://www.yelp.com/bi...) for me and the co-worker who didn't like sushi to split, and the for my "main meal" I got the beef salad which was so not like me.
The crunchy roll (http://www.yelp.com/bi...) was very good and the prawn inside was super crunchy and incredible fresh, my only qualm is that the roll was 18 bucks. I understand prawns are more expensive, but honestly for that amount of money its not worth it...don't get me wrong is a great roll, but 18 bucks is a crap ton of money for it. The other sushi was just as fresh and tasty as I expected it to be...like someone had just caught it when I ordered it (below I really explain how good it was haha). And as for the salad (http://www.yelp.com/bi...), which as I am writing this I am still wondering what possessed me to order it, was really incredible. It was a mix of baby greens on top with a super citrusy ginger vinaigrette and fresh cracked pepper which went so well together. Then under the salad was this super succulent and flavorful beef. Normally I don't do meat with my salad, but there was something special about this one and how everything melded together in my mouth from the citrus to the pepper to the meat juices...all so tasty.
After so many reviews of this place I am sure that anyone reading this knows how exceptional this place is and how high the quality of the food it. But just to add an additional extra oomph to convince you to eat here, one of my co-workers who I ate here with, the one above who had bad experience with sushi and was convinced it was not good, LOVED it. Even though she started off basic with tuna and salmon sushi, she said it was incredible and would now be willing to give sushi another chance. It's already been said over and over how good this place is, but its SO good that it can convince someone to reconsider sushi...I mean what else more can you ask for a restaurant. Next time I come here I'll have to come with my dad and really go all out, or do the omakase, so that I can get the full experience of the fish and jame's creativity.Listed in: My Trip Through Asia Without…
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Review from David T.
Chino, CA
2/18/2011 1 Check-in Here
Dropped by this year for Valentine's and had to make a late late reservation the day of due to conflict in scheduling, but we got in luckily! When we arrived at 8:40PM, we were one of about 5 tables, so they weren't too busy but it was good because it was very quiet. Parking is set in the parking structure nearby the shopping center, so there is usually plenty available. The restaurant is on the 3rd level, and actually shows a cool view of the bridge going across the street as it archs away. Interior decoration is more contemporary with hints of the Asian source, but looked very nice and fit the surrounding area well. Definitely a clean and upscale feeling place.
The servers and sushi chefs were very nice and cordial. We were welcomed by the sushi chefs at the sushi bar, and introduced to the specials by the waitress as she got our green teas. We ordered a Kaede and also the sushi combination, which turned out to be the perfect amount for the two of us. However, the chef forgot to put in the order for the Kaede, and apologetically offered us the special appetizer of the night, a delicious Alabacore Sashimi with Crispy Maui Onion and Ponzu along with fried shrimp heads!
The sushi was delicious, very fresh, and artistically prepared. The uni and salmon was exquisite, and the extremely spongy but firm tamago was served a la carte without rice. The black cod was PERFECT and melted in our mouths.
Its great to be at a sushi place where the chefs will make conversation with you, without being too invasive.
Though its a bit pricey, it was a great place for a pleasant sushi experience! -
Review from Jennifer T.
Anaheim Hills, CA
11/7/2010
I went on Sunday, 11/7/10 around 2 PM and had a terrible experience - and this is my third terrible experience here - I'm the idiot who went back.
- The Japanese waitress sat us, then started talking behind "table 25's" back in Japanese to the young sushi chef. Maybe we are table 25 - but I don't know and I don't care. How unprofessional that the sushi chef and waitress would engage in talking poorly about customers in Japanese? I don't look Japanese, but I speak it fluently, so I heard everything.
- Then, when my mom arrived and we started speaking in Japanese, this waitress ignored us and wouldn't come by our table. (Probably out of shame, but whatever biatch, you still need to do you your job.) She never took our drink order when we were clearly sitting in her section - so we ended up flagging down the other girl - who was the only nice person who works there - who was the only non-Japanese staff member on the floor.
- They were also emptying crates - or whatever you call those things to fill up with glasses - through the store while we were eating. For an expensive sushi place, I think find this unacceptable: a) laugh at customers behind their backs in Japanese; and b) load/unload crates of glasses through the store while people are eating.
- Experiencing major cottonmouth - like the other visits - which is an indication of excessive MSG usage.
- The sushi chef made special effort to cut the fish super thin and there were scales on two of the pieces - total amateur. For such a newbie, the attitude was appalling - he was in the back chatting with the bitchy waitress most of the time while the non-Japanese girl was working and greeting customers. He did not greet any customers - after all - he probably believes this place is just for "stupid americans." High end sushi restaurant? Not if the staff has no class.
For the price ($100+ for 3 people), this was an awful experience. I have been here twice before for business lunches, and it is always like this. The Japanese waiters/waitresses will roll their eyes and act like you are beneath them - treat people like "stupid americans" - I know this Japanese attitude very well and this restaurant epitomizes it.
If you like this place, I wish you could hear what the pretentious staff is saying about you behind your back. I heard a mouthful today and felt the attitude twice before. Today was confirmation that this place is bad vibes.
