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Hanabi Japanese Restaurant
Category: Restaurants Japanese Japanese [Edit]
214 Ward CirSte 700
Brentwood, TN 37027
(615) 376-2380
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 11 am - 2 pm
Mon-Thu, Sun 5 pm - 10 pm
Fri-Sat 5 pm - 10:30 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
31 reviews for Hanabi Japanese Restaurant
Review Highlights
"super fresh and tasty sushi in Tennessee."
(in 26 reviews)
"...everything from sushi to Hanabi's special bento boxes."
(in 5 reviews)
"They have a roll that is dedicated to Nashville."
(in 10 reviews)
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31 reviews in English
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Review from Anna S.
Nashville, TN
12/14/2011
I'm gonna play it straight with you guys: a friend and I made the Brentwood trek for the sole purpose of busting out some chopsticks for Peter's Sushi, only to make the disappointing discovery that Peter observes the Sabbath. Hoping against hope for a delicious alternative, we turned to Yelp for additional suburban sushi suggestions.
We found Hanabi in an unassuming strip mall. The interior was clean and cozy, and the sushi chef eagerly welcomed us to his bar. I gotta say, we were pleasantly surprised! Like Peter's, the sushi was fresh and affordable, and the chef even treated us to a gratis appetizer of fried tuna. The miso soup and pork gyoza were solid, but the sushi's where Hanabi really shines. I eagerly put away delectable hamachi nigiri, a deluxe Philadelphia roll, and a fried something-or-other I can't quite recall.
The best part? The chef wrapped up our meal by presenting us with a painstakingly crafted, Sriracha-nosed reindeer sculpted from an orange.
For those of you who work in the area, I'd check out their lunch special. It's something like $9 and looks like a phenomenal deal!
Pete, you've got some competition. -
Review from Jennie W.
Nashville, TN
1/10/2012
Since I had a birthday coming up, I had to pick out a place that wouldn't be busy on a Friday night, had sushi, and took reservations.
I decided to give Hanabi a shot over the busy and popular Peter's Sushi & Thai after reading previous positive reviews of this place on the trusty Yelp.
I was promptly seated at my table. The restaurant's interior was warm, nice, and cozy. Comfortable and smitten, you could tell that I was looking forward to this because 1) it wasn't crazy busy 2) sushi, hello! 3) birthday dinner!
Sounds wonderful so far? Yes, but hold the phone, I must've stepped into an opposite parallel universe because my experience was not so fab.
The waitress I had was HORRIBLE. Let me count the ways...
1.
My friend asked what was in the Vegetarian roll. She didn't know. She just said to look at the menu and pointed to where the item was. Wtf mate? It's a simple question.
2.
She didn't remember who ordered what when she finally got food for us at the table.
3.
Waitress: (puts down my sushi)
Me (looks at it and points to menu description): Excuse me, I ordered my sushi deep fried. This doesn't look deep fried.
Waitress (points at no raw fish menu symbol): It doesn't have raw fish.
Me: No, no I know that. I'm not asking about that. This isn't fried. (points at asterisk symbol labeled for fried) On the menu, it's labeled fried.
Waitress (points at no raw fish menu symbol): No, it doesn't have raw fish.
Me: Yes, I know, but this isn't fried! (points at asterisk symbol labeled for fried) It's labeled fried.
Waitress (slowly understanding what I'm talking about): Ohh, let me go check.
(She returns and tells me that it's fried on the inside.)
THE BOTTOM LINE: Last time anyone has eaten out at any type of restaurant establishment in his/her lifetime, a good waiter or waitress better deliver good service and know the menu from the top of her head, forwards, backwards, adjacent, diagonally, criss cross, and upside down since that's their job to make a good first impression for repeat business aka makin' bank.
What a shame. She seemed like a nice lady, but clueless to the max.
The only saving grace was the food. I had Tempera Udon and the Bull's Eye sushi. Both were muy delicioso in taste and presentation asking me to reconsider for another visit. Too late. Eek, no thanks. Slow service altogether...it wasn't even busy! I gracefully paid my check and parted ways. Smmfdh disappointed. -
Review from Elizabeth E.
Nashville, TN
12/12/2011
Okay, I have to be completely honest. I only ended up at Hanabi after going to Peter's Sushi on a Sunday and realizing they were closed. Since I had driven all the way from downtown to Brentwood at that point, my friend and I decided to Yelp another sushi option out in the 'burbs...hence finding Hanabi.
You'd never know Hanabi was there (unless you live nearby, I guess), as it is tucked away in a small strip mall. It's unassuming and is nestled in-between a Sal's Pizza and an Edible Arrangements. We walked in and immediately knew we'd found a winner. The interior is warm, inviting and had a nice sushi bar. We chose the sushi bar and were immediately welcomed by the nice man behind the counter.
As we reviewed the extensive menu, with lots of delicious sushi options, the man gave each of us a complimentary taste of something (I think it was fried tuna?). We started off with miso soup (a staple that was carried-out well at Hanabi) and pork gyoza. I have to admit I have had better pork gyoza (PM's is my favorite), but I wasn't disappointed - it was fine.
My friend had some nigiri, we shared a fried roll (I know, I know, not healthy, but delicious), and I had the crunchy shrimp roll (I'm not the most adventurous sushi girl). I LOVED my crunchy shrimp roll - everything tasted fresh and light. The fried roll we shared (the name escapes me) was awesome, too.
Once we finished eating, we stuck around to chat for a little bit and catch up. During our conversation, the man behind the sushi bar once again surprised us with a Rudolph Pokemon carved from an orange for dessert! It was so precious and provided us with that last little bite for our meal.
I can't wait to return to Hanabi and would likely pick it over Peter's! I wish I worked nearby because they have an incredible sushi lunch special for $9. -
Review from Casey H.
Nashville, TN
12/31/2011
Not impressed with their rolls or Shabu Shabu at all. Rolls averaged between $7.95-$12.95. Shabu Shabu for two was $37.95. The server wasn't friendly - didn't flash a smile until she gave us the check.
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Review from Kaleena 'Kala' H.
Nashville, TN
8/24/2011
Hands down, this is one of my favorite places in Williamson County to go to for sushi. The staff is wonderful and the sushi is delicious! I always tend to order the same thing...gyoza, crunchy crab roll, yellowtail roll, soup, and salad. All are so delicious and tasty. The one thing that impresses me is the presentation of the sushi when it is brought to you. They add the sushi on, and also include some decorative things such as garnishes in the shape of flowers and such. It always leaves me in awe and never want to eat, just look at the food and admire it.
I hope to try some of their other dishes soon, such as the noodle dishes. They look delicious on their menu!
This place has definitely won me over. :)Listed in: Sushi!
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Review from Patten F.
Franklin, TN
7/15/2011 1 Check-in Here
I'm fairly certain the owners of Hanabi are either independently wealthy and run this business as a hobby or that there is some secret shady backdealings going on because in the dozens upon dozens of times I've been to the restaurant at all hours of the day and days of the week, the most people I've ever seen in there is 3.
Seriously, a "rush" in Hanabi is 3 people...which I don't understand because it's quite possibly the best sushi I've ever had stateside (and yes, I feel a bit toolish saying "stateside"). I've had sushi in Japan and Hanabi is close...it's not 100 percent authentic, but it's pretty close. So that's why I have the theory that the owners must be independently wealthy, because there is no way they are turning a profit on this place IN BRENTWOOD of all places...
But I digress...
I recommend getting one of their little starter salads, the dressing on it is awesome...I don't like eel and am a little iffy on fish eggs (I can do the little masago ones but not the big hefty ones), so I can't give you any accurate information on those, but I have tried pretty much everything else on the menu...and it's all good.
And despite the double dollar signs up top, Hanabi's prices are pretty competitive with virtually every other sushi place around.
I just wish I knew where the people were. -
Review from Jason T.
Nashville, TN
3/21/2011
I came here a few months ago upon hearing that they serve toro (fatty tuna). I thought the sushi was ok, nothing too special, except that it seems to be one of the few places in Nashville to get toro.
After reading the rave reviews here, I decided to return and give it another try last night. This time, I ordered the tekka ju (bowl of tuna over rice) and a Philadelphia roll. The soup and salad that were included were good. The roll was average. And the tekka ju was sub-par. The pieces of tuna were a little warmer than I was used to and tasted pretty fishy. I had to cover the taste with extra wasabi.
The service and atmosphere are nice, and I'll give them the benefit of the doubt that this tuna was out of the ordinary. I was hoping for a new favorite sushi place due its proximity to my home and the great reviews here, but I guess it was not meant to be. -
Review from C J.
Brentwood, TN
9/21/2011
Great Great Great! I traveled a great deal when I was younger and have been to many sushi places around the country and this place is one of the best. Recently went with a friend who's spent time in Japan and his comment was this was best sushi he's had outside of Japan. Service can be slow, but sushi and staff are great! Go!
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Review from Benjamin S.
Nashville, TN
Updated - 12/13/2010
I still say this place has some of the best sushi in Williamson county/Brentwood. After being a regular here several times I have also had their tempura, soba, udon and bento. All of these items are really, really, good. The tempura is cooked to perfection and the soba, udon and sushi are always flavorful. As for the bento, the variety of items in each box is astounding and the quantity is very filling for what you pay.
If you are a regular at this place, don't be afraid to sit at the sushi bar. If you are lucky, the sushi chef will give you a surprise treat at no extra charge, he gave me an orange craved into the shape of a crab! The staff as a whole is really nice too.
Also, after Sonobana, this place has one of the largest menus I have seen at any Japanese restaurant. This can be good as you have a lot of choice, but for people like me it can also make deciding between so many yummy dishes hard.Listed in: Good for Groups, New To Nashville? Visiting?…, My favorite places for a bite…, Where to go to warm up during…, Best Sushi In Nashville...
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/8/2010
After my girlfriend taking me here many times for meals, I must say, after my number one favorite… Read more »
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Review from Jerry W.
Woodbridge, VA
11/23/2010 1 Check-in Here
Who knew...super fresh and tasty sushi in Tennessee.
We got about 7 different rolls, and every one of them was absolutely fresh tasting and were put together very well.
The service was a little slow, but the taste definitely made up for it.
I don't know what else to say...it was just good...simply good. -
Review from Sasser M.
Nashville, TN
1/10/2011 1 Check-in Here
I am a food snob - I readily admit it. Yet there are places I eat and I can forget the lousy food most of us eat in chain restaurants. Hanabi is one of those. It handily whips the competition and every other sushi place I have eaten at in town.
My wife and I end up fighting over the last piece of the Samurai roll every single time. It's phenomenal! Have you tried the traditional dish that comes on the large river rock? Tasty tasty! -
Review from Peter K.
Pretty damn lackluster.
Not worth the drive from Nashville all the fuck way out to suburbia for serviceable sushi. It's definitely nothing to scream home about.
The season for the 2 stars is the FROZEN toro tuna. We wondered why the tuna came out after all of our rolls. I would imagine it was because it was still frozen and they were trying to defrost it.
Lousy service, wrong tickets, and 1 roll we ordered that never arrived.
On a positive note, both the beef sashimi, and the grilled squid were quite perfect. -
Review from Cher Y.
Brentwood, TN
12/8/2010
As a sushi lover, i was very excited to see that their menu carried more of the authentic japanese dishes in terms of udon soups, bento boxes and a large variety of appetizers. Yes, and pretty tasty too!
Overall, the food is fresh, decent proportion sizes and a clean atmosphere. [update: tried some more of their dishes, and I have to drop it down a star + half, there were some misses in terms of freshness]
Their happy hour is def worth a check out --if you have not been here yet. A great inexpensive way to taste a variety of options on their menu.
Yum yum! I would give it 3.5 stars, just because of the OK service. -
Review from Krash T.
Nashville, TN
9/5/2011
I lived in Tokyo for four years, so I'm fussy about Japanese food. The sushi is consistently good - all right, it's not LA or New York, much less Japan, but it is good - the food is always well presented, fresh, and the restaurant itself is always spotlessly clean. This is also one of the few Japanese restaurants that also does simple stir-fried vegetables. They're good about accommodating allergies and have one of the old Shintomi chefs behind the sushi bar. The only disappointment I've ever found was the gyoza - I have to say, Shintomi's were lighter, and the accompanying sauce was the best I've had in the US. But otherwise, an excellent choice and a well kept secret.
Also, they do "happy hour" sushi and rolls just before dinner time, at a dollar off! -
Review from Michael V.
Brentwood, TN
Great sushi with great presentation. A little pricey and service was decent (2 servers for whole restaurant so not her fault). Will enjoy again.
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Review from Lee N.
Nashville, TN
6/11/2011
This place is a hidden gem. I really enjoyed this place and strongly recommend going. The quality of the fish was excellent and so was the variety. The Bonito and Yellowtail sashimi were both very good.
Ask for off menu specials.
I plan on returning frequently. -
Review from Brandon T.
Kansas City, MO
5/8/2011 1 Check-in Here
Absolutely the worst service I've ever had at a restaurant. It was like we did exist. I recommend avoiding this place unless you have a lot of time on ur hands and if you want to spend it getting ignored.
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Review from Melissa L.
Brentwood, TN
6/19/2010
I discovered this place by accident but it's a hidden gem. I've only been here at dinner time and it's not as crowded as the other places though it should be.
The prices here seem to be better to me than some of the other local places. I love getting bento boxes so I can have a little of everything I want and I find their bento box to have more elements and be a great deal. But I also love their sushi.
The place is clean, quiet and well lit. -
Review from Erin J.
2/20/2009 2 Check-ins Here
I work in Brentwood so I eat here mainly for lunch - although I've taken advantage of their sushi & drinks happy hour as well. They have the best Tempura Udon noodle bowl in town - so yummy. Love it on a very cold day.
My favorite sushi roll is the Morning Sun roll - I love anything with scallops, and this one is just diggity. It's also the only place around Nashville where I've been able to get Toro Nigiri......ooohhhh....melt in your mouth fatty tuna, a true delicacy.
This place is about the cleanest, most upscale sushi restaurant in town. They have a pretty extensive menu that offers the typical Japanese fare - bento boxes, fried rice, edamame, noodle bowls, rice bowls, etc - but they also have some things you won't find anywhere else. Definitely will keep going back here.Listed in: Best Happy Hour, Best Sushi in and around…
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Review from Zach G.
3/4/2011
Mediocre sushi. Udon isn't too bad though.
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Review from Matthew S.
Franklin, TN
3/26/2008
I LOVE this restaurant. I have eaten a lot of sushi in more cities than I care to count. While this is not the best sushi that I have ever had, it is VERY good. Everything is always fresh and delicious. I never have to worry about the quality of the food. Another important area where they excel is the originality of their sushi. You can get a California Roll here, but you can also try one of their interesting house creations or even request something that is not on the menu. Try the Hanabi Roll at least once. It is beautiful and tastes great. And the Miso soup is always made fresh and doesn't taste or look like the "dirty water" instant Miso that a lot of other restaurants try to pass off as soup.
If sushi is not your thing or you are with people who don't want it, its not a problem. Hanabi has a large menu of authentic Japanese offerings to accommodate most picky eaters.
The staff is very friendly and you only have to go a few times before they treat you like a regular and learn your name. I recommend that you sit at the sushi bar. The chefs are quite skilled and very friendly.
I have become a regular here as I feel it is the best place in town to get reasonably priced, high quality sushi. If you go during their "happy hour" you can get a GREAT deal!!!
Update: This is still five stars for me, but there have been some major changes at this restaurant. The staff left and was replaced. They need a little more time to settle in but are still good. One of the sushi chefs left to take on a job in Las Vegas. The head chef is still there and the food is still really good. I will miss my chef though.Listed in: Authentic Food From Around The…, TN Sushi
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Review from Candice R.
Nashville, TN
I really, really wanted to like this place so bad! I do like the atmosphere and the staff but my sushi was just okay. Just something to eat that I will soon forget. I had my old standby, the the yellow tail, and it was mediocre. I also had the ebi and surf clam nigiri; unfortunately all I could taste was the wasabi but the shrimp heads were good. I also had the Parthenon and morning sun. It just tastes like bland rice and some of my fish was a little too dry for my liking. I ended up having to use the soy sauce. The scallop was not sweet, the fish was a little too warm, and the crab salad was dry. I will come again and try something other than the sushi because I still want to like this place!
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Review from Cassondra D.
Spring Hill, TN
Updated - 9/7/2010
After 3 years of going to Hanabi it is still far and away not only my fave restaurant in Nashville area but it stacks up against sushi in Chicago, DC, NYC, Atlanta, Las Vegas, and LA (all places where I've personally had sushi several times). Even after recently moving away from Nashville area you can bet that anytime I'm back in town for a visit, dinner at Hanabi is HIGH on my list!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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4/5/2008
I have been going to Hanabi for about 9 months now and it is the BEST sushi bar in Nashville. I have… Read more »
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Review from matt c.
Nashville, TN
1/17/2008
Pretty good.
The miso soup and peculiarly japanese salads were authentic. We tried gyoza and sake (salmon) teriyaki and both were great. The light flaky panko crusted pork katsu was also very moist and tender inside and its dipping sauce was made perfectly. It would have been excellent if i didn't have to wait 40 minutes for 8 pcs. nigiri, which tasted fine but not outstanding for the wait (it was not crowded).
Second Occasion:
Everything was great. Learned that the owners are Korean. Had gyoza again (pork), very good. For my main course, I had yakisoba which was very good. The sauce had a bit of clove in it, a nice touch. It also came with a healthy pile of shaved dried fish and scallions on the side. -
Review from Mitch S.
Nashville, TN
Updated - 3/28/2011 4 Check-ins Here
Best in Nashville again and again Ishiyaki is a cool dish that's served on a large stone. Panda roll was good.we always start w the Bulgogi appetizer,hit the sushi then dinner.service is usually good here.Always clean and friendly.It's kind of hidden away which is good,very peaceful at night.No one ever rushes you or tries to upsell dishes.Menu is good and easy for everyone.chicken.and.beef are avail.for the non seafood folks and kids still one of my favorite in the us.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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12/12/2010
As good as one can wish for. authentic cuisine,my fav is the ichiban,
Clean friendly,food quality is… Read more »
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Review from Laura D.
11/28/2009
This is the only Japanese restaurant I've been able to try out while staying in the Nashville area but I was really impressed! The atmosphere and the service was really great. Both the host and waitress were super nice and friendly; the waitress was really interested in learning more about Canada after I mentioned that was where I was from and it was really pleasant talking to her. The restaurant itself was also very pretty and very clean.
The food itself was very cheap and it was pretty good. The miso soup and the gyoza were perfect and they had a huge selection of sushi to try from. We ordered a bunch of different rolls and they were all tasty. My only complaint is that the ebi nigiri was a little dry when it was served to us and while I did eat it, I wasn't super impressed with it. I have a feeling that maki is more of their specialty than nigiri or sashimi.
I'm definitely looking forward to going back if I get the chance, especially to try some of their other selections. Maybe I'll try to go for Happy Hour, where they have a lot of rolls and appetizers available for lower prices. -
Review from P N.
Nashville, TN
3/7/2011
This is the best sushi in Nashville for several reasons. The first reason is that the sushi is made by ACTUAL JAPANESE CHEFS! Everything is so elegantly crafted to perfection. The only nigiri that comes close to Hanabi in Nashville is from Tenno.
One of the things that Hanabi has that i have not see anywhere else is the Onigiri. http://en.wikipedia.or...
Try it out!
Personally, I get the Nabeyaki Udon which is fairly priced at $9.95. Overall service is friendly and the old lady in the back can make some dynamite tempura! I love this place! -
Review from Nate C.
Nashville, TN
4/25/2007
wow, what a menu!!! One thing I missed about LA is the good Japanese restaurants. However, that all changed when I found this gem. Hanabi has an extensive menu and their fish is fresh! I live in downtown and tried all those other Japanese restaurants nearby and found them to be mediocre, but Hanabi is a different story. If you are looking for the authentic Japanese food, from Sashimi (sushi) to tempura, look no further per this is your one stop shop for your Japanese craving.
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Review from Robert K.
West Palm Beach, FL
10/3/2008
Hanabi has got to be one of the finer Japanese restaurants in Nashville. To begin, the interior is really nice with good lighting and wood everywhere. I really like the feeling of the place, the décor creates the perfect vibe for sipping hot sake on a cold day. The menu is huge and offers everything from sushi to Hanabi's special bento boxes. I do not like udon noodles in general, but I will eat them here. The sushi selection is plentiful. They have a roll that is dedicated to Nashville. It is called the "Music City Roll" and it is actually pretty good.
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Review from Derek B.
Laveen, AZ
9/8/2010
GREAT SUSHI! just don't veer off of the sushi menu too far. I ordered the chicken skewers and edamame and was not impressed. Also my glass of wine cost as much as the bottle would. However great service, good atmosphere and GREAT SUSHI!!
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Review from Judy N.
Hermitage, TN
8/7/2009
Ok, so the description for 5 stars is Woohoo! As good as it gets!, and in this area, Hanabi is the best sushi you can get. As all the other reviewers have said, the place is immaculately clean. The decor is perfect for Japanese foood and the wait staff is always attentive and polite. I've never been here for dinner but have had lunch at Hanabi several times (I work in Brentwood). I always get one of the Bento Boxes which are MUCH better than pretty much every other Japanese place in town. I've introduced a number of co-workers to this great restaurant and every one of them has loved it. I TOTALLY recommend this place.
