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I am writing to defend my beloved Hanabi. It's beloved b/c I think their chicken teriyaki is the best i've ever had. Plus it comes with their great tofu salad.
Now, for all of you who blasted their sushi i say: what do you expect? Do you really think you're going to get great nigiri for $2 in the lower Haight? It's like going to Danko and complaining it's too expensive. It is what it is. I'll get rolls at Hanabi b/c, to be honest, their nigiri isn't great. But you get what you pay for.
I recommend their stir fried veggies and chicken teriyaki plus their tofu salad and a roll here and there. Don't go into expecting the best sushi of your life b/c that's not what this place is about. Adjust your expectations. It is what is.
Yay!
Added a star for decent ramen and veggie gyoza.
At first I was all criticizing the misspellings in the menu but no, the Vegiten Roll really… Read more »
Not bad. I was craving Japanese food, and this was the only Japanese in the vicinity.
I had a spider roll, and the bento box (with tempura, chicken terriyaki and tuna sashimi). Chicken was cooked well but the terriyaki sauce was too thick; the sashimi was so small I almost missed it altogether. Tempura was good though. The salad in the box was awful but the salad that came with the miso was great.
All up, hard to split between two and three stars but there were enough disappointments I'll err on 2 stars. It wasn't terrible, but I wouldn't go back.
I absolutely LOVE this place! I am surprised it doesn't have better reviews. Their teriyaki chicken is the best I have had in the city. I eat sushi once a week and am hooked on the Fillmore roll. The miso soup is always nice.
The staff is great, super friendly, and will even teach you a couple of Japanese words uopn request. The chef makes all the rolls look nice and pretty. And everything is done efficiently an quickly.
The only downside in my point of view is that they open at 5pm.
Meh, but not in a bad way.
Just average.
When I lived nearby, we would go often. I was never overwhelmed but it was also not terrible. I always got the same stuff, played it safe and it did the job.
I did like the little bit of cucumber and tofu you get before your dinner though...and the service was usually pretty friendly and efficient.
My curiousity has finally been appeased. I have seen Hanabi a handful of time and since I don't live to far away from here, I wanted to know if their sushi were as good to the one that I generally go to. Will, I was disappointed. Their fish were not as fresh however, the prices were cheap and the portions were 4 slice per roll. I ordered the Haight Roll ($4.75)which is shrimp tempura, tuna, avocado and Salmon roll ($4.25), and the Spider Roll ($5.95). My friend ordered 2 tuna hamachi ($11.00), Haight Roll ($4.75), and something else (forgot). (If you order 2 rolls you get a free tofu salad and if you order 3 rolls or more you get the tofu salad and miso soup.) Although, I was impressed with their tofu salad. It was tangy and sweet. It lighten up my taste bud. Also, their tea was delightful. It has chunks of ginger in it.
Would I go back there again? Sure, why not. It's close to my place and they filled my water glass continuously. And I have a rule, any place is good in my book if they fill my water glass without me asking. Plus the people that works there are great!
When my friend brought me here, I honestly did not have very high expectations, considering it was empty with the exception of a couple people, the walls were bare and the restaurant itself was very plain. Upon looking at the menu, I realized that the prices were really cheap and most of the offerings consisted of simple, traditional Japanese food with the exception of a few California-style rolls. We ordered several rolls to share, among them the Alaska roll (salmon, avocado), Fillmore roll (bbq unagi, avocado and tamago), Spider roll (softshell crab, avocado), Rock n Roll (unagi, avocado) and also got complimentary miso soup and tofu salad, which is free if you order three or more rolls.
I was pretty impressed with the quality and overall yumminess of our order. It was A LOT of food!! The tofu salad consisted of fresh tofu with soy sauce and sesame and pickled sprouts and cucumbers. The miso soup was nothing special but still good, and the sushi was really good, in my opinion- plain, but quite tasty! Not bad- especially fo the price! It came out to just unde $30 for both of us... which would only have gotten just a couple of rolls (maybe three at most) at the majority of places, but here it was more than enough to feed two hungry people. I will definitely go back if I am in the area if I am looking for fast service and cheap sushi.
I've started coming here on and off for a while now - it's good value sushi with few surprises but very nice nevertheless.
The bento box meals in particular are great value. $11.96 gets you good miso soup, a delicious tangy tofu salad, a choice of three selections, side salad and steamed rice. All in all I think that's one of the better deals in the city.
The sushi is OK - nothing exceptional but does the job. The vegetable maki rolls seem to pose some problems for the sushi maker since there always seems to be one that's got bits sticking out and falling apart, but overall the taste is fine.
It also has a good sake selection, as well as serving good Asian beer. All in all it's a good evening spot.
I love this place. Okay - so it's not a good SUSHI SUSHI place, but everything they DO have on the menu is good. It offers a warm atmosphere and great music... which is always like smoothe reggae or fun-but-not-annoying-house-type music. The wait staff are all super super sweet too.
On the negative side: the fish tank. It's not dirty, but I try not to ever sit close to it. It's not they don't keep it clean, but every once it a while, you'll see floating fish shit in the tank and it's pretty gross to look at while you're eating. Also, the fish like to suck on the tank walls. Just gross.
Otherwise - I do love this place = )
I love this place and the people who work here. I crave the salad they serve with the sushi all the time. Super cheap too.
I used to frequent this place years ago, back when my husband and I were dating and he lived a couple of blocks away. While it was not the best sushi in town, everything on their menu was reliably good.
We came back the other day to revisit one of the gems of our old hood. While the ambiance has not changed at all (friendly staff, soothing chill-out music), unfortunately, the food has. The quality of the sushi, sadly, has taken a steep decline. The spicy tuna roll was too much sauce and not enough fish. My hubby reported that the salmon nigiri, usually one of his faves, was not up to standards, either. Even the vegetable gyoza, while fairly tasty, seemed to have changed.
Wish I could report more from this place, as it holds a lot of memories of our early courtship. While I'd like to believe they were having an off-night, I suspect their best days are behind them.
I eat here a lot because its usually a good compromise. "indian?" "no, what about thai" "no" "ok, how about sushi?" "fine"
theres not a lot of competition ( i couldn't name the next closest sushi place) and i think based on the quality of the food, this place is over priced, but not a lot.
If you really want sushi, and really don't want to leave the neighborhood, this place is tolorable, but I've never been impressed by anything i've eaten here, and some of the items are not so good.
Minus a star because the lettuce was incredibly watery and combined with the dressing to form a disgusting mess.
Got the Hanabi box, definitely one of the best dinner values in the Lower Haight - for 11.95; you get three (mini) meals, plus two salads and soup.
Not a huge fan of all the tofu in everything.
Nonetheless, decent, reasonably fresh Japanese food.
Don't expect to run from this place claiming it's best sushi you've ever had. Unless, of course, it's your first time. BUT, with this being said Hanabi is good sushi and it's very affordable. Splurge. Get as much as you can eat, and you'll pay $50.00 less than Tsunami.
PERKS:
The people here are always uber friendly, and the music is always strange in a great way.
You are always seated right away and food comes quickly.
The tofu salad and miso soup that are served with 3 rolls per person. Great snack-a-roo while you wait.
Personal Downfall: The aquarium. I love to eat fish, but watching fish swim around while I eat their bodies always gives me the baa-heebies.
I used to live in Lower Haight, and I often make the trip back to the old hood just for Hanabi Sushi. That, and to watch some sketchy shit go down.
Can't go wrong.
i cruised on in with my brother for a quick little dinner.
everything about this place was pretty average (which most see as a very negative remark, but that's not my intent here). prices aren't dirt cheap, but i wouldn't call hanabi expensive. the food was good but not awesome.
For the price, there is no beating this place for sushi and Japanese food. I really like a lot of their rolls as well as the bento box (an amazing amount of food that you won't be able to finish for like 12$).
Also, the Udon is excellent- the broth flavor is amazing.
I live near this place so I have been here maybe 30 times or so. It's been consistent for me and their menu is large which allows for some nice exploration of their flavors.
You're in the Haight, so your choices are very limited if you get the sushi jones. But I actually like this place! Here's what you need to know:
* Order enough rolls and you will get a de-freakin-licious salad and soup. Gratis. That little pickled, salty salad is the best non-fried food I've ever had.
* The music changes nightly. This makes the atmosphere extremely changeable, as you might be listening to house music one night, traditional Japanese music another. Sundays I think they have bossanova, which I like.
* The vegetarian gyoza aren't. That is chicken in there. I have tried to explain this to the nice girls who work there, but suffice it to say, they don't understand the words coming out of my mouth. Just don't order them. Unless you like chicken.
* Taking into account the caveat above, there are very good veggie options here. The ginger tofu roll thing is great.
* The fish is very fresh.
* It's not expensive.
Let's face it. Until someone mines the gold that is Japanese food lovers in the Haight, you need to play the hand you're dealt. Enjoy the salad!
Pretty good. I got some vegetarian udon soup, some veg tempura, a couple veg rolls. Tasty. And it's nice cause they give you this little pickley tofuey salad to start. The servers were super friendly even though I felt one of them watching me and I suspect/know he was watching me eat because I'm the most awkward sushi eater ever and it must have been all kinds of funny to watch this bitch try to eat her roll. Indeed, he laughed at me. But that's ok. I can take it.
Soup was alright, tempura was tempura if you know what I mean (it was good, it was fried, that's all I really expect) and the rolls were alright too. My friend got fishy stuff (at a Japanese restaurant? INSANE) and she really loved it. But she used to live around the corner from here so yeah, she's all loyal and stuff.
Alright baby, alright.
I think you get a lot of food for your money here. Plus if I need a break from the scene at Molotov's or Mad Dog I'll head over here and grab some grub, they're open pretty late. I love the fishtank and I'll sit next to it when I have the chance. Good beef teriyaki. I just realized I haven't been here in weeks. Better remedy that.
On my quest to hit up all the sushi establishments in San Francisco, I made a pit stop here and decided I would not be running back anytime soon.
As others have pointed out, the food here is not sorely lacking, nor is it great. I had a fine meal, and my only complaints would stem from the stifling atmosphere and overly economical dessert.
There is *no* circulation inside, so when you go be prepared for 80-degree heat, still air, and a deadening wave of elevator music/smooth jazz ballads coming through stereo. The floor itself is thin and amplifies lightly padding foot traffic into a stomping rampage of giants.
My dessert was a pre-packaged scoop of mochi ice cream. It would have at least been charming if unpacked and served in a real bowl.
Brocolli tempura rolls!! Yum.
They have a good selection of fish, a good choice for bento boxes, and some good specialty rolls. While I have had other, better nigiri, they are far far far from the worst.
The music has always been unique to say the least, and while some people don't like that, I feel it adds to the ambience quite nicely. A perfect addition to a funky little neighborhood!
This place is cheap but it really isn't any good at all... The miso was the only thing that I liked. My chicken Teriaki was not hot... and was almost cold, I managed to choke some down but I think that they have the chicken cooked and the nuke it before it comes out. Really just lame. Also the sushi was whack and to heavy even for me.
I guess I might give it another go as it was so darn cheap but... not likely. I'll get a sausage down the block.
Hanabi is my local japanese restaurant, they usually have pretty good fish and sushi rolls, their bento boxes are a great deal too. They have super yummy gyozas as well. They only issue I have is when you order your food to go they don't give you enough soy sauce. But that is minor if you have some at home. They usually have some pretty good music playing while you eat as well and a nice entertaining fish tank to gaze at while you wait for your food. Very no frills and Lower Haight!
Wow this is bad sushi. This was my boyfriend's suggestion (and his last) while we were chillin in Lower Haight. He also ate here once with his ex, so I wasn't "feeling" it here to begin with.
The moment we walked into the restaurant, it smelled like Lysol. Uh, that's a red flag for me. But the boyfriend insisted that the place was "good".
We ordered the spicy tuna, yellow tail, Dragon Roll, and some roll with tomato and avocado. One of the rolls was cut diagonal which caused the rice to spill. WTF. The rice was dry and the seafood was "ok", not that fresh.
Granted the entire meal was only $50 for two, but we could have went to the Memphis BBQ or RNM down the street instead.
Anyone that gives this place more than 2 stars . . . you need to go out more.
On the south side of Haight near Fillmore, Hanabi has become my source for Japanese food. Sure I live close to Japantown but Hanabi is convenient, clean, pretty fresh, and pretty good value for money. I've eaten in and taken out---the takeout includes a cup for miso soup and a hefty box for the main course.
Times visited: 4
Hanabi (which means "fireworks") could use some "gunpowder" to take their food up a notch. I mean, it's not exactly bad, but it's not exactly good, either. The service is always friendly and reasonably fast, the ambiance is nice - especially when they are playing the ambient/chill music. And for the price, it's a decent value for Japanese food.
If you want an explosion of flavors, look elsewhere, but if you live in the neighborhood, it's pretty good.
The sushi chef is AWESOME!!! Go butoh go!!!
The sushi, teriyaki, tempura, etc. is all so-so. But the music and location are super, for locals.
AND if you bring your darling child, the sushi chef will make "baby" sushi rolls--littler than usual, and perfect for "little bites" and "little hands."
I had sushi in many, many places, however this is one of the urban places that if you are in love with the city you can't miss this place, experimental and electronic music, some bosanova, samba, jazz, and the sushi is the must.
Looking for urban extravaganza, fuera de la propaganda, keep it real, Hanabi will make it.
I live fricking above this place, so I'm glad it's so good. Overall a good choice for informal, cheap sushi with good music and a friendly atmosphere.
The diamonds in the rough are thus:
Vegiten Roll w/broccoli
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Just tempura'd broccoli and avocado in a roll. One of the best maki I've ever had. I can't place why- it's just amazing. Nutty, rich, deep and one of the cheapest items on the menu.
Crispy Roll
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Nothing but tempura batter flakes and unagi sauce in an inside-out roll. This actually is the cheapest maki on the menu, and combines two of the greatest guilty pleasure items in the world of sushi. Not much substance but a must-have, for the money.
Spicy Tuna Roll
---
Normally I don't go for anything creamy in my rolls, but the mayo-sriracha combo in this roll is totally balanced and on-point, and the tuna, much like most fish at Hanabi, is quite good (the detractors must have come on a bum day).
Tofu "Salad" & Miso Soup
---
These come complimentarially if you order 3 rolls (and you will). The salad contains a few different items, not so much a salad. Yummy marinated mungbean sprouts, pickled daikon, pressed tofu and japanese pickles. Quite sparkly and a great appetizer. The miso soup is of good quality, also.
I don't go much for nigiri or other such niceties here. These rolls do it for me. Overall, it's my home base for sushi and remarkably unfussy. Very worth a visit if you're in the area.
After doing some shopping at Upper Playground, my bro and I were starving and the first open place we found was to Hanabi. We originally wanted Indian Oven.
I was a bit bummed when I wanted to get one of their bento boxes with three mixed items. I thought I could just pick all three to be tuna sashimi. Turns out I couldn't. So I went ahead and got the 15 pieces of tuna sashimi. It was okay.
Our server was really sweet. Really really really sweet. I think she was the best part about the place.
In a word: Meh.
Ambiance was nice, the service so-so. As for the food, I went for the bento box (11.99 with salad, soup, and 3 of a food of your choice). I went for the California Roll (mediocre, with poor presentation), Beef Teriyaki (gooey sauce with leathery meat), and Chicken Katsu. Most of the Chicken Katsu slices weren't bad.
Perhaps if the price were a steal I might be more enthusiastic, but with other excellent restaurants available in the area I would only recommend going here if you're a really hungry local that doesn't want to go more than 3 blocks distance to get some Japanese sushi.
A message to anyone considering opening a new Japanese restaurant in San Francisco: Lower Haight is your oyster!
Even for a cheap neighborhood joint the food is just really bad. I was starving and then took one look at the sushi and lost my appetite. It was not fresh looking, poorly cut, and basically bad. I could probably get better sushi from a supermarket in the prepared foods isle.
I feel a lot of people give this place slack b/c it's a cheap neighborhood joint - please stop - Even for a cheap place the sushi is way way sub par.
Disregard the negative reviews: this place is great. My girlfriend and I had four rolls (all great), two appetizers and drinks and the bill was $36. You'd pay at least double at Tsunami and the food would be no better.
I highly recommend this place. In addition to the tasty food and great prices, it's simply laid out and doesn't feel the need to be "hip". The staff is incredibly nice and helpful.
We love it. You will too...(unless you're a hipster, in which case you should hit Tsunami).
really tried to like this place since it's one of the only sushi spots in this neighborhood but it wasn't very yummy :( i am also the type to eat pretty much everything but i just couldn't do it here! i'd much rather trek to the mission and visit my trusty old yo yo sushi for the more 'budget' type of sushi. or just spend the freakin money to go to tsunami!!
Very mediocre and unimaginative sushi. The handroll I got was soggy and falling over out of its stand. The ikura tasted like the caviar has been sitting out for a few days. The rest of the fish was adequately fresh, if somewhat flavorless.
This is definitely not the place for the sushi connossieur. However this is somewhat offset by the cheap prices and the place's proximity to the Toronado. Good for sushi-ing? Eh, not really. Good for stumbling in drunk and satisfying a handroll craving? Yes!
I LOVE this place. It's rare to find a sushi place with a lot of yummy vegetarian options, but Hanabi does it and is reasonably priced.
It's fun to go in, or just do take-out. I recommend the crunchy roll.
The food is very mediocre. It's not the most pristine sushi joint.
But here's why I like this place...The adorable beret-wearing old Japanese man. The fact that it's 2 blocks from my home. The young rocker guy who makes the sushi and plays weird electronica. The service is good.
Here's an update on my Hanabi experiences:
I was walking by the lil' sushi joint while the hip young guy, WHO MAKES THE SUSHI, was locking up the front door. His pants were sagged oh so damn low. As he was fiddling with the lock, his shirt lifted by like half and inch and OUT CAME HIS BUTT CRACK! The man who makes your sushi does not wear underwear. At least on that particular day he was totally going commando.
That's a deal breaker...3 stars to 1. I'm not going back there for a LONG time.
This is a good place to get sushi on the fly. And if you like cucumber and avacado you will definitely be in the right place. All the rolls have this.
The sushi is fine. Its not the best place to have it, the rolls often fall apart, but they are still good. Fish is pretty fresh.
Its a Mom & Pop place. I remember the Pop from another sushi restaurant I frequented in the Richmond years ago when I lived over there. He is super sweet.
Service is good. Love the salads that come with the sushi.
If you want it to go they always say 10, minutes. Give them 15-20.
Another cute neighborhood sushi restaurant!
They play very good music here, but the sushi is just ok. They have a decent selection of rolls, but it's wrapped in a heck lot of rice!!! I was disappointed in how little fish they give you.
We had:
-Fillmore Roll: avocado/cucumber/b.b.q eel/ tamago
-Spider Roll: avocado/ cucumber/soft shell crab tempura/ tobiko
and some nigiri pieces.
I have to say the people watching here was excellent (along with the music), even if the food was just ok. The fish was fresh, just too much rice for my taste!
I eat here about once or twice a week. There's never a wait and they are open late.
Their box deals are nice, you can order 3 of the items for 11.99. They offer lots of little dishes for free and I always leave here satisfied-- all for about $20. Their sushi is about a 3.0 but their extras bump it up .5 to 3.5 and I rounded down;)
Happy Hour Draft Beer $1.75!
Neighborhood: Nob Hill
99 cents beer & hot sake
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Neighborhood: Lower Haight
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