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    Hakkai Nigiri Bar & Tapas

    4.6 (171 reviews)
    Closed 11:30 am - 2:30 pm, 5:00 PM - 9:30 PM

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    HAKKAI NIGIRI BAR & TAPAS ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Hipster
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    Good for groups
    Dogs allowed

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    Beef Kushiyaki
    May L.

    Friends took me here to celebrate my birthday on a Friday night. Our party of four sat at the bar near the sushi chef. The place was very clean and modern-looking. Since it was my first time here, my friend ordered for us because she is a regular. We started with several appetizers to share, including beef skewers, garlic shrimp, fried squid tentacles, garlic shishito peppers, fried eel, and beef tartare. All of the appetizers were delicious except for the beef tartare, which was a bit overcooked. Next, we had various nigiri, all of which were very tasty. As a woman, the cleanliness of the restroom is important to me, and I was pleased to find that it was very clean. There were a few parking spaces outside, so parking was not an issue. I will definitely come back to try other items on the menu. All of the staff, including the sushi chefs, were very nice and friendly.

    Nigiri and maki
    Erika C.

    First time here. 3.5 rounded up. Some interesting dishes. I liked the duck and salmon dishes, both were great. The vibe here is slightly night lounge-y, which was weird during a weekend lunch. I think maybe they could brighten it up a bit and turn down the dance beats during the day as it feels a little sad when there are two tables there in that vibe with a bit of sunlight streaming in. Service was all right, they did what was needed but weren't particularly friendly. Easy parking in the lot. Wouldn't mind coming back but wouldn't go out of my way.

    Jenny L.

    3.5 stars Made reservations, but they couldn't seat until 30min after our reserved time. Music was overly loud. The fish was good, but sliced overly thin. Out of everything I ate, I liked the scallops I ordered. Hokkaido uni tasted a little fishy for me. Rib eye wasn't good quality, but the garlic and brussel sprouts were tasty. With so many options for sushi in Bay Area, not sure I'd return.

    Sharon S.

    When our dining partners suggested Hakkai to check-out, I jumped at the chance! Where else offers a 7-pc nigiri plus hosomaki combo for $25? Upon arriving, the outside of the restaurant has a dark, nightclub feel to it. Inside was bright and trendy. The place was pretty packed but we had reservations so were seated right away. Three out of the four of us got the nigiri combo. We also ordered anago tempura, garlic shishito, beet salad, beef kushiyaki, karaage. To quench our thirsts, we ordered the fun sake flights. Service was excellent. The owner stopped by for a friendly chat and offered to take our photo for the wall. We politely declined. Overall, it was a good first experience. The pieces in the nigiri combo are quite small, so beware if you have a big appetite. The menu is not too extensive so set your expectations accordingly. Come here for some sake and small bites, but not for a full-on hearty meal.

    Chawanmushi
    Cartier K.

    Came here for a date night and had a lovely experience! Cozy nigiri and tapas bar vibes with tvs. A large variety of delicious menu options, from hamachi carpaccio to sizzling ribeye, $35 nigiri combo with tuna roll to Hokkaido uni. The chawanmushi & mentaiko udon were my favorite. Attentive and friendly staff.

    Henry S.

    Just tried Hakkai Nigiri Bar & Tapas and honestly, it's a great addition to the San Carlos sushi scene. The biggest highlight is the freshness of the fish--everything tasted clean and high quality, especially the nigiri. You can tell they put effort into presentation too; simple but very well executed. Their tapas-style dishes are a nice twist from a typical sushi spot--definitely worth trying a few to share. The vibe is more on the quiet, intimate side, which makes it a solid option for a date night or a relaxed dinner. Service was friendly, though timing can be a bit slow when it gets busy, so just don't go in expecting a super fast meal. Pricing feels reasonable for the quality, especially compared to other spots in the Bay Area. The sake selection is also a nice bonus if you're into that. Overall: fresh fish, thoughtful dishes, and a chill atmosphere. Not flashy, but definitely a place I'd come back to.

    Nigiri Combo Chef's Choice
    Alli W.

    We came by for dinner right when they opened so didn't have to wait for a table. Ambiance: 5/5 Dark lighting inside so it's perfect for a date night or even for a hangout with friends. I appreciated how the restaurant didn't smell like fish like some other sushi places. Service: 5/5 Friendly and efficient. Quick to refill our water, pick up plates, and fulfilling our check. Food: 3.5/5 $25 for 7 pieces of nigiri (assemble your 7 or chef's choice) -- if you're a sushi snob like me, you'd agree that these are perfectly regular-sized nigiri. Rice to fish ratio was perfect. Sushi rice was good. I personally didn't think there was much flavor to each though. Hotate butter - Pretty sure this was 1 scallop that was cut into 4 pieces. I didn't think arugula worked well with this dish. Kamo rosu - The sauce was good but the duck was a bit dry to my liking.

    Nigiri Combo (Bluefin Toro, Akami, Hamachi, Shiro Maguro, Sake, Sake Toro, Hotate)
    Sophia H.

    Came here for lunch today. We arrived at around 12:30pm and were seated immediately. There was no wait. There were a few other groups inside, and the restaurant was softly lit, making for a quiet, relaxing lunch. My bf and I each ordered a Nigiri Combo and opted to choose our own selection of nigiri. I went with Bluefin Toro, Akami, Hamachi, Shiro Maguro, Sake, Sake Toro (+$2), and Hotate (+$3). The presentation was beautiful, and the rice-to-fish ratio was perfect. The fish quality was good and tasted fresh. We also ordered a side of Brussels Sprout and the Mentaiko Udon. The brussels sprouts were crispy and well-seasoned. The udon was garlicky and yummy. We enjoyed both. The food came out pretty quick after we placed the order. I was pleasantly surprised.

    Duck breast
    Judy C.

    Great option for sushi and Japanese tapas on the Peninsula. Word is just getting out now so the wait times aren't too bad yet but given the relatively affordable prices here, not sure how long that will last. Parking was available but I got one of the last spots in the lot. I came on a Friday night and made a reservation in advance. Still had to wait an additional 10-15 minutes and the only available seating was at the bar. Everyone ordered one of the nigiri omakases. It's a steal at $25 for 7 pieces of your choice plus a small roll. The fish is pretty good quality and the nigiri well made. The caveats are: 1) half of the fish cost extra and can add up easily 2) the nigiri is on the smaller side and the fish is on the thinner side. We also ordered a duck breast to share. It was tender and perfectly cooked although I didn't care much for the canned mandarin slices on the side. That being said, these small nit picks make sense in the context of the relatively affordable prices and won't deter me nor a lot of other people from coming back.

    Charae P.

    Hidden gem, quiet plaza, plenty of parking... this new sushi spot is quality sushi/nigiri infused with Spanish tapas style food! Many drink specials to choose from too! We sat in the private room area, which is large enough for a smaller private party. Service was accurate and fairly quick. Prices are a bit high ghc Our fave was the Toro roll and shishito peppers!

    Mimi D.

    I came on a Friday night and luckily there was a short wait. We sat at the bar and ordered the sashimi, mentaiko udon, and a side of rice. The sashimi was fresh and I loved every piece. The mentaiko udon was also very delicious. More on the dry side and not too salty. However, we felt like the sushi rice had too much vinegar. Other than that, I would come back to try other appetizers, the $25 nigiri combo, and I want to try their beers! The owner and sushi chefs are very attentive and nice. Parking was decent. They have a room if you want a private party.

    Hamachi Kama
    Nini M.

    Here to celebrate a birthday and we were put in a semi private room which was nice! Not sure if he's the owner, but the one who greeted us was so welcoming and kind and funny! He immediately made us feel comfortable. We ordered a lot of things and he recommended a lot of things and it did not disappoint. We got the shishito peppers, hamachi Kama, carpaccio, brussel sprouts, waygu steak, etc. their 7 piece nigiri is sooo worth the price! You can do chefs choice or choose your own 7. Some nigiri's cost a little more but totally worth. The fish was fresh and perfectly cut. I got the Mentaiko udon and it was delicious!!! Their o toro was melt in your mouth type!! So good. We will definitely be back. The service was great!!

    mango mochi
    Vanessa C.

    I came here with a friend recently on a rainy day and was greeted with warm faces, warm tea, and great sushi. I'm not sure how long this place has been around, but I've recently discovered it and it's a new favorite of the area. I always appreciate a sushi place that serves shishito peppers and takes the time to remove the stem. The seared steak tartare was bright, flavorful, and delicious, and accompanied with taro chips. We also had the nigiri combo, which came with a roll, and then added an additional seared tuna roll, which was absolutely delicious. We finished our meal with the mango mochi, which I absolutely recommend. All in all, the restaurant was actually a pretty good size and held a lot of people, but we went on a very quiet weekday night. We'll have to come back and try the sizzling ribeye it smelled absolutely delicious as we were leaving.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

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    Hakkai Nigiri Bar & Tapas Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Hakkai Nigiri Bar & Tapas

    How many people can your private room hold?

    Hi dear The private room can hold about 20 people

    Do you have gluten free options?

    Hi, thank you for reaching us, have gluten free soy sauce for sushi and sashimi:)

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    Noelani's Island Grill

    Noelani's Island Grill

    4.0
    (1.4k reviews)
    0.7 mi
    $$
    Outdoor seating
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    We had our daughters baptism lunch here (party of 15) and had such a great experience! First off-…read moreNoelani communicates quick & efficiently if you send an email about a larger party. I felt taken care of before the lunch had even happened. The lunch itself was great- we did family style food and everyone loved it from the appetizers to the entrees and yummy sides. You really feel like you're in Hawaii on their back patio! Maria was our server and did a great job handling our group. Forever a special memory for us! We did the chicken lumpia (amazing), spring rolls and coconut shrimp as appetizers. Beef short ribs, chicken katsu & teriyaki chicken as entrees. Wouldn't change a thing on the menu we chose. It also comes with rice, salad and macaroni salad. Thank you Noelanis!!!

    I anticipated this would happen, but dining at Noelani's makes me miss Hawaii so much. I truly felt…read morelike I was in Hawaii and not the Bay Area once we settled down and ate. FOOD: 9/10 DRINKS: 9/10 SERVICE: 9/10 AMBIANCE: 10/10 What we ordered: Island Sliders (Spam, Kalua Pork, Katsu) Fish Tacos Pork Belly and Pineapple Bites Lilikoi (Passionfruit) Margarita Mai Tai FOOD: 9/10 The food is flavorful and yummy, as well as served hot. Of all the things we ordered, I think my favorite is the Katsu Sliders, which shocked me because I am not a fan of katsu lmao as it is normally underwhelming, respectfully. DRINKS: 9/10 The drinks are yummy, and you can definitely taste the alcohol in the best way possible. Strong, but not to the point where it overpowers the different flavors within the drink. The garnishments for the drinks are the cutest! SERVICE: 9/10 The staff are very friendly, attentive, and served the food at a decent time, considering how packed they were getting. AMBIANCE: 10/10 My absolute favorite. Everywhere you turn, there is a piece of Hawaii in every aspect of this restaurant in unique and eye-catching ways. The live music is my favorite and very good! I love all the island reggae hits sung as well as covers of different popular hits. I would say the ambiance and live music are what make me feel like I am in Hawaii for sure. You definitely feel the Aloha spirit out here!!!

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    Covered Back Patio Space
    Covered Back Patio Space
    Can't Choose Just One Thing, get the "Hawaiian Mix Plate"
    Can't Choose Just One Thing, get the "Hawaiian Mix Plate"
    Vegetarian options available "Thai Noodle Salad"

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    Vegetarian options available "Thai Noodle Salad"
    Dumpling & Dough

    Dumpling & Dough

    4.4
    (158 reviews)
    0.9 mi

    Very fast service, several healthy options, great for families and low-key…read more Came here after kids' sports events and it was perfect. The greens and dumplings are amazing and portion sizes are generous. Some of the dumplings are not freshly made there and are made from frozen packs.

    If you're on the southern part of Laurel, you will find Dumpling and Dough. There is quite a bit of…read morecompetition on this street, but Dumpling and Dough did not disappoint. There is a bit of fusion going on here and I did order accordingly. Service was pretty decent. They were prompt to get water out to me and checked in appropriately when I needed anything. I ordered Thai Papaya Salad, Beijing Pot Stickers, XLB Pork soup dumplings, and the pan fried Pork Buns. In general, all of the foods had wonderful texture; especially the pan fried pork buns! The papaya salad was well put together and nicely made. I am a sucker for papaya salad in general. The pan fried Pork Buns were my favorite thing I had. They perfectly cooked them and had plenty of "juice" in them. I've gotten better and being patient and waiting for them to cool down a bit so I don't burn my face off. Haha The potstickers were pretty good. I really appreciated the crisp sides that helped hold their structure together. The XLB also were made well. I felt like they had plenty of soup in them. The place itself was clean and the vibe was pretty chill in there. I did go around an hour before they close. I actually appreciated the vibe as I was trying to relax. Overall, I would give this place a B+. I do want to come back and try more items. Some other tables had some fun things I'd order including the tea!

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    Fresh-made dumplings
    Fresh-made dumplings
    Redbean piggy bun inside
    Redbean piggy bun inside
    Pea sprouts

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    Pea sprouts
    Sushi Kazoku

    Sushi Kazoku

    4.5
    (281 reviews)
    0.6 mi
    Casual dining
    Vegetarian friendly

    I tried to come here Friday night but there were people already waiting out the door so we didn't…read morewant to wait and went elsewhere. Today I was able to meet my friend here for lunch and since it was a weekday we got a table right away at noon. To our pleasant surprise there was a lunch special offered at the back of the menu. For $17 you can a item from column A then B. I went with teriyaki beef (+1) and gyoza. The lunch special came with rice, tea and miso soup. I order the yuzu drink too. Everything was so yummy! The decor is cute with many lucky cats near the entrance and around the sushi bar. Near the back there is a huge display kawaii, anime and robotech figures. I can see kids enjoying looking at them. Looks like they have a private room option that is narrow and long with many 2 seater table side by side, maybe they open it up when they get busy. They have a parking lot that can exit through the back is what my friend told me but I found street which has a 2 hour limit. I saw a car with a parking ticket so I'm guessing they do enforce it. I had got there early so I checked out the super cute Bird Garden store next door if you have time to kill

    I am usually wary of Japanese restaurants run by Chinese staff, as they decrease the authenticity…read moreof the restaurant. I still would not consider this restaurant authentic, but I did enjoy the semi-Americanized Japanese food. My family shared: * Lion King roll: snow crab and avocado topped with baked salmon, spicy aioli, tobiko, scallion, and unagi sauce * Papillon roll: hamachi and avocado topped with seared hamachi, jalapeno, spicy aioli, and ponzu sauce * Salmon teriyaki * Tonkatsu cutlet * Chirashi bowl 1 star off: The only item I did not like was the Butterfly roll because the spicy tuna was way too spicy. The best deal is their lunch special bento boxes. A protein entree comes with a small maki sushi, salad, and miso soup for $17.

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    Sushi Kazoku
    Sushi Kazoku
    Sushi Kazoku

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    Hakkai Nigiri Bar & Tapas - sushi - Updated July 2026

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