Based on the obnoxious attitude I got from the waiter, I expected it to be for a reason - like maybe because the food there was really THAT good. Well it wasn't. In fact, I would go as far as to say that it was two raw squid short of a bitter disappointment. It would have been preferable to have had a meal that didn't taste eight days old, but hey, what can I say? This isn't a perfect world. God forbid, I asked my waiter what some of their specialty rolls contained. He looked at me like I'd just asked him to commit mortal sin. With an irritated sigh, he grabbed my menu and flipped it over to the other side, slammed his scrawny pointer finger against the flimsy plastic menu, and said, "Um, right there. That's where you'll see what's in our specialty rolls." Then, after rolling his eyes, he pranced off toward the kitchen. I wanted to backhand him, but against my better judgment, I refrained. From that point on, we quietly referred to him as "Adolph." A friend and I split edamame, eel sashimi, and some kind of spicy salmon roll with (brown) avocado. (No, THAT didn't ruin my appetite at all...) My experience with each was as follows: Edamame: Tasted faintly of warm gym socks, if I had to take my closest guess. Not recommended. Eel sashimi: Eh. Nothing fantastic, but not wretched either. Just kind of...unexciting. Next. The random yellowfin tuna roll that neither my friend nor I ordered. It just kind of showed up out of nowhere. At first, I thought it could've been a guilt gift from our disturbed waiter, but after catching him glaring at us from across the room at that very moment, I decided against taking a bite. Yeah, the tuna was a bit sketchy. Spicy salmon roll with brown avocado: Need I say more? Kind of ruined my day. Check please. Oh yeah - and even that was overpriced. I would only recommend this place to sworn enemies, or to people who enjoy being treated like rejected stepchildren. I will never go back again. read more

My dear fellows, I recently had the pleasure of visiting a quaint little sushi establishment that I simply must tell you all about. The experience was simply marvelous, and I do believe it was the finest sushi I have ever had the pleasure of consuming. Upon entering, the decor was tasteful and elegant. The seating arrangements were comfortable, and the ambiance was conducive to a lovely meal with dear friends. The staff was exceedingly polite and courteous, providing a most pleasant dining experience. But let us come to the main event, shall we? The sushi was simply exquisite! The fish was fresh and of the highest quality, and the rice was cooked to absolute perfection. Each roll was a work of art, and each piece was crafted with such precision and attention to detail that it was truly a feast for both the eyes and the taste buds. The wasabi was just the right amount of piquant, and the soy sauce was the ideal accompaniment to the sushi. The ginger was delicate and added just the right hint of sweetness to each bite. I simply cannot recommend this sushi restaurant enough, my dear fellows. It is truly a hidden gem, and I do hope that you will all have the opportunity to enjoy a meal there soon. It is the epitome of fine dining and a true testament to the culinary arts. read more

Hama Sushi is a hidden gem for sushi lovers who appreciate fresh, high-quality fish without the frills of a high-end omakase spot. The restaurant offers a cozy, no-nonsense dining experience with an emphasis on traditional sushi flavors. Food: The sushi here is incredibly fresh, with standout pieces like toro, uni, and yellowtail that melt in your mouth. Their hand rolls are simple yet flavorful, with just the right balance of rice and fish. The miso soup and other small dishes complement the meal well. Service: The staff is friendly and efficient, though it can get busy during peak hours. If you're sitting at the sushi bar, the chefs are usually happy to chat and make recommendations. Ambience: It's a small, casual spot with a classic sushi bar vibe. Don't expect anything fancy this place is all about the food. Pricing: Reasonable for the quality of fish you're getting. It's not the cheapest sushi spot, but you're definitely getting value for your money. Overall: If you're looking for excellent sushi in a relaxed setting, Hama Sushi is a fantastic choice. Just be prepared for a possible wait during busy hours it's popular for a reason! read more

Yay! My first review, and I'm happy to give it to Hama Sushi!! I came here for the first time last year for my birthday, and remembered how much fun I had, so I came back for a try at the Happy Hour bar. The food and prices blew me away! Awesome food that doesn't hurt my wallet :) Love the popcorn shrimp and rice cakes. These are a must try! I remembered a couple rolls from my birthday night, and ordered those as well. Warning: Red Devil Spicy Roll is CRAZY Spicy! If you can't handle Habanero spicy, then go for the Green Devil, it's milder. The Crab Cake roll just rocks, and is by far the best in the west! I recommend this place for a few reasons: Killer atmosphere - Lots of fun to people watch, chill and mingle Great service - I must have had three servers attend to me, but they all were very nice, and fast Prices - Happy Hour menu = Fabulous Deal Food - I learned that Hama has been in business for over 30 years. That's awesome, and it's no secret why. I'd probably be hitting this place everytime I come out to the westside. Thanks Hama, I'm definitely a fan! read more

As a Venice resident I've been going to Hama for several years, but recently I have been pretty disappointed with this local spot. Hama has always had good quality sushi and a good atmosphere which had brought be back despite the above average prices. The last few times I have been however, my experience has been less than satisfactory to say the least. Last night, we came in with a group of friends and probably had one of my worst experiences to date, primarily due to the overall lack of service and value. They were clearly short staffed last night and since we were a group of 6+ our tip was included in our bill, so those folks working had even less incentive to take care of us. If you do want sushi in Venice I suggest Hama for couples or small groups, but would stay away with groups of 6+ as the patio can get cramped and your service may suffer. read more

I. LOVE. TUNA. PEPPERCORN. STAKE!!!!!!!!! I went there to have Strawberry roll and Green Devil Roll after I read everyones review,and I did. My BF eats sushi but since he is not sushi lover like me,he was looking at entree section,which I thought is dumb thing to do at Japanese restaurant,since there is sooo many other little thing you can order! I was wrong. I tried this tuna peppercorn and I LOVED it! I love the sauce whatever they use... I mean,peppercorn obviously,but whatever they do,I can just eat rice and the sauce... Oh,I liked my rolls too though...good thing is that they were having strawberry rolls for half size as weekly special.So I had both strawberry and Green devil roll. Some review says Hama is not cheap,which is true,but it's pretty filling and out bill wasn't too bad considering we order rolls and entree(and some sake ; ) !) read more

Hama is like the heart of Venice. There's always a great ambience to the place. We like to come to hang out with the locals, and often see a celeb or two. It has it's own character, and I think that's what makes it so popular. The place is bigger than what you think when you first come. There's an outside-like patio w/ a bar or you can choose to sit inside w/ the sushi bar. The staff is pretty friendly, but what makes us come is of course the FOOD! Our faves: Hamachi Kama (Yellowtail collar w/ ponzu) YUM! Red Devil Roll (OMG... if you like spicy... try this one!) Venice Roll Popcorn Shrimp Chilean Seabass (MELTS in your mouth... soo darn good!) Lobster Dynamite Ika (Octopus, addicting) Tempura icecream (we always get the capuccino) Really close to the beach, chill, an excellent place in a great town. read more

Normally I have a great experience at Hama. However for those calling in be very careful around nomenclature of "roll" versus "sushi". We called in an order which we thought was appropriate for 2 people and were told by the hostess it would be sufficient. However, upon arriving to pick up the food we were severely disappointed that the order was all sashimi items which was not nearly enough food. Keep in mind, there is a whole section on sashimi which we did not order from. I had to order an additional separate order to make up for the shortfall. I just think Hama can handle the confusion around the phone ordering better and improve the customer service significantly in this regard, as when I made the aforementioned point the response was "tough luck, order more" read more

I have been coming to the restaurant about three years now, and I really like hama! First a friend of mine took me here, and I became a fan! Right side(outside) and left side (inside)of the restaurant have totally different atmosphere. Outside is more casual, and if you want to experience more authentic Japanese sushi bar dining, sushi bar inside would be perfect! The food is great, strawberry roll is my favorite. Super veggie roll is also amazing and good for vegetarian or people who don't eat fish as well. I have been using the restaurant for friends gathering, birthdays, graduation dinner, taking friends from out of town, and it has been great. Owner Esther is very friendly and caring. She always says hi to me every time I go there. Great restaurant. read more

I don't know why my first review is not showing on yelp, but I thought I'd update my review for Hama since I was there last night for happy hour. My co workers wanted to cool off from the heat wave so we ordered their house cold sake. The server brought us the ice cold sake in a really long wooden bamboo stick! She expertly poured us our drinks, and since we ordered practically everything on the happy hour menu, we had to order some more of the bamboo sake! My friends were very impressed, and we are sure to come back for another round soon. From the happy hour menu, we especially liked the popcorn shrimp and spider rolls. read more

A friend and I came by here the other night because we were craving Sushi. Over the years I have come here many times to satisfy such cravings. On this last trip I was really disappointed with their sushi. Usually they have very fresh and exceptional sushi. This last time however the sushi seemed below average, and not what I would expect from Hama. The service that particular night was also on the slow side. I have always enjoyed coming here for sushi, and I will continue to come here as long as I don't have too many more experiences like this last one. Hopefully next time I will have a better dining experience. read more

We visited Venice a few months ago and ate twice at Hama Sushi. We had a 'Great' meal both times, although I'm not a Sushi fan, it was super. Our waitress, a cute blond named Blair did a super job suggesting things and the Sushi Chef, can't remember his name, tall and friendly made us what she ordered for us. The food and staff were top notch. We had a Salmon roll, strawberry roll, spicey tuna and some great vegatables that the waitress suggested. We plan to return on our next visit and have told friends that live in the area about the restaurant. read more

Let me tell you something! This place is fantastic! the atmosphere is unbelieveable. Outside is the best place to sit! When i went they were play a old movie in the background. My friends and i had a great time, with a great happy hour! Miranda our waitress was absolutely amazing. She was attentive and never hard to find. She was very knowledgeable about the wonderful sushi. I think the owners are always there and the woman is a host and she is such a sweet woman! Check it out for a good time read more

I usually don't hang out in Venice much, but a friend recommended that I try this place. Its in the round circle area, which was a bit hard to spot. The place had a small patio sitting with a long bar interior, which made it cozy. They had variety selection of sushi rolls, executed with excellent taste. The Chef's special dishes were the best - extinguish taste and love the presentation of the plates. Good date spot or a night with friends for some japanese bamboo sake. read more

I'm a regular at Hama, but haven't "yelped" them in awhile. Had yet another great evening at Hama this past weekend. We enjoyed the oysters (small ones), the Temptation Roll, and of course SAKE!!! We were also at Hama last week for a great charity event which blew us away! We were proud to know that a percentage of our dinner was donated to the cause. This place is just a great place to go to whether you're having a party, a date, or just hanging out with friends. read more

The sushi were not exactly the best you will ever had so don't set your expectation too high. However if you are looking for a great environment to hang out with friend and have weekend happy hours, then visit this place. This place is at the Venice circle, 10 steps to the beach. Moe's Kitchen is right next door but I would go there. over priced. Anyway, I will recommend Hama Sushi to everyone. Is inexpensive and laid back. :D read more

Each time I experience Hama, there are new and exciting dishes for me to try. I highly recommend the Yummy Roll, or the Shiso Lemon. The service has been nothing short of spectacular, and they have also added late night happy hour on the patio bar from 10-close. I would highly recommend this establishment to anybody who loves sushi first of all, and secondly loves to try new things. read more

Just flew in this afternoon and decided on sushi tonight. I was recommended here by my hotel. I sat alone at the bar but there were couples and small groups here. It's quick, efficient, friendly, easy and most importantly has excellent sushi and good sake. Thus place is a no brainier, use yours and enjoy. Pls like if this helped and subscribe. read more

Hama is an institution! The service is good and the staff is lovely. Also, the food is delicious. There is a reason Hama has been around for over 40 years! I like the patio as the bar area always good for people watching and they have large screen TV's but they don't distract from enjoying your dinner. Hope they are here for another 40 years! read more