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I like the concept of a nice kaiseke place with a set menu that's not that too expensive and not far from home since I sometimes don't want to drive into SF or down further in the peninsula to get higher end Japanese. The servers are very nice and attentive but sometimes they forget to tell you what you're having. Most of the food was good and presentation was very good, although a few items weren't that exciting to taste for me. So for about $80pp without drinks, you get a filling 4 course meal with a variety of Japanese cuisine and techniques that you don't get at your everyday sushi bar or izakaya restaurant. It's worth a try to decide for yourself. A solid 4 stars for me.
DISAPPOINTED 3.5 Good friends were back visiting the Bay Area, so when we scored reservations here just a week before their visit, I was thrilled. Where they live, specialized Japanese cuisine is hard to come by; this was intended to be a big treat for them. We had high hopes for this Kaiseki restaurant. Having just returned from Tokyo and after dining at several Kaiseki restaurants around the Peninsula, this one fell short of our expectations for a number of reasons. Two of us ordered the five-sake flight. After sampling all five, we agreed on our favorite and ordered a half bottle to continue with dinner. I loved how we were able to choose our pretty sake glasses, as this is always a nice, charming touch. Where they excelled: * The Black Miso Cod was delicious! It was firm, moist and very flavorful. * The chef's selection of sashimi was fresh and also good. Where the experience fell short for a Kaiseki/elevated Japanese meal: * Appetizer (Chef's tasting plate; 5 items). Three of the five items: chawanmushi (egg custard), sesame tofu topped with an unidentified orange sauce and inarizushi (rice stuffed in tofu skin) all felt noticeable muted; no savory umami richness one typically expects from Japanese cuisine. The random placing of two fried lotus root slices did not add anything to this plate. *The Chirashi bowl was satisfactory. It consisted of finely chopped fatty bluefin tuna, similar to a beef tartar. Perhaps small chunks would have been more visually and texturally appealing. *Lastly, the dessert portion was the worst part, mainly because we were not served any. As printed on the Prix fixe menu, dessert was the last course (Matcha Warabi Mochi). Our server placed a dessert menu in front of us with a $13 up charge. We declined. The server then returned and handed my husband the bill payment machine showing only the $660 total, not the itemized bill. When asked to see the itemized bill, the server flipped the screen to show him for two seconds, then back to the total. It was quite obvious that at 7:15pm, they were in a rush to get us out for the next seating. In such a rush, they did not bring our dessert. The next seating was at 7:30pm. If the restaurant is running behind in its service, then the second seating's start time should be adjusted for their mishandling of time. We were feeling disappointed with the meal but very happy to be with our friends, as they made it a wonderful night anyway.
FOOD: 3 SERVICE: 3 AMBIANCE: 3 SERVICE: 3 This was our second visit and we brought some out of town friends who were looking for an upscale Japanese restaurant. Unfortunately Hana Izumi was a bit of a let down. Why? The food was quite ordinary with nothing outstanding. The service, food delivery and pace was all over the place. For example, they have two seatings per night, and they serve everyone (in the dining room) who orders the fish at the same time; my companions (3) ordered the black cod and I ordered the American filet. When the cod was served, the whole dining room got their cods, then about 10 minutes later, my filet came. Then, at the end of the meal, they plunked down dessert menus (extra cost items), we said no, but they didn't serve us the dessert included in the prix fixe menu! As soon as we said no to the additional dessert, they cleaned the table and presented us the handheld machine to pay. It really felt like we were being rushed out of the restaurant. The food, was really undistinguished and quite ordinary. The sushi was good, the black cod was probably the most tasty item of the night. The filet was decent but American Wagyu is different. The prix fixe menu we had on our visit consisted of: Appetizers - mochi like cold tofu, Chawanmushi w/crab meat, a lightly fried shishamo, slice of roasted pork and a tofu skin pocket rice. The best tasting pieces were the deep fried lotus root, otherwise, nothing really outstanding. Sashimi - baby squid, tuna, yellowtail, salmon and toro. Fresh pieces of fish with the toro being the best. Choice - we had American Wagyu Filet Mignon, yes, it was tender, but if I didn't reread the menu, I wouldn't have guessed that it was filet mignon. Black Cod (not on menu), it was perfectly marinated and buttery soft; probably the best dish of the whole meal. Entree - we had Chirashi bowl, finely chopped toro served with salmon roe; decent tasting, but we've had much better. Asari Takenoko Takomi, baby clam Takomi rice with bamboo shoots; really nothing special and the rice was cold. Dessert - ?? We were never served this. YMMV, but we will not be back.
My friend took me here for my bday and I will tell you the staff goes above and beyond. I'm sorry this is a late review but this was for my experience in Feb. This is actually a Japanese kaiseki style restaurant. Reservations are highly recommended as they do not take Walk-ins. There's two seatings for this restaurant so arrive promptly as they serve everyone at the same time . We started with the amuse bouche which was the kobachi three way. The three ways they served this was very unique. It was prepared with one steamed, one in soup and one fried. All were delicious! Next was the sashimi and it was also served with three different fishes. They did serve it with crostinis which was really good with the olive oil. We got the simmered yellowtail collar and the Toro skewers next. The yellowtail collar did have a lot of bones so I won't recommend this for older folks. It was very tender but a little on a salty side. I did like how it came out eggplants. The Toro skewers were also very tender but that wasn't my main dish. My friend enjoyed it very much. The dungeness crab chawanmushi was by far my favorite. It has a streamed egg and crab meat. They didn't skimp out on this dish it had a lot of crab in it. My next favorite dish was the kaki-age donburi which was a scallop and shrimp tempura. It was dust with a green tea sea salt I think. I wasn't able to eat it with the soup and I definitely wasn't able to eat it with the rice. By this dish I was already full. We also had the soju flight which was originally three flights but we added a fourth one . We got the yuzu. Lemon, strawberry and grapefruit orange. They were all good but the yuzu is the main winner! Since it was my bday , they turned off all the hours of the restaurant and everyone sang happy birthday to me. It was a little embarrassing but it added a little special touch. This was one of the best experience I've ever had at a Japanese kaiseki restaurants. The servers were so attentive. The food was creative and you can tell they spent a lot of time perfecting everything. They do change the menu every season so I'm excited to try their next menu when I come back.
Celebrating all March Birthdays. "Happy Birthday!" "Ashley, Fiona, Herm, Josh and Monique." Hana Izumi Luna and Kogi Small Business Owners Husband and Wife Team Located in the historic Massolo building, in Millbrae. Enjoyed the: Dinner Kaiseki (5 courses) Sake Pairings Desserts This Japanese restaurant offers an elegant, multi-course kaiseki dining experience featuring seasonal, locally sourced ingredients. Each dish is beautifully presented with an artistic and traditional meal with a thoughtfully curated, ever-changing menu, plus sake pairings and desserts. Always a nice evening with friends. Such amazing service, you feel like family. A must visit. I hightly recommend supporting this amazing local small business!
So excited to finally try Hana Izumi! The lunch menu starts with a Chef's Tasting Plate of seasonal small appetizers. The seasonal appetizers included chawanmushi steamed egg, inarizushi, tamagoyaki egg with daikon, and 2 other items. The Bara Chirashi Bowl included seaweed to make hand rolls with the sashimi, ikura, diced pickled radish, ginger, etc. Each type of fish was prepared well, but the scallop was especially good. Beyond the food, the service was wonderful. The restaurant responds quickly to calls and texts for reservations. The staff are very attentive and knowledgeable about the food. The restaurant feels classy and comfortable. It is easy to see the care they put into their business. Can't wait to visit again for dinner!
A very enjoyable dining experience from beginning to end. Service, food quality, and taste were top notch. The pacing and portions were also perfect for me and my group. We booked a reservation on 5:30PM on a Saturday. Reservations are super easy; just text their number. I would give yourself 5-10 minutes to park and walk over. Street parking is tough but there's a public parking lot 2 blocks away from the restaurant. It's more important to be on time for your res because they start everyone's first course at the same time. The restaurant is warm and cozy, but there's plenty of space between tables so it's comfortable. Everyone who works here is super friendly as well, explaining the menu, drink order options, and any choices you have on the menu. Our waitress was very kind and patient as we deliberated over the options and asked for more details on each of the choices. For example, we had a choice between one of the apps and the main (chirashi vs. tempura yaki). They also accommodated food allergies very well. Each course was impressive and it's a good mix of seafood, meat, veggies, and even fruit. They used fresh wasabi and the slicing of the fish and veggies were very precise and thin. There wasn't a course that I didn't enjoy, though my favorites were the sashimi and the first dish with the uni on top of sesame tofu. We also had two options for dessert, and ordered the set with the chocolate cake and flan, which was just the right amount of dessert and sweetness. This restaurant has 4 $$$$ on yelp, so it's intimidating but it costs $150 per person including tax and tip. Desserts and drinks are extra. For the quality and amount of food they give, it's actually such value. They change their menus every month, and I can't wait to come back!
Quick stop at SFO before heading onto Waikiki, got to see some long time friends from the Bay Area. Hana Izumi is a classic little pre-fixe Kaiseki style Japanese restaurant focusing quality and freshness. Wonderful traditional feel, outstanding service and delicious food makes this place a winner!
I finally visited Hana Izumi after seeing several social media videos praising their affordable lunch omakase and quality. I went for dinner, which is significantly pricier at $150 per person compared to $65 for lunch. (Note: their prices increased slightly this year.) This restaurant has wonderful mom-and-pop vibes. It's run by a husband-and-wife team with one waiter. The husband prepares the dishes while the wife visits each table to explain them. She was incredibly sweet, and I genuinely enjoyed learning about each component. The interior is cozy and intimate. The quality was good, and we left satisfied and full, something I don't always expect from omakase. I appreciate that they offered a few options within the omakase menu, allowing my partner and me to try different items. However, there were some disappointments. The waiter didn't really explain the entree options, so I had to choose without understanding what each dish entailed. While you can ask questions, I feel the server should proactively provide at least a brief description of each option. I ordered the Hamachi Collar, which was prepared similar to braised fish. Half of it was so tender, buttery, and fatty, but the meatier half was dry and tough. I'm not sure if this was intentional, but it was disappointing enough that I didn't finish it. My husband's Wagyu Miso was a bit salty, and since the entrees are just protein with minimal garnish, there wasn't anything to balance the saltiness. Overall, Hana Izumi is a nice spot for a date night dinner. There are definitely more high quality Omakase places in the city, but the ambience and staff really make this place.
first off, the service is impeccable. It's a husband and wife duo (wife is front of the house while the husband cooks). She is incredible and provides too of the line service. Shes constantly checking in, monitoring your tea levels, satisfaction, and the dishes itself. The dishes are amazing. It's a seasonally changing menu so I'm not going to dwindle on the specific dishes since they won't really be relevant in the future however, everything I ate was delicious. I tend to be more hesitant towards a kaiseki since I'm a more picky eater, however everything they made was delicious and at worst (which didn't happen): tolerable (which is an achievement bc usually during meals like this there's at least something I really don't like). The standout was the entree eel and tempura. it was so good. I've never had tempura as delicious as this in the states. Their lunch price is $48 per person and gosh dang you'll never get a better deal than that. I told my sister about this place (she made reservations) and my grandparents (they wanna come now).
I love their lunch special menu! It's so affordable for the amount of dishes they give as a set menu. They do change their lunch menu monthly but it's always so good. I love how flavorful every dish is and it combines both traditional and modern twist! Definitely recommend coming here for their lunch set but also try their dinner menu as well. It's also in downtown Millbrae so come early!
This is our second time celebrating birthdays at Hana Izumi - first time for their lunch menu. Service is outstanding! Food is clean and fresh. Everyone had a great time!
It was a special day, and coming here truly made it one to remember. From the first dish - a delicate tofu course - to the closing rice and porridge, everything moved with the rhythm of autumn. The chef's sense of pacing and balance instantly reminded me of Kyoto - each course flowing naturally into the next, quiet but full of intent. The sashimi felt aged just right - rich, deep, and confident. The tempura was crisp without a hint of heaviness, and the miso-simmered fish captured the warmth of the season perfectly. Even the smallest transitions - from one temperature and texture to another - felt deliberate, almost ceremonial. The sake pairing was remarkable, thoughtfully curated to mirror the meal's tempo: * Chōkaizan Junmai Daiginjō - pure and clean, the perfect opener to awaken the palate; * Akabu Junmai Daiginjō - structured and crisp, harmonizing beautifully with the aged sashimi; * Dassai 45 - gentle, mellow, and quietly elegant, closing the night with warmth and calm. Three bottles, three moods - each chosen with precision and heart. And then there's the grace of the service - the owner in kimono, pouring tea and sake with poised calm, every movement reminiscent of Kyoto hospitality. Maybe I'm too particular - who else notices the weight of chopsticks or the glaze of a bowl? But that's only because the food and atmosphere were that good. They brought me back to Kyoto, where even time seems to slow for flavor. A meal that didn't just end my day - it made it. Dr. C Only writing for what truly earns the stars.
2 months ago
2 months ago
Walked by so many times but finally checked it out as a gift card brought us in to this true Japanese experience. With a monthly set menu, the March offering looked interesting: Sake Tasting: wanted to try the various offerings that paired well with the dishes prepared that evening and the quality and smoothness of the different types of sake were very satisfying. Amuse Bouche - a variety which included: 1) clam soup which was a delicate subtle clam broth with little shiso leaves chopped in. 2) Mini snapper rice ball topped with plum which was a combo of sweet & savory. 3) Silken tofu with a uni miso sauce which made this a decadent umami bomb 4) Sliced duck with dijon mustard made this a salute to a traditional deli style pastrami. 5) Smoke abalone was a fresh and textural delicious bite. Sashimi- a very great variety of sea trout/hamachi/toro/ahi & squid and all of them were fresh and individually stood on its own. Tamago- a well designed presentation of a sliced roll paired with a crab sauce and topped with Ikura made this dish a very unique salt/savory elevated omelet. Tempura & Hamachi Collar - Two separate entrees from a selection of 4 that was offered and both were prepared to perfection. The tempura was light and no visible oil on the paper it was presented on. The hamachi collar was meaty and well seasoned. Seafood Hot Pot- a soy milk broth of ocean goodness! Generous amount of various types of seafood and the broth was so light and flavorful. Negitoro Chirashi Bowl - a good size portion of toro accompanied with ikura and takuan as it was presented with pieces of nori allowing you to make your own hand rolls and the cup of miso made this a perfect ending. Custard & Mochi- The dessert was probably not needed but still a nice balance of sweet with the black sugar sauce for the silky custard and the matcha mochi for another textural variety. Service was excellent and the hostess was very attentive and made the whole experience memorable. read more
5 months ago
This is my most favorite kaiseki restaurant in Bay Area. The price is reasonable. I love the lunch course. read more
Very delicious! You must call ahead to book a reservation to dine in. They do multiple rounds of lunch and dinner and everyone in the restaurant is served the same dishes at the same time. I believe they change their menu every month and we had the chance to try their February tasting menu. The servers and owner herself in a kimono comes around to make sure they explain each dish to you. It feels very fancy and comfortable at the same time, like fancy dining at home. The concept is multiple courses of traditional Japanese food with a slight modern twist focusing on balance so don't expect a flavor bomb with each dish. All the ingredients are super fresh and the original taste of the ingredients doesn't get masked in their sauces. You do get a choice of dish in two courses. The grilled yellowtail was yummy but it does have a lot of bones so I don't recommend for younger children. The grilled beef tongue was decent but the beef stew was amazing. read more
5 months ago
First time coming here. Had such a wonderful experience! The hostess was super nice. Everything was amazing & so much fun to try. Love how they had a set menu & a variety of dishes to choose from. Loved the plating & the ambiance. Would definitely like to come back again to try other things. read more
14 days ago
1 year ago
Made a lunch reservation for the weekend and we were seated before they were opened. It's a small place but didn't fill up for lunch. They have a 4 course set menu for $48 plus tax. All the courses were fantastic and were very filling for me. The highlight of the meal was the slowed cooked duck with soba noodles and the bbq eel & shrimp tempura bowl with an egg sauce (so unique). The service was very attentive but I wished they gave me a little bit of time between finishing a dish and grabbing my plates. At the end of the meal, they grabbed my plates before I even finished. It was a bit disappointing since I felt like I had to finish quickly. read more
Texted to make the reservation for dinner. It was a multi course meal and we had the option to pick a choice of the fourth entree and last entree. Dessert is not included , however they do have a dessert option for extra charge $18. The dinner kaiseki style meal is $98 and added on top is a 20% service charge and tax. The host/owner was dressed in a kimono and came to each table to explain the dishes and options available. She was very friendly and personable. They were accommodating to our baby, and provided us with a high chair. The meal itself was also delicious and felt comforting. I was craving a Japanese kaiseki meal reminiscent of what I had in Japan at the ryokans in Hakone and this delivered. For the food: Amuse Bouche - appetizers - clam soup , salmon cucumber salad, sesame tofu, egg omelet with eel. - a delicious start to the meal. Assorted sashimi and salmon ikura donburi- sashimi included steamed abalone, tuna , trout, yellow tail. - delicious and fresh and served with real wasabi Soba noodle soup with cooked duck - the soba and broth was tasty and the duck was very tender and flavorful. Very comforting For the fourth course, she presented several options which included of either yellow tail, beef tongue, shrimp tempura or flounder croquette. We opted for the beef tongue and yellowtail. The yellowtail was braised and served with a slightly sweet soy sauce. The beef tongue was served two ways: grilled and braised. I was really impressed with the grilled beef tongue. It was very tasty and tender. The flounder also sounded like a yummy option. Lastly was the final option, we could choose either a Negitoro chirashi bowl or a Dungeness crab mixed with rice. We both went with Negitoro chirashi but I saw the serving of Dungeness crab and they had served the dish inside of a crab shell and it looked amazing so I kind of wish we got to order that one too. Nonetheless, the chirashi itself was tasty and was also served with miso soup. We were full at the end of the meal. The dessert option looked good too but we had to leave to nap the baby and the hostess was kind to check with us and ensure that we could pay the bill promptly to nap the baby. Overall, a very enjoyable experience and would recommend to anyone craving a comforting multi course Japanese meal. They change the menu every month to keep things fresh. Reservations are required for lunch or dinner and can be done through text message to the restaurant. Parking is street parking so plan accordingly. We were lucky to get a spot nearby. read more
4 months ago
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It is an amazing Kaiseki meal at at local gem. Whenever I need an enjoyable meal, my first choice is Hana Izumi. read more
5 months ago
We love this place! We have dined at Hana Izumi four times over the last year and a half and each time, it has not disappointed. The chef puts so much effort into the details and flavors of each dish. It's truly a delicious Japanese kaiseki food adventure! The service is also absolutely fantastic. It's a husband and wife team- hubby cooks and wife presents and serves each dish. We have indulged in their sake selection as well- so hard to choose they all taste delicious! We do love that this gem of a restaurant is so close to home, meaning, we don't have to travel to SF yet it rivals SF level restaurants. We also enjoy that the paintings on the wall are switched out regularly so that diners have something fresh to enjoy each time. All original works of art! We look forward to visiting Hana Izumi again. Easy to recommend. read more
10 months ago
Had a great mother-daughter lunch date here to celebrate the end of summer vacation! Such a cute space, with excellent service- the server was very pleasant & attentive. Lunch set ($48) came in timely fashion and each dish was beautifully prepared & presented. 2 choices of entrees, a domburi or chirasi bowl. We also opted to include the a-la-carte sashimi special for an additional $35. The restaurant eventually filled up. We made reservations to ensure availability, but there seemed to be a few walk-ins. Overall, a pleasant and enjoyable escape for the two of us. The owner/hostess came by and was so nice; she was very elegant in her traditional kimono. She even gave us a complimentary dessert- so very sweet of her! read more
4 months ago
The seafood here is always so fresh. Food here is delicious, every time. The service is always excellent and friendly. Love Luna and her husband. They change menus frequently so you can try different things. Highly recommend you make a reservation a head of time. read more
The best place for Kaiseki in Millbrae! There are some parking spots available in front of the restaurant or you can usually find street parking. Reservations are required, so make sure to make them in advance! The menu changes monthly and includes an amuse bouche, sashimi course, refresher, fried dish, steamed dish, and entree. Dessert is available for an additional cost. Service is lovely! The owners are very sweet, and one of the owners comes out to explain every course to each table personally! All of the dishes were creative and beautifully presented! The amuse bouche offered during my visit included a sesame pudding with wasabi and steamed uni, smoked duck breast with dijon mustard and chives, and fried octopus. I especially loved the octopus--super tender with a slight crispiness from the outer fried batter. The sashimi was so fresh! I really enjoyed the different presentations within this course. Along with simple cuts of sashimi (blue fin tuna, yellowtail, and sea trout, so good!), there was also a small dish of cut blue fin tuna with mountain yam, Japanese pickles, and wasabi stems. I didn't even know you could eat wasabi stems! There was also a scallop dish with Taiwanese dehydrated egg millet and a red snapper with rice dish. Loved the variety! The Hamachi Daikon Salad was another favorite from the menu. It was so refreshing with the ume plum ponzu sauce! I enjoyed the fried soba pieces on top too! The fish katsu was perfectly crispy and freshly fried. On the side, it also came with yummy dungeness crab, all deshelled, so I didn't even have to do any work! I love chawanmushi, so I was super excited that this was part of the kaiseki menu. This steamed savory egg custard was tasty and so smooth! For the entree, we had a choice of Negitoro Chirashi Bowl (a DIY presentation to make your own hand roll) or Tempura Chazuke (a kakiage tempura over rice that came with an ochazuke tea broth on the side that you pour over). Would definitely come again to explore another one of their kaiseki menus! read more
5 months ago
I went here with a group of 3 and had an amazing dining experience! You can tell that the ingredients were fresh and well thought-out. The picture does not do it's justice as I was already halfway eating dessert before I remember to take a picture. That's how you know it's good. 10/10. The staff were all pleasant and caring. Plus the ambiance was comfortable and fitting! read more
1 year ago
An excellent culinary experience. We came here at lunch time and sampled their tasting menu. Everything was very flavorful and the hostess (wife of chef) provided a brief explanation of each dish. We truly enjoyed our time here and would highly recommend. read more
I've been wanting to try this as well live nearby and it was very easy to make reservations. Make sure to give yourself some time to find parking if you're going during peak hours. The whole experience was very quaint and nice. Greeted with hot tea and the staff made sure to introduce each course and check in with us. My favorites were the sesame tofu (part of the amuse bouche) which is their signature, the crab salad, and beef tongue. Everything was cooked well and had nice flavor. Dessert was delicious as well with the custard pudding being one of smoothest and decadent I had. Only wished I got a bit more! read more
5 months ago
6 months ago
5 months ago
I was so happy that we were able to celebrate my wife's birthday with her and her friends for lunch. Everything was prepared really well and came with a reasonable price tag. On the day that we dined here for lunch, the appetizer was a duck salad with radish and soba noodles. I think the duck was cooked with a Sousvide. It was insanely tender and flavorful. The salad dressing was a yuzu vinaigrette which worked surprising well even with soba noodles. The next dish was a combination of savory appetizers. My favorite was this sesame tofu which had this really great chewy texture. Another memorable small bite was what tasted like a cured or dry aged ocean trout; the texture was quite unique. I opted for the sashimi addition which was good, not very unique. I may skip next time. There was tako, hamachi, chutoro and otoro. I got the unagi and tempura bowl while my wife got the chirashi bowl. I preferred the unagi and tempura bowl by far. The shrimp tempura was well fried and the sauces in the bowl worked really well. The egg told sauce really brought the dish together. read more
5 months ago
We walked in and they were able to serve us. Glad we tried this place! Such a cute place, warm service, and elegant food! read more
Saturday May 25th 5:30PM was my visit and it was during dinner time. They have two seatings, 5:30 and 7:30pm, for dinner. I HIGHLY recommend you call ahead of time to make reservations. They do accept walk-ins but it depends on if the restaurant is full. They only have about 9-10 tables, so I personally would call ahead to make sure you have a spot saved and you don't waste your time. Calling them and booking a time was a breeze. Great location in Millbrae where there's all the restaurants and close to 101 freeway entrance/exit. Parking is free after 6PM. 2hour parking otherwise everywhere, except Sundays free all day. It took me less than 1 minute to find parking. Food was excellent. For $98 per person for a kaiseki dinner menu is not too bad given Bay Area Prices. The chef changes up the menu from time to time, and sometimes it's different for lunch I've heard (cheaper too!). I would consider coming back to try their new menus. The creativity is pretty evident in the dishes and I adore the time the chef took to plate the intricacies of each dish. My absolute favorite was the Refresher Hotate Mizore-su. I don't know what's about it but the cucumber vinaigrette was amazing on top of the nori tempura boat. Service was great! Appreciate the waitress (wife of the chef), taking the time to come by every table to explain the dishes. It makes it personable. I'll have to visit once again in the future! read more
There are two options of lunch menu: kaiseki vs sashimi I tried the kaiseki menu w/ sashimi add-on: Everything tastes so good and I love the varieties of small dishes. It's perfect for a person who likes to try little bit of everything. My top favorite is the soft cold tofu, eel w/ tempura bowl, the duck salad and chawanmushi. Service is very good as well. I love how the owner dress in traditional Japanese clothing and she's super sweet. *Apparently they change their menu monthly. I'll be sure to visit next time for their dinner menu too! read more
Made a reservation here for Mother's Day, and we all got the $65 sashimi menu. The inside is small but cozy, and the owner was very nice! We started off with a duck soba salad, the duck was cooked perfectly and refreshing. We then had some sashimi, and some homemade tofu with uni. The tofu was super soft and silky, and all the sashimi was very fresh. We then had a chawamushi and a chirashi bowl, all really great! I think that especially for the price, everything was great quality and delicious! We were all quite full at the end. Would come back to try their dinner menu! read more
6 months ago
I'm considering moving to Millbrae just to be closer to Hana Izumi! Each bite of food was truly amazing. The hospitality from the owner's wife was spectacular. The store itself is clean, simple, and charming. My love for Japanese culture was only deepened by this experience, and I'll definitely be back whenever I'm in the area! read more
SUBLIME this is the best meal I've had. Each bite was so heavenly that my date questioned if I was even on earth anymore. Each savored bite was like a massage to the brain. I'm usually a fast eater but here, I definitely took my time savoring each bite or my brain could just not handle it. My boy found this place on Instagram, read that the chef owner worked at Japanese embassy, and made a reservation via text. We celebrated early Valentines lunch here. And woow we were both so impressed with the food!! Automatically, Hana Izumi became our favorite restaurant in the bay. Ok, on to the food!! We both had the Sashimi Menu ($65) which had: SEAFOOD SALAD It started off of an incredible high-note. I took a bite of the octopus and omg this is the best thing I've ever tasted? So crispy, flavored extremely deliciously, and so tender. The seared shrimp was also a standout - like just so plump and perfectly cooked. The veggies were crisp and refreshing with a hint or sweetness. ASSORTED SASHIMI Omg first of all, it comes with homemade sesame tofu which is silky soft with a lingering slightly chewy bite. So good and wonderfully flavored. The seared pressed sushi was so unique. Had another heavenly moment of peace while eating the salmon and toro sashimi. The salmon tasted like it was slightly cured - I mean how did they know, that is my favorite way of eating salmon. I melted too when the toro melted in my mouth. CHAWANMUSHI By this point I'm not even surprised this is the best chawanmushi I've had either. It came with crab and scallop - so incredibly tender with sweet ocean taste. IKURA DONBURI + MISO SOUP This looked simple but also once again, exceeded expectations and surprised me in the most delightful way. The salmon that was in the sashimi is now seared!! So good! The radish was slightly pickled in tororo I think so it was slightly slimy which it made the dish super unique and just added a new layer of texture. Food is absolutely divine, the restaurant is cute and clean with peaceful soft music. The service was polite and the owner lady was so kind! It's just pure bliss. I could not stop smiling after the meal. Absolutely rejuvenated. This meal was so good for your physical and mental health, seriously. I've never experienced something like this, but I'm definitely coming back for sure. note: 20% auto tip read more
My fiancé made reservations for us last night for our anniversary since we've been dying to try this spot. We pass by a lot when we're eating around the area. We were warmly welcomed with live music & the staff were very friendly and polite. The restaurant is a little smaller but had great ambience, the lights were dimmed but not too dim that you'd need to flash a light to see the menu. We started off the night with the amuse bouche which consisted of yuzu infused squid, sesame/miso(?) tofu, the signature Japanese omelet with grilled eel and a clam soup. I enjoyed the yuzu infused squid a lot but that also because I really enjoy yuzu flavored things lol. Next came the sashimi, which I felt like was pretty fresh. What really stood out to me was the nori sauce on top of the abalone and the yuzu infused wasabi/hot sauce(?) on the hamachi sashimi. You can really taste the nori in the sauce & I felt like this was a creative way to change up how seaweed is served. The yuzu in the wasabi/hot sauce was prevalent but not overpowering, great way to change up the regular wasabi/hot sauce. The next dish was the soba noodle soup with slow cooked duck. This was one of my favorite dishes of the night though it may seem simple. The broth was so incredibly flavorful, I wanted more!! The soba noodles weren't overcooked & still had some bounce in every bite. For the choice of dish, we chose from a list of 4 options: flounder cutlet, yellowtail collar, beef tongue, & shrimp tempura. We opted for flounder cutlet and yellowtail collar which we shared. The flounder cutlet was topped with egg tartar, the yellowtail collar was served with radish and some sort of soy sauce which my fiancé really enjoyed. Next was the yuzu nabe which unfortunately I wasn't too big of a fan of. I did feel like the yuzu was a little overpowering in this dish. And lastly was the entree which we chose between a chirashi bowl and a kani zousui which was described as a Dungeness crab risotto. Of course we got one of each! I didn't try the chirashi bowl because I was already feeling quite full but the Dungeness crab risotto was delicious! We were offered a dessert menu but by the time we finished our meal we were already so full. Overall, we enjoyed our experience and for $98 per person this was a great 6 course meal! We left with our hearts and bellies really happy. So happy to have found a kaiseki spot so close to us & cannot wait to come back. Oh also, they change their menus every month, so your visit might look slightly different from ours. read more
6 months ago
I found out about Hana Izumi from a food influencer and had to make a reservation because they had raving reviews about it. Now that I've tried it, I completely understand why!! I was transported back to Japan with the decor and the place settings. We were here for their famous $99 kaiseki set meal. It is a combination of 6-7 dishes that is presented beautifully, with each dish encompassing a different food style / flavor. They started us off with an appetizer plate with a tofu that had the most interesting and soft bite. Loved it. Reminded me of a custard consistency. The sliced semi raw beef was my favorite on the plate. It had great flavor and wasn't chewy at all! We then were served a plethora of more dishes- including miso soup, a plate with different sashimi and rice balls, the most tasty fish and eggplant (my favorite of the night), crab and tofu, then the choice of a deconstructed tuna handroll or wagyu beef bowl. We also ordered the sweeter sake flight that included an amazingggg yuzu flavored sake. I want to go back and purchase a bottle to go. $99 for a kaiseki set was more than worth it. The experience was spectacular! I also thought the service was outstanding, where they would bring the next dish as we're finishing up the previous one. My party was slow at finishing each dish but they didn't rush us at all. I would recommend this place to anyone for a nice dinner. You have to book a reservation in advance, and it's through simple texting. I can imagine this place getting discovered and harder to get a reservation over the next upcoming months! read more
4 months ago
4 months ago
I give 5+ stars for service. The lady that runs the place is so very sweet. It's a small little spot with limited seating. Come to find out that they have 2 time slots for dinner. Our friends have been here before and they took us here for couples dinner. The presentation of the food was beautiful, as you can see in the pictures. This is not the spot to go to if you're hungry... Just be aware of the bill as it's more than I expected . But overall, we did enjoy the meal and company. read more
A very memorable experience!! A 6 course preset menu surprised me and left us very full. The fish was fresh and everything that was curated was delicious! A pretty small restaurant so reservations are preferred. The service was great and the owner of the restaurant is super sweet and lovely! I really loved everything but what stood out to me was the pork cutlet! I was shocked by how soft and perfectly crispy it was. The only thing to point out is the last dish I chose the wagyu and I did expect more from that dish, but the other option for the entree was delicious! Other than that, everything was perfect! read more
More info about Hana Izumi
293 El Camino Real
Millbrae, CA 94030
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(650) 302-3012
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http://hana-izumi.com
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Do they accept walk-ins or it's reservation only?
The do reservations only but when I went for lunch with reservation they took walk towards the end of lunch hours. So I will advise to make reservations.
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Hana Izumi - japanese - Updated August 2026
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