Newly discovered ramen place! Love their Tonkotsu ramen! My husband loves their Chicken Katsu. :)

My husband and I stopped at Hanami after spending the morning at the Oakland Zoo, and WOW what a gem. I ordered the tonkatsu ramen and my husband got the vegan tofu ramen. Both were so good, but my tonkatsu ramen completely stole the show. This might be the best one I've ever had, and I've had a lot. The broth was rich, and the meat was so flavorful, and just so satisfying. I was already planning my next visit before I even finished my bowl. That's how you know it's good. They have so many items on the menu and everything looked delicious. I really want to try something new next time, but honestly I might just order the tonkatsu ramen again. No regrets. read more

This spot surprised me in a good way. I grabbed a sashimi combo and for under thirty bucks they gave me nine solid pieces, which is honestly wild in the Bay Area right now. The fish was fresh, clean, and cut well. No funky smell, no weird texture. Just straightforward sashimi done right. They were generous with the ginger, which I appreciated. I wouldn't have minded a little more wasabi, but that's a minor gripe and easy to ask for next time. What really stood out was the to go presentation. The platter was laid out nicely, not thrown together, and the packaging was actually cute. Little details like that matter, especially when you're taking food home. This place sits right on the East Oakland San Leandro border, easy to miss if you're not looking, but definitely worth stopping for. For the price, quality, and portion, I'll absolutely be back. This is one of those spots you keep in rotation when you want sashimi without getting robbed. read more

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Hanami immediately caught my attention because they do traditional Japanese bentos. Think jewel box-style presentation, the kind you might remember if you've traveled in Japan. I went with their poke bowl, which was surprisingly affordable, and loved the option to serve over soba noodles instead of rice. Such a fun switch. The protein was hokkigai (Arctic surf clam), which you don't see everywhere, and it was fresh, clean-tasting, and nicely balanced with the rest of the bowl. Overall, Hanami feels like a quiet gem. If you're into traditional Japanese flavors, careful presentation, and a menu that does something a little different without being fussy, this place is absolutely worth checking out. read more

Hanami - Poke bowl with hokkgai (big ol clams) - Ramen Near Me - San Leandro, California

Ramen was A1 here Small, cute cozy spot in San Leandro! Street parking only, but wasn't too hard to find. Ramen was packed with ingredients and lots of flavor, especially garlic. Pork was meaty and plentiful! read more

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Our friends wanted to come here so we did. Luckily, I got a parking space right in front again! We walked in and were greeted. There were three other guests sitting at two separate tables. We were directed to the six-top at the back of the restaurant. Glasses of water, a carafe of water and menus were presented. A tray containing napkins and individual set-ups was also put down. The set-ups were probably convenient for the restaurant but also created unnecessary waste as each set was plastic wrapped with a small napkin, wood chopsticks, plastic spork, and paper wrapped toothpick. Service was adequate but lacked personality as if the server was simply not engaged in her tasks. Five guests at our table, five entrees ordered and served one at a time. Seems simple enough, yet when the last entree was delivered, instead of putting it in front of me (the only person without food), she still announced what it was to see where it went. We ordered: Crispy Fried Oysters - 5 - This plate of 5 Oysters and a ramekin of Tartar Sauce was placed on the table as our appetizer. While we each had our set-up with chopsticks and spork, none of us had a plate to eat off of. Salmon Sashimi Teishoku - 3 - The Miso Soup was excellent. Served hot with plenty of tofu and flavor. The Salmon Sashimi consisted of decent sized pieces of fish that were good. The Gyoza were okay but I've always preferred panfried and steamed over deep fried. The Wakame Salad tasted like most Wakame Salads, nothing special. The Mashed Potato was more like a Smashed Potato, chunky, not creamy. The Rice Ball, while tasty was rice that had been smashed into a mold. The Tamago was non-existent. Finally, the Crab Salad was not Crab Salad but Krab Salad. The fresh mango on top was a nice touch, but Krab is made from Surimi (a highly process fish paste), not Crab. Combo F - 2 - Without having looked at our review from last year, my wife ordered exactly the same dish that she ordered last time. She also enjoyed the Miso Soup. The Unagi Roll was okay but not generous with Unagi. There also did not appear to be any Unagi Sauce. Her Salmon was the same as mine. The Shrimp Tempura were crunchy but did not come with a dipping sauce. The Croquettes were crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. Tonkatsu Sauce would have been nice. The Edamame was fine. Our friends seemed to have enjoyed their dishes, but I did not ask them to rate their food. read more

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TLDR: great menu with LOTS to offer. The food is delicious, just be patient with service as they don't have enough staff on hand. We had a party of 9 arrived just before 6pm but with only 6 four tops and 4 two tops, we had to wait a bit before they would give us 2 four tops together. Luckily, the family sitting at one of the four tops were finishing up their dinner. The waitstaff was obvious trying to do too much waiting on all the tables as well as managing the order pick ups. She forgot to give us water as well as chopsticks/napkins. My son ended up walking up to the cabinet to help fetch the missing chopsticks. When the food arrived, it was heavenly. Everything was delicious and perfectly made. The chef almost timed it so everyone was served at the same time. read more

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This place is cozy, fresh, and really comforting. They offer unique teishoku set meals and combos that you generally won't find at other Japanese restaurants, which makes this place much more casual and homey. The employees are always very kind and accommodating, and the price is very fair for what you get. If you're a lover of sashimi, this is a good place to go to get your sashimi itch scratched. Parking is a bit challenging as there's no designated lot, but there's usually plenty of residential parking you can find in the surrounding blocks. I've only gotten the poke here (it's such bang for your buck!) but I'll definitely have to come back to try the ramen. read more

Hanami - Fresh Poke (Large) - Ramen Near Me - San Leandro, California

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The tonkatsu ramen here is top tier. Comfy, cozy, and just enough seating. It's one of the hidden gems in the city. Service is good, the food is quality, I'd definitely be back on a rainy day. read more

Hanami - Tonkatsu - Ramen Near Me - San Leandro, California

First timer here after looking for a local random spot to have lunch. Popped up with great reviews and it did not disappoint. Cozy with such a cute vibe, even with one worker, she got to us quick and efficiently. Great service and food came out fairly quick. We got here and most tables were full but we were able to snag one of the small side tables to grab a bite. Wish it was a bit wider because I got the soba which came in a big tray it barely fit the table with all the extra stuff we got but would def stop by again:) read more

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Amazing food, great service, and a calm relaxing ambient. hidden gem. yummy in my belly read more

Hanami - decoration so cute :3 - Ramen Near Me - San Leandro, California

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This restaurant is super cute with adorable decor. My friend ordered the 6pc salmon sashimi teishoku and I ordered the Tonkatsu ramen with pork flavor. The plating of the teishoku was appealing. The salmon was very buttery and everything in the box was tasty. The tonkatsu ramen had great flavoring and the noodle had a nice texture. I recommend this cute little shop if you're looking for good vibe and comforting food. read more

Hanami - Ramen Near Me - San Leandro, California

We tried this spot tonight after a long swim. I came across it on Yelp and decided to order a couple of bento boxes. The food arrived quickly and was packaged in a fun and neatly organized way. The quality and service were both excellent. I chose the sashimi bento box--it was my top pick and didn't disappoint. It left me feeling happy and perfectly full. My husband ordered a bento box with steak and a variety of mini Japanese side dishes, and he really enjoyed it too. We'll definitely be coming back! read more

In a nutshell; such a cozy place to dine in , with good Japanese food. Parking is a bit tough since there really isn't a dedicated parking spot but once you're pass that, this place gives you a really cozy atmosphere as you are sat. The server's very well mannered and accommodating. The menu has a good variety of choices and wasn't too long on the wait either. The food is great and prepared really well and presented nicely. Overall very pleasant experience and a place you should try if you dont mind kind of walking a bit off where you park if you can't find a parking nearby. read more

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Black garlic tonkotsu ramen was delicious. Seems to be right on and been having this every single time we're at Hanami. The rich broth, and the springy ramen noodles. And the tonkotsu was flavorful, tender and just the right balance of meat to fat portion. Tonkatsu was alright, though some pieces were dry and didn't seem to be consistent to the rest of the portion served. Causes me to wonder if some pieces came from another tonkatsu. The miso soup that came with it tasted very watered down and so it wasn't appetizing, and even my kids rejected it. Chicken karaage was by far the greatest let down, not only was the chicken tasteless which should t be the case with true chicken karaage, but seems to be pieces of meat form together with some dough in between giving it a weird texture. It was very off-putting. read more

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I came here on a Friday and the place was not very busy which I enjoyed. We ordered gyoza, a combo platter, a few rolls and ramen. They gave us some miso soup first then our gyoza came both very yummy. When our entrees came they took up the whole table but still somehow fit. The soup was your typical spicy pork but the katsu was definitely the star of the show! This is a hole in the wall place if you're around the area it's a must try. read more

Hanami - Ramen Near Me - San Leandro, California

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Stopped by for a healthy lunch. We had a 'make your own' poke bowls. Hmm, so many delicious choices. Hubby did his choices and I did mine. And we had a California roll to kick off lunch. Had the mixed greens, brown rice, purple cabbage, edamame, sprinkling of corn, crunchy garlic, salmon, spicy tuna, and ginger. Hubby had something similar. Munch much as we were full with nice veggies and off we go. Love coming to Hanami to nab a healthy meal with zest. Service was on point. We had the entire restaurant to ourselves, what a beautiful treat. read more

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this place so cozy and cute. i Ordered poke and it was so good. My new favorite spot !!! read more

Hanami - Fresh Poke (Regular) - Ramen Near Me - San Leandro, California

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My wife and daughter gave their meal 4 stars and sadly my meal was only 3 stars. 3.67 rounded up to 4 stars. Quality/Quantity - Our daughter was able to join us at the last second! And suggested this restaurant that she and her friends visit often. Today we got the following: Hanami Super Combo D - Salmon Sashimi Set - My order, and I was so looking forward to this. Sadly my meal was just not worth the $27.95 price. Tonkotsu Ramen - This was good, generous pork. Good proportions. Good flavors. Teishoku Teriyaki Chicken - Generous chicken, actually only one rice ball, how does that complement so much chicken?!?! The chicken was good. My daughter also really liked all the side dishes. I didn't even get a chance to try the gyoza, lol. In summary, I chose the wrong meal... If I got something similar to what my family ordered, then this could have been a solid 4 star experience. Atmosphere - Small local business. Cool decor. Open 6 days a week from 11am to 9pm, closed Mondays. Street parking, not an issue tonight. Got the very front space. Service - Good. Price - $72 + tip. Reasonably priced. Well, except for my meal. Felt mine was overpriced for what I got. Owner Comment - Congrats on your success since February of 2022. My daughter is a regular customer, which will make us that also. read more

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This place is a no frills good place with lots of options. An awesome restaurant if you're coming with a group that wants different options. They have great set options ranging from combos of sushi, sashimi, ramen, udon, poke and more. I've had one of their sushi sets and ramen and they were not bad! The ramen was a bit on the saltier side but I liked that for the protein I could sub the tonkatsu with karaage. The ramen I got was around $22 after tip & tax. Street parking only but its usually not hard to find parking (at least for Sunday lunches which are the times I've gone) read more

Very cute place, the outside doesn't tell the whole story , even their to go bags are cute. The food is presented nicely and was yummy. I would love to return with other friends. read more

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Location: It blends in with the homes and is unassuming. Super cute little place. When you walk in it is a simple space for Japanese comfort food! Service: Sweet staff welcomes you and service is prompt. Food: We ordered a Hamachi bento and we were served the miso soup in the cutest little soup cup/bowl. It just felt like being home in my Obachan's house. The bento was served and the placement of the dishes that accompany the main dish make enjoying the dinner enjoyable. I forgot what my friend ordered, however, we were both satiated when we were done. Must try out this wonderful place! read more

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Such a cute spot! Went with a friend for lunch and the food was great! The menu was pretty big and all looked great. They even included a board and markers to fill out when ordering a poke bowl, no need to recite all the different ingredients you want added. I got a shrimp/tofu bowl, and my friend got the Agedashi tofu soba noodles. We shared some garlic edamame and all the food was delicious. The service was nice and fast, and overall the experience was great! I hope to be back soon to try more of their food! read more

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Cute place with a pretty backdrop wallpaper, adorable overhead lights and glass display of Asian bowls and figurines. The food was so-so however. The California roll was akin to Safeway frozen quality. The rice was mashed together and the seaweed was hard to chew apart. The salmon sashimi was fine. And, I really liked the croquettes, sweet with a gentle crunch. The tempura on the other hand was bland with little flavoring and soft crunch. The poke bowl wasn't anything to write home about although the scallop was good. Service was as expected. I got sharing bowls and spoons as requested. The restaurant is small, with only one staff serving as host/waiter/server. For a small restaurant, they had a lot of toilets... 3 in the women's!! Verdict- I'll come back for the appetizers but definitely wouldn't be coming here for rolls. read more

Hanami - Poke bowl menu - Ramen Near Me - San Leandro, California

Took the kid to the Oakland zoo before school starts. Of course, shortly before we made it to the zoo, she was sooooo hungryyyyyy and wanted sushi. Hanami had the best rating of nearby sushi places, so off we went. What a sweet and unique little place! I'm so glad we came here and I will definitely be back. They have an extensive menu of ramen, poke and sushi (all the rolls except for the California roll have mango in it, very strange, haha). We decided to go with a combo box for the two of us, which contained a Cali roll, shrimp tempura, edamame, croquettes and sashimi. The price was good and the amount definitely enough for a quick lunch for an adult and a 5 year old. We ordered an additional app which never came, but it wasn't put on the check either, so all was good. read more

Had a terrific lunchie today with my hubby. Thought of healthy & closeby. Two miso soups and two poke bowls with our own personal selections, yummy. Soooo, what's quick and good for you? Service was attentive & quick. read more

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This place is the real deal. Service was excellent & the food was amazing. A definite must try restaurant. In fact planning to go back to try other dishes. Everything was delicious & unable to tell you what I liked best. Oh yeah, prices are very reasonable for the quality & quantity you get. read more

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My friend's birthday was coming up and I asked her where she wanted to go for her birthday lunch and she wanted a few suggestions. So I typed in Asian in San Leandro and Hanami was the first restaurant that came up! So she wanted to give it a try. It's an unassuming place, a hidden gem with free 2 hour street parking nearby which is a plus. When I entered, it is a cozy place with ample seating. We ordered the Sashimi Box B and C. They ran out of tuna so I had more salmon which I love. The sashimi was so fresh and melted in my mouth, the salmon and escolar. What a beautiful presentation of the boxes! For dessert, we shared a mango crepe cake, so light and delicious! I would like to come back and try other entrees on the menu like their cold soba and tempura! They gave us each a 20% off coupon for future visit which indicated that they will temporarily close 9/16 to 10/23. So we can use the coupon after 10/23. read more

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Found this new spot on a whim. Very cute inside. Food was so cute and tasty! Nicely seasoned and not heavy. Service was great, food came out in order as we ate and service was fast. Great experience and recommend this restaurant. read more

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We were looking for ramen and came across Hanami and drove a bit to find a hidden restaurant in San Lorenzo. It's a small restaurant with quite a few tables. Service was pretty good for the most part. But the food was alright I have had better. The Pokebowl didn't seem fresh and was kind of bland with the poke sauce. The Pork Katsu bento box was trying to be fusion and. It your typical Japanese dish, normally they provide bowl of rice at other places but Hanami offers a Mickey Mouse shaped rice ball???? The rice ball was odd. The ramen was pretty good is what our friend says. Something didn't seem right or was what I would have expected. They me u has lots of options but the food was just meh. I saw all the positive reviews and had good hopes but then after trying it was disappointed. read more

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Hanami will be temporarily closed between "9/16 - 10/23 for adjustment." I'm sad to not be able to eat here for a minute but extremely excited to see how the space changes at the end of October! I visited again close to it closing and the food was amazing as always. The chicken katsu set is my new favorite - it was so crispy and juicy, each bite had crazy crunchiness. I also found out that the poke bowl was pretty good too! Again, very excited to check this place out again when it reopens :) read more

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Tried this place because my daughter saw the pictures of the little rice shapes they made. She loves onigiri, so she instantly want sushi from here. Sashimi A with 6 pieces of Fresh Salmon, tasted great!!! Combo C with Salmon Roll, Rice Shapes, Edamame, 2 Croquettes, 2 Tempura Shrimps Ginger, Radish, Miso Soup. Everything was great in this combo meal!!! Called in for pick up and ready in a reasonable time. Great service!!! read more

Hanami - Sashimi Combo A & Combo C - Ramen Near Me - San Leandro, California

Small unexpected location but great vibes inside ! Fresh ingredients, great tasting food and good service! The bento style salmon teriyaki was the crispiest I've ever had. I'm still sitting in the restaurant writing this review it's so good. read more

Hanami - Ramen Near Me - San Leandro, California

I am so happy that I no longer have to driver over to North Oakland for ramen! What a pleasant surprise Hanami was and close to home. Staff was kind and food was very good! read more

Solid Japanese spot in San Leandro close to the Oakland border in the MacArthur area. I wanted to get poke, and I really enjoy that you can build your own poke. This was what I chose: Regular size (2 scoops of protein) Mixed Greens Tuna Green onion Purple cabbage Unagi sauce Wasabi ponzu Ginger Seaweed Broccoli Wasabi Radish It was very fresh indeed. The takoyaki as appetizers to share was also very delicious. Customer service was very friendly. It's a very clean and well-lit establishment with very cute Japanese decor and a giant mural of Mt Fuji with cherry blossoms. I would definitely come back to try other dishes, like ramen and some of the other appetizers. read more

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Hanami is my favorite Japanese restaurant in the Bay Area. It has a clean dining room, is relatively inexpensive, the staff is very pleasant and efficient, has good portions, and the food comes out quick, beautifully presented and delicious. Though I've come here multiple times, I don't have a standard "go to" order given everything I've tried on the menu has been great. The photos on this review are of my most recent visit: [1] Sashimi Combo B, [2] Sushi Combo C, and [3] Chicken Karaage. I tend to go before the lunch crowd arrives on weekends, so street parking along Bancroft hasn't been difficult to find; I'm not sure if the restaurant has a dedicated parking lot, but I'm assuming it doesn't since it's a relatively small, modest space sandwiched between other residential and commercial buildings. read more

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Great food took a while to be seated but i think just cause low on staff but friendly and got to us as quickly as possible so that's fine. The food was tasty especially the chicken katsu Ramen with spicy miso broth! The vibe Gives more like if you want ramen just to satisfy your gut real quick, i suggest this place. read more

Hanami - Chicken katsu ramen - Ramen Near Me - San Leandro, California

Key Points: - Hidden gem in San Leandro - THICK pork slices - they have seafood ramen - popular unique items sell out fast - delightful decor Hanami is a hidden gem tucked away in San Leandro. Its exterior is quite unassuming, like literally, it looks plain white with a window that barely shows the inside. However, stepping inside reveals a cozy yet vibrant atmosphere adorned with charming "cutesie" decor, as the Mrs. puts it. The Mrs. and I stumbled upon this great find after we took the Little One to the Oakland zoo and were craving Ramen afterwards. The service was friendly and attentive, adding to the overall pleasant experience. It seemed a bit understaffed, however, as the traffic in the restaurant was picking up quick, yet there was only one person serving all people on the weekend! The menu boasts a variety of unique dishes. Here is what we ordered: Seafood Ramen w/ black garlic pork broth - this caught my eye, as the name reminded me of my favorite ramen bowl I had at the ShinYokohama Ramen Museum during my visit to Japan, which had a seafood base. However, I was somewhat disappointed that the seafood did not pertain to the broth, but rather just the fix-ins, and a seafood broth option was not available. Still, the generous portions of seafood in the black garlic pork broth ramen were a delightful surprise. The broth was rich, flavorful, absolutely delicious! Almost to die for! There goes my attempt at being it worth pescatarian for the day, but well worth it! Tonkatsu Ramen w/ Miso broth - Again, we were surprised to find out that the tonkatsu didn't pertain to the broth, but rather the meat. So we opted for a miso broth. Still, this dish didn't disappoint. Those tonkatsu slices were thick! I mean thiiiiicccc! They had a perfectly seared brown crust. The miso broth was also a delight. It was sweet and full bodied. Though if we had to do it again, we would have opted for the black garlic pork for this also. Mixed Tempura platter - great accompaniment to our Ramen dishes, which featured a delightful assortment of shrimp, kabocha squash, sweet potato, broccoli, and eggplant. We were a bit disappointed that the clam chowder croquette and yuzu cheesecake were sold out. I think this is a testament to their popularity. I'll be sure to try them next time. Overall, Hanami is a great spot for authentic Japanese cuisine. Whether you're craving ramen, poke, or sushi, you're sure to find something to satisfy your taste buds. Just be sure to arrive early if you want to snag those popular menu items! read more

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Hanami Up to date, this is a top 5 sushi spot in the East Bay. Located in Oakland, there is parking available outside, and the area is beautiful and safe. Outside, you can see the menu Hanami offers. Indoors, it's is beautiful, clean and sanitary. Once seated, you are given menus and water. My sister and I craved rolls. I went with King California Roll: my sister went with Tamago Roll. From presentation, taste and after taste, this was a banger. The staff is amazing: very chill, very patient! This is a must return for me, and must go for you! read more

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I came in around 8pm after a 10 mile hike at Chabot Lake. They close at 8:45pm and still took me in to be seated. I already knew what I was ordering so I wasted 0 time looking over the menu. The pork katsu ramen was exactly what I needed after that workout. The pork was nicely sliced with thick juiciness with every bite! The soup base was everything and more with endless flavor and authentic herbs. I downed it with a strawberry seltzer water can (I forgot what it was called but it was delicious!) I enjoyed the atmosphere the little ramen restaurant had to offer. I really felt as if I was sitting in a ramen eatery in Japan. 10/10 first time experience, I'm hoping I can weasel my way back when I have time. read more

Hanami - Ramen Pork Katsu Ramen - Ramen Near Me - San Leandro, California