I was excited to eat here and had high expectations. Unfortunately my meal was severely disappointing. The textures of things were overall mushy. The flavor was ok. I have had much better omakase for $150 and after tax and tip my bill was just over $350, for just me. I only ordered one cocktail which was also sad. The food was beautiful. The service was ok. I expected better/more attentive service and better descriptions of the food for the price tag. I do not recommend this omakase for this high of a price. There is much better out there. More depth of flavor out there. Better texture combinations. read more

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This place definitely deserved its Michelin star. Everything was delicious, especially the uni and mini crabs. The pace of the courses also made sense. The chef will even take time to explain each dish he prepares. The service was great as well! This is the perfect place to celebrate birthdays! read more

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Was looking forward to trying out this Michelin starred restaurant. I admit that my partner and I had high expectations, and unfortunately the food wasn't to our taste. I've been to omakase before and I enjoy eating a variety of sushi. I like seeing the chef make special dishes and explaining each ingredient in a thoughtful way. Hanare offers a unique omakase, some dishes with traditional sushi pieces while others are more creative. Some are cooked and some are raw. This creates an interesting dining experience. However, I felt that some components, like a cold strong miso-tasting purée, were not to my palate and yet were repeated throughout the night across multiple dishes. Every dish had high quality ingredients, from silky smooth uni to fresh, delicate crab. However, I simply didn't enjoy some of the dishes. I personally didn't like the strong contrast between hot dishes, to ice cold dishes, to cool dishes. Eating cold raw seafood and then transitioning to a warm steak and then cool sushi was something I didn't expect. Again, this is no fault of the chef or restaurant - everything was prepared well ; it just was not to my liking. My favorites of the night were the seared wagyu dish, the abalone dish, and the sushi itself. The dessert , a panna cotta with strawberries, was also a standout! I could eat that everyday; it was refreshing and an excellent way to end the meal. Service was incredibly attentive and kind, and the waitress explained every component of the dish. Ambiance was intimate and cozy, and the building itself feels like a hidden gem. At $250 pp, I wanted to be wowed by the meal but the food was ultimately underwhelming. read more

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Confused about negative reviews...if I had more money, I'd come here more often. But really, if you saved a dollar per day for 250 days. You can eat at least twice a year. Math checks out. Food tasted exquisite and had a phenomenal experience. Would definitely recommend not to rush every plate, but take time to enjoy the different flavors that it offers. Favorite has to be the toro. Basically the a5 wagyu of the sea. read more

I was super excited to try this spot after hearing about it from a lot of people! Everything was very fresh and it was quite a creative menu. Don't come here with the mindset that you're just gonna get sushi, it's much more than that. The presentations were quite beautiful! It's tucked away in The Lab mall, so a little strange for location. Overall, we had a good time and it was a good dinner, but I'm still undecided if the big price tag is worth it. read more

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I went here recently to celebrate a special occasion. It was a really excellent experience with high quality ingredients. The chef and waitress were very kind and professional the whole time. It's a small intimate setting with very few seats inside. My favorites of the night were the bluefin tuna and uni. The mango panna cotta dessert at the end was delicious. I hope to come back one day. read more

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Great dinner experience over a whopping 2 to 2.5 hours with beautifully curated meals and flavors. Small and intimate environment with the chef in his element choosing to service his favorites to the guests. Flavors of each dish were loyal to the ingredients and no single dish overwhelms the next course. Pleasant, relaxing, and flavorful meal. An at times whimsical, and traditional dinner experience. A classic start and finish for this one Michelin star experience, and conveniently located in Orange County, CA. Was a deliciously fun experience. Side note: it seems that the wait staff did a great job and was between 6 guests at the counter and 2 in the separate dining table. She worked really hard, and at times seemed overwhelmed (although extremely attentive to guest needs, and chef Yokoyama even helped with some of the dish presentations). Kodos to the waitress for managing such a busy small and intimate setting! read more

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Had reservations for 5pm on a Thursday evening. Kindly greeted us upon check in and food allergies/preferences verified before the experience. 8 seats at the bar for this omakase dinner. Had a wonderful time as we watched each dish get carefully prepared and plated. The chef explained each course and where it was sourced from. Great variety of flavors from each course. Service and quality were stellar! Highly recommend adding this to your list! $250/person for this 10 course omakase experience; not including tax and gratuity. Busy area, but we found ample parking. read more

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Came here the day after Valentine's Day to celebrate belatedly. We made reservations in advance, which was easy (can be made via texting). We came on a Wednesday for dinner, so parking was easy. Normally, the Lab Anti Mall is packed. When we arrived, we got seated quickly and were told there would be 10 courses. Here's how it went: 1) Spiny lobster - Had a good flavor, but wasn't outstanding 2) Crab, squid, octopus, and salmon roe with some type of fish - the crab freaked me out a bit, but it was crunchy and tasty. Squid/octopus were standard. In general, I'm not a fan of salmon roe 3) Unagi/foie gras - Unagi was tender and hot! Foie gras was interesting but not my fave 4) Hairy crab - Tasted fresh and beautifully presented 5) Abalone and conch shell - Chewy texture. The abalone was one of my bf's favorites 6) Sashimi (snapper, bluefin tuna, kingfish, and another fish I didn't catch the name) - soooo delicious! One of the pieces practically melted in my mouth, and one of them had a nice, thin, crunchy piece of skin 7) Snapper - Wasn't memorable 8) A5 Wagyu - WOW. Melts in your mouth and has such a great umami flavor. 9) Sushi - amberjack, yellowtail, toro, snapper, Japanese barracuda, stripe jack, uni. The toro was soooo tender. The barracuda was perfectly seared. Uni was surprisingly good and had a great texture and taste. Some of the pieces had too much wasabi, which made it less enjoyable. During the sushi course we were given clam miso soup - Actually came with two clam pieces inside. 10) Panna cotta - light and refreshing. We also got an extra dessert. Wasn't sure what it was, but it had an eggy taste. Wasn't our favorite. Overall, I enjoyed the meal and had a lot of fun eating at this Michelin star restaurant! There were a lot of courses, but each one was small, so I wasn't crazy stuffed after the meal. The food tasted fresh, and presentation was neat. My favorites were the sashimi, Wagyu, toro sushi, and barracuda sushi. Price was $225 per person so this place is definitely for special occasions! The couple sitting next to us got special treatment (got extra sushi/dessert), which kinda rubbed me the wrong way, but maybe you gotta be a regular customer for the extras read more

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Definitely deserving of the 1 Michelin star they have! - Price is $225 pp as of Dec 2022. - Parking can be a bit of a challenege since it's in the same plaza/space as Habana and a bunch of other hipster-ish shops. Try to come a bit earlier to look for parking right by the restaurant - esp if you are eating on a weekend. - It's located to the left of Barbonzai. The restaurant itself is small and doesn't have a huge sign or anything out front. (Thinking about it though, a lot of high end places don't have signs out front.) - Service was top notch. There's two servers and they worked seamlessly together. Whenever we were finished with a dish, they were there to pick it up immediately. If we got up to go to the bathroom, they came over to fold the napkin. - Food was amazing. The hot dishes were HOT and the flavors were spot on. Favorite of the hot dishes was the unagi with the daikon and foie gras - somehow they can make it not taste like the generic Japanese unagi (if that makes sense) and the skin was just so crispy! The sushi was delicious - uni hand roll was divine, and the ootoro just melted in my mouth. read more

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*Really 4.5* Have been meaning to get to Hanare for so long and was so happy to finally dine here. I've been to many Michelin starred restaurants so had very high hopes, which were mostly met at the lovely Hanare. Hanare ONLY does omakase and it is a very small place with a bar and a few tables so it can be somewhat challenging to get a table. It's also a little hard to find as it's in a separate building from the other establishments at The Camp - somewhat in the parking lot, and the signage is very small. That aside, the interior is very nicely decorated in a simple yet pleasing fashion. The service was exceptional and dishes were timed perfectly. We had approximately 15 dishes - all of which were exceptional with my favorites being the hairy crab and the A5 wagyu. I also have to give high commendations on the presentation as the plating was beyond beautiful for most dishes. The price while not cheap was more than fair for the quality and quantity of the food and experience. The only reason I am not giving it 5 stars is that at the end of dinner it was almost like something was missing. We kind of sat there waiting for a finale which never came. Not sure what I was excepting and it wasn't a huge deal per se but when I've been to other Michelin star restaurants there is that something at the end that makes you go 'wow that was an incredible meal'. Didn't happen here - trivial I know but it did somewhat detract from the experience. Regardless, Hanare is a wonderful place for a special omakase dinner - highly recommend! read more

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We tried to make resie but they were so booked within a couple weeks ahead. We left messages and finally one day, they called back to say that following weekend they had availability! We assume someone had cancelled and they were calling us to fill in for those two spots. It's a very small restaurant. We liked every dish the chef prepared for us. We are definitely coming back if they accept us! It's just so hard to make resie if we don't call like months ahead... read more

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Tucked in the corner of the lab in Costa Mesa, we wanted to see if Hana re was worth a visit and we found ourselves a pleasant dining experience at this one star Michelin. We were greeted by the hostess and were seated at the sushi bar. We opted for the 8pm seating and there were a total of 4 parties. We made the reservation on the same week we dined so it seems like the months/weeks of booking in advance is no longer necessary. We started the first course within 10 minutes and finished around 9:45. The highlight of the meal comes from being able to watch the chef craft each course. From scoring the fish to forming the nigiri to torching the nori, it was a pleasure being able to watch with an anticipation for what comes next. Best dish for us: chutoro nigiri & striped jack nigiri. A few dishes featured what tasted like mozuku seaweed with vinegar seemed to overpowered the natural taste of the main ingredient. The a5 was a nice touch, but was a bit chewier than a5s im used to. For those who want to relax and enjoy a slower paced dinner with light conversations, this is an excellent choice. Also, if you're in for a celebration your dessert is plated a little more special! With a total of 16 dishes, we were satisfied and full. Thank you, Hana re for a beautiful dinner with the hubby. read more

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Agreed with all the 5-star reviews. Food was out of this world. Every hot dish was perfectly seasoned! Seafood was fresh, and the portion was generous from crab meat to uni. Quality & taste - 5* All servings - roughly 16 Leaving this 1-star Michelin restaurant very full, very satisfied, and super happy. The counter sits 10 ppl, plus three tables that can sit up to eight. Nice and cozy. Like other 1 or 2-star Japanese Michelin restaurants, there's usually no sign out front, this place has a tiny little sign by the entrance. It is a gem. Maybe the only Michelin restaurant in OC. A must try!!! Definitely a keeper. read more

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To be honest, I really didn't know exactly half the stuff I was eating (which is part of the fun). But in the end, it really doesn't matter because it was an amazing experience in itself. The most important thing to do first when dining here is, GET A RESERVATION! The restaurant location itself is a bit hard to find because it is on a corner of the Lab. The second important thing to note here is that though it is an omakase meal, it felt more like kaiseki style. In other words, it's not strictly sushi, but rather traditional Japanese style. Each dish was very well thought out and the attention to detail was impeccable. Service was great. My hot tea was constantly being refilled and all my questions were answered throughout the night. Look at the photos below if you'd like to be "spoiled" regarding the dishes. Or you could be like us and be pleasantly surprised each time! Our favorites have to be the wagyu and the otoro. With memorable mention of the uni. In terms of length, we arrived at around 8, and did not leave until 9:50. I believe that it gave us a lot of time to really enjoy and appreciate each dish without being a "dragging" experience. read more

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Delightful meal with lots of little surprises and playful touches. We had the Chef's Omakase and enjoyed it with a bottle of Koshu wine which was a nice changeup from sake. We appreciated the chef's quietly friendly and humorous demeanor and our server was lovely as well. 4 stars because at 250, in comparison with similar experiences, it falls just a little short of perfect value proposition for me, but no regrets. :) read more

Amazing ambiance and service; this is the 5 star omakase experience. In my opinion, ch f Yokohama deserves more than 1 Michelin star for his creations. This is the place we come to to celebrate life's milestones with exquisite food. read more

Such an amazing choice for omakase sushi dinner to celebrate a special occasion! This incredible multi course meal was just as good as we remembered: Course 1 was the spiny lobster with pear and yuzu - what a refreshing start to a memorable meal! Course 2 was a lovely set of 4 minis: seafood chawanmushi, octopus, scallop ikura, and conch. Each delicious and different with a variety of textures and flavors. Course 3 consisted of unagi and foie gras = indulgent and decadent! Not my favorite but it was very well executed. Course 4 was one of my favorites: hairy crab (pet the shell - it's fun!) topped with delicious caviar and sweet ginger. So well balanced and hearty; didn't want these bites to end! Course 5 was chawanmushi (steamed egg) with abalone and uni. A comforting and satisfying dish for a chilly day. Course 6 was the sashimi course: Japanese grouper, bluefin tuna, bonito, and amberjack. Fresh and delicious! Course 7 was the miso-marinated butterfish accompanied by a sweet pepper togarashi. Course 8 is an all-time favorite and something that will keep us coming bak for more: A5 wagyu beef from Hyogo Prefecture - just the most amazing, melt in your mouth wagyu beef! Course 9 was the part 1 of the nigiri course, which consisted of shima aji, ishigaki snapper, bluefin tuna, and yellowtail - impeccably fresh and delicious. Course was the flavorful clam miso soup. Course 11 was the part 2 of the nigiri course: golden eye snapper (kinmedai) and Japanese barracuda. Never knew barracuda could be so fatty and delicious! Course 12 was an amazing portion of Santa Barbara uni nigiri. I used to dislike uni before trying it at hana re (my "gateway uni"). Amazing what a difference in quality can make! Course 13 was some creamy panna cotta for dessert. Service was wonderful and very prompt throughout our long meal. Recommend snagging bar seating if you can, but the table seating is good too. Only gripe with hana re is the parking, which can be really difficult to find. If you're planning on enjoying their sake/wine/beer selection with your meal, better off just using Uber/Lyft so you don't have to deal with the headache and stress of finding parking! read more

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Hanare definitely wins for a special occasion, like my boyfriend's and my anniversary dinner! We called to book a reservation a month in advance because I don't think they would take walk-ins. The restaurant interior is a bit minimalistic, so not noisy or overly fancy. I think peaceful and serene best describes the atmosphere. Every dish is a work of art, so we spent our time admiring it, and I brought out my DSLR to take pictures. The flavors and texture of each small dish was unique as well. I thought the courses at the beginning through the middle were the most exotic or new to me. Some notable bites included a tiny tiny soft crab and a tiny tiny tiny lotus root. I guess you can see a "tiny" motif here, but they are impressively tiny. Towards the end, the dishes got a bit bigger and more filling, such as the wagyu, unagi, and sushi. Everything was aesthetic, mind-opening, and tasty! read more

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Came here for my bday and was luckily able to sit indoors! It would have been too cold! My bestie toook me here because I really wanted omakase but due to covid lots of places aren't open! The little shop is in the back of the lab with plenty of parking in the lot For a Wednesday night they had seating for 3 but usually only seating for 2. Overall for the price of $200 it's not worth it. The portions are too small and number of dishes are less. Should be closer to 20 like at Nozawa Bar in bev hills! A lot of the pieces were super bland too! Needed more sauce or salt. 1. Sweet shrimp 2. Bonito fish sashimi, octopus, and squid 3. Unagi with foi gras 4. Blue crab and fish eggs 5. Conch. Then abalone with uni 6. Amber jack , Sakura, chutoro , and yellowtail sashimi 7. Steamed white fish 8. A5 Miyazaki wagyu 9. Fried shrimp head 10. Clam miso soup 11. Striped jack, flounder, and seared toro 12. Butter fish and snapper 13. Golden eye snapper and belt fish 14. Hokkaido uni 15. Dessert: strawberry panna cotta like cheese tart? We were not full Bc the pieces were soo small so we added a golden eye snapper sushi for $8. read more

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Enjoyed everything from the chef. High quality seafood and attentive service. A minimalistic space with intimate ambience. Great sake menu. P.S. Get there earlier to find parking. read more

Hanare Sushi - Japanese Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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Chef, you are brilliant! Took my husband here for his birthday and Hana Re did not disappoint. Had a little hiccup in the beginning (I booked chef's table and they tried to seat us at a tabletop, ended up waiting 45 minutes passed our reservation time to be seated) but everything was so good I forgot about it as soon as the first course hit. Perfect omakase experience. Every dish was stunning and crafted with the utmost care and detail. Thank you Chef, well done! read more

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Just celebrated our anniversary at Hanare. Amazing food, attentive services and friendly staff and chef! It's our favorite omakase experience. read more

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Pretty decent Omakase experience. Definitely with the Michelin star. They fly some of the ingredients in from Japan. I can taste the different in taste in the Hokkaido uni. The service is exactly what you would expect at a place at this price range -- impeccable. The price is above Sakanaya but below Yamakase. The venue can be a little hard to find. It's kinda of a pop-up in a very unassuming building in the plaza that houses the Lab. read more

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Came here to celebrate girlfriend's birthday, and it's also the first time came back here since the pandemic! quality of ingredients, skilled chef and level of service to match. $225+ is a very reasonable price for the Michelin Starred Omakase! read more

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Pre-celebrated the 4th with Michelin Star Sushi. Hana re is located in The LAB (Costa Mesa) . The store front is unassuming and easy to miss. It is right next to Calipoke and the restrooms. Currently they are offering take out only, and you can text or call the number listed. The order has to be placed the day before. I got the 10 pcs Nigiri ($50). It came packed with an ice pack which was a very thoughtful gesture. I can't fully identify all the nigiris, but there were toro, yellowtail, golden snapper, uni, shrimp, ika, mackerel, and surfer clam. Everything was so fresh and the uni was buttery and not fishy or briny. I can't wait to come back for the omakase when life goes back to normal. read more

Hanare Sushi - 10 pc nigiri - Japanese Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

My boyfriend and I were quite satisfied with our recent experience at Hanare to celebrate our anniversary/Valentine's weekend. It was our first Michelin star restaurant experience, and I would give it probably a 4.5-4.7. The omakase included 14 dishes and our price for the night was $225/person. What we got: 1. Barnacle: This dish was the first to come to our table. To be honest, it was interesting, but we definitely thought it was disappointing given how tiny they were. I had never tried barnacle before, but I had read about gooseneck barnacles and I'm aware of their size, meatiness, and extraordinary prices. I guess they couldn't get a hold of that variety. Overall, had a similar texture to a clam. Briny taste. I'd just like to see more meat per barnacle. 2. Live Sweet Shrimp w/Caviar and Cabbage Puree: I loved how tender the shrimp was. 3. A set of 3 small bowls: (It's hard to remember all the exact details of each individual bowl) -Scallop, Tobiko, and Okra, Yellow Sea Grapes: I loved the crunch of the sea grapes. Scallop was fresh. -Lobster, Ikura, Greens, Jelly Sauce: Probably my favorite of the three. Jelly texture was intriguing; provided the most flavor. -Firefly Squid, Enoki Mushrooms: These guys were so tiny it was almost adorable haha. Good but nothing too crazy here. 4. Unagi, Foie Gras, Risotto, Radish: Wow. Definitely one of our favorites. I didn't realize our server said foie gras so my taste buds took a nosedive straight into an incredible umami experience. Super buttery, the eel was cooked to perfection (best I've ever had). Risotto was lovely. Radish was soft. It came out warm which was nice on the palette after the cold starter dishes. 5. Hokkaido Hairy Crab: The presentation for this dish was lovely, and I'm really happy this was included in our omakase menu as hairy crab is considered a prized dish in Japan, and it can get quite expensive per pound. The meat was sweet and I enjoyed the caviar and jelly it was served with. 6. Abalone and Uni: Textures are everything here. The uni quite literally melted in my mouth. Abalone was fresh, texture was nice and paired well with the uni. Opening the box it was served in felt like I was looking at a gem. 7. Assorted sashimi: I believe these included, yellowtail, bluefin tuna, king salmon, and possibly flounder? They were nice cuts, but I wouldn't say they were mindblowing. 8. Golden Eye Snapper, Shirako, Dashi Jelly, Puree: Shirako was creamy and soft which added a different component to the dashi/soy flavor of the jelly sauce. The fish was cooked really well. Pleasant and slightly sweet. 9. A5 Wagyu: I loved that it was served on a hot stone plate. It came to our table cooked just right and had a slightly sweet but savory dipping sauce on the side. Amazing. Tender. I want more 10. Miso Soup w/Clams: Can't go wrong here with some warming miso soup. Two clams and a few small tofu pieces. 11. Nigiri set #1: The first set of nigiri included 4 pieces: Striped Jacket, Flounder, Toro, and Hamachi. I adored the fatty toro. Hamachi was my second favorite. 12: Nigiri set #2: I forgot to take a photo of this one but the second set included 3 pieces: Ishigaki, Belt Fish, and King Fish. Either the ishigaki or belt fish nigiri had a very strong spice note to it. My bf and I recognize it from some other asian dishes we've had, but we can't seem to pinpoint what it was. Possibly galangal. It wasn't bad per se but I wouldn't say it was my favorite piece. The others were yummy. 13. Uni: Served in a small handroll. Nori was perfectly crisp. Uni was beautiful. Very nice way to end the savory dishes. 14. Strawberry Panna Cotta: Light, easy to eat. Plating included blood orange, raspberry, blueberry, and grape. Fruits were all very sweet. Refreshing. The service, restaurant, and parking: Our waitress was very attentive. She was always switching out our empty green tea glasses with fresh a new one and was prompt with removing each of our dishes when we had finished and folded our napkins elegantly whenever we left the table. Despite the dinner lasting close to 2 hours, we never felt like we were waiting too long for anything to arrive. The restaurant itself is small. There is bar and table seating available. Two tables of (2), one table of (4), and I believe the bar can seat up to (8). As far as I know, you must make a reservation and I would definitely put your name down at least a month from the day of your visit because of limited seating. You can visit their website for extra details and text or call for opening slots. Hana re is hidden in the corner of the LAB next to the public restrooms. It's marked by an unassuming sign so it's easy to miss the first time around. Parking is usually not fun so come early just in case it's busy. Altogether, we were satisfied with our omakase experience and recommend it for a nice occasion! read more

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Enjoyed the inventive and high quality 10 course omakase experience. These pictures don't even have the sushi course included. The chef was personable and humble and the setting simple and elegant. Things like pear puree with lobster were refreshing, delicate and decadent all at once. We will come back! read more

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My favorite place in OC !!! Definitely recommend!!! Every dish is very beautiful and delicious. I have been there 3 times to celebrate my best days and I always think this place is the best choice for celebrating :) they made very precious moments with the best dishes.. read more

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Hanare is where Chef Atsushi creates attaboy sushi. So, buckle up or prepare to unbuckle as you enjoy one of the best Omakase experiences anywhere. Hanare is right next door to Calipoke, so don't get confused. That would be like booking a table at Osteria Francescano and then stumbling into Domino's to dine. There are four table seats and 10 prime seats at a curved bar with Seal Team climbing ropes dangling down for decor. There is nothing else to distract you from your task. To finish what you're given. Smooth jazz soothes. A long Sake list really soothes until you start to slump towards the floor. It's Omakase only here at Hanare. You decide only what to drink or think. A flask of Hatakami Yasuke Sake got the party and my bar stool rockin'. The Food: Creative and simply brilliant artistry in small bowls. 1. A Squash Soup with Sweet Shrimp topped with a spoonette of quality Caviar opened the show and was a show stopper. Although the soup was clear, it was still dense and complex. Smoky, it was thickened with a little Potato and perhaps a drop or two of Yuzu. (Japanese Lemon). Wow. 2. Yuba (Tofu Skin) with Steamed Lobster, Uni, the last of the season's Fava Beans and a Wasabi dot. Although everything was in plain sight it was layered so that each taste and texture supported the ingredient above and below. Very clever. 3. Tako Sashimi (Raw Octopus) in a mosquito bite sized mound of shredded Spaghetti Squash. Razor thin slices of Vinegared Baby Cucumbers cut as fine as any diamond lasered in Idar Oberstein. The Octo slivers were so fine the Octopus didn't even know they were missing. Talk about sustainable. 4. Grilled Baby Abalone with end of season English Peas on perfect Risotto was topped with Abalone liver. I didn't know they even had one, and now I can say I ate one. And that's no aw baloney. 5. Crab (Hairy from Hokkaido sounds like a pharmaceutical salesman) was topped with Uni and Ikura (Salmon Roe) and all settled into a Dashi Gelee. Next to that you'll find a Sawagami (mini Freshwater Crab) which seconds ago was kickin' and screamin' before it gets flash fried so that you can savor everything in one bite of legs, guts, claws, eyes, and soul. 6. A Pickled Lotus Root slice on a Wasabi laced piece of Suzuki (Sea Bass) looked like a raked beret on Edif Piaf's head. This came with Toro (Blue Fin Tuna), Red and White Bonito and Hamachi (Yellowtail). Each piece stood out like the players in a Vegas Lounge Band. The meal was comfortably paced and now it's time for another flask of Sake. How bout some 7th Heaven from Nagano? Good choice. 7. Back to it. There it was, some Onaga Snapper laying in Red Bell Pepper Sauce. This was so Alain Ducasse, delicate and tasteful. 8. A baby bowl of "Secret Sauce" appeared to dip your A5 Miyazaki Wagyu Beef Bites, leaning against Baby Corn adorned with fried Corn Silk. The Beef was as soft as the mashed Potatoes in an assisted living facility. 9. Out came a Rainbow Runner (Gay Marathon?) No, it's Yellowtail on Sushi Rice just arrived from Hangiri. You've made it to the halfway mark. So, keep eating and get ready for the final kick to the tape. The dishes will come out at full speed now. Sushi courses are next to bat. 10. Shrimp Head Miso Soup was a delicious flavorful slurp before you get to the Shrimp pickin'. 11. Rock Snapper on another palm full of Sushi Rice was nice. 12. How bout some Striped Jack on Sushi Rice? Look down and there it is, staring back at you. 13. Flounder offered a new chew with a pinch of Wasabi lurking underneath it. 14. Toro (a chart topper) was perfect. Creamy yet holding onto it's Toro integrity. 15. The Gizzard Fish was the only fish I thought had once been a fish as the definite umami will have you cryin' Mommy. 16. Barracuda (both your ex and your divorce lawyer) was wonderful although your ex and your divorce lawyer in the same sentence with wonderful is a huge oxymoron. 17 to 22. A Tsunami of Tastes: Yellowtail Belly, Golden Eye Snapper, Belt Fish, Scallop, Uni, Nori as Chef Atsushi is finally arm weary from wielding his Yanagi all night. 23. Mini Italian Panna Cotta with fresh Berries was silky and flan-y and will provide that happy ending. Hooray for Hanare. read more

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THE BEST omakase experience in Orange County. Reservations must be made so I made it about a week ahead for my girlfriend and I. They're made via text or phone call, and seating is very limited. There's 10 seats at the bar, two 2-person tables, and a 4-person table. When I made my reservation initially there was only seating available at the table so I took that, but luckily, when we arrived yesterday some people might have cancelled and we got seated at the bar. There are two options available for dining here, the Chef's Omakase ($200+ per person, available at the bar and table seating) and the Hana re Tasting Course ($95 per person, only available at table seating). Upon making your reservation, you are required to choose one. Being that it was a planned date night, I chose the Chef's Omakase for us. The service was EXCELLENT. Both servers were very attentive and descriptive with the dishes. One of them kindly assisted us in picking our bottle of sake, "Kuu" Houraisen. This sake was mildly sweet and smooth, and was the perfect addition to our omakase. We were given a tray of cups to choose from, so I chose a matching pair. Our sake glasses and water glasses were never empty, both servers very attentively making sure that they were always full. The food was amazing from the start. Each one was beautifully presented and curated. I don't remember what all of them were, but each dish got better and better. The uni was amazing, and the A5 wagyu (my favorite) was incredibly tender and juicy, and filled with so much flavor. The nigiri, delicious, with the perfect amount of wasabi on each of them to have that little kick. The dessert was a almond panna cotta with some fruit alongside it. It was smooth and delicious, it had the perfect texture. Well worth the money for this experience, in total (with the bottle of sake that we bought) it was roughly $530 after tax before tip. My girlfriend and I loved it and would definitely return again. read more

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Amazing birthday meal for my wife. Food was great! Plating was so beautiful. And the service was spot on. Happy to reckoned this place and deserving of the Michelin stars read more

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[1 Michelin Star] This is one of the best sushi experience I've had so far. I just recently found out this restaurant and luckily it's not very far from my house compared to other Michelin restaurants in LA! The restaurant is pretty hidden and only take reservations by phone or text. The service is phenomenal by giving me a text with the exterior photo of the restaurant, making it easier for me to find the place. The restaurant looks like a storage container on the exterior creating the contrast when you go in. The interior is beautiful with ropes from the ceiling, dividing the table seating with bar seating areas and creating privacy. The restaurant sign is small so the text message really help! The omakase menu I had: 1. Hagatsuo / White Bonito sesame dressing, Sweet onion, myoga, chive 2. Four small bowls: - Bowl 1: Sweet corn with blue shrimp, Sawagani / Fresh water crab - Bowl 2: Shiro Ebi / Sweet Shrimp, caviar & cabbage purée - Bowl 3: Japanese Cuttlefish with Red sea urchin shiso flower, fresh wasabi - Bowl 4: Pen shell scallop and lobster with dashi Jelee 3. Unagi, cucumber, zucchini, okura. 4. Kegani / Hair crab, Nagaimo with Tosazu vinegar 5. Sake Steamed Ezoawabi ( Abalone) with Hokkaido Uni, daikon radish Risotto 6. Sashimi (4 pieces): - Same karei / Flounder - Shiro Shake / Ivory King Salmon - Akami / Bluefin Tuna - Hiramasa / Summer yellowtail 7. Ainame / Green ling, Aosa seaweed, Asparagus 8. Tajima Beef, A5 Black Japanese beef from Hyogo 9. Sushi (8 pieces): - Shima Aji / Striped jack - Meichi Dai / Long eye snapper - Toro / Fatty Tuna - Shiokko / Amber jack - Ji Kinme / Alfonsino - Ebo Dai. / Butter fish - Kinki / Thorny head - Uni / Santa Barbara Sea urchin 10. Panna cotta with Tree ripened Mango The 10-course omakase is amazing!! I pair it with cold sake and fall in love with the pretty sake shots also! The service again is phenomenal throughout the course. I got a chance to meet with chef Atsushi Yokoyama at the end of the course. He came out to check on us a few times before a brief talk at the end. Thank you for bring such a great dining experience to me. read more

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I actually wanted to give 4.5. We went to this place on Friday a couple of weeks ago. We had a good 2-hour Omakase experience. The ingredients were fresh and good quality. All of them were delish - just one of the items that the temperature was a little odd to me (warm and cold in one bite). I usually don't like unagi. Surprisingly, I liked it at this place. The service was also good; however, it would be nice if our chef explained each item better. I have been to so many Omakase places, and I like it when chefs give me information on items or ingredients, and where they come from. Also, for a one Michelin star place, I expected some more special ingredients. Highlights: - A5 Wagyu - Kegani (Hokkaido Hairy Crab) - Shirako/Milt - Unagi & Foie Gras - Abalone & Uni - Toro - Panna Cotta with Cotton Candy Grapes ~$200-$250+/person plus tax & tip Will go back again! read more

Hanare Sushi - Japanese Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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Came back to dine here onsite and I have to say it's one of the best omakase. My brother and I enjoyed our omakase dinner here. His magical creation of flavors which are visually put together. It's just magnificence. You start with different appetizers and love the combination. The sashimi was delicious and the sushi was variety of fishes mostly from Japan. I so enjoyed my Omakase. It's well worth it. The Panna Cotta dessert was a wonderful ending to the meal. We were asked if we wanted one more piece before our dessert and we asked for one more, which he gave us a seabass sushi and then our Panna Cotta. I would definitely want to come back. read more

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Very pleasant Kaiseki experience in Orange County. Well presented, Well cooked, with high end ingredients. We had foie gras, uni, A5 Wagyu, abalone, caviar, lobster, and some very good sashimi and nigiri. Will definitely go back in the near future for another night of Japanese fine dining. read more

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This Japanese food store, the first time I went was in January 2016, it just openning. I remember the first time it was super hard to find, and it took half an hour to find it! Because there is only a small sign the size of a slap at the door In my mind, this is the best Japanese food restaurant in OC, from all dishes to sushi. I have been eating for more than 6 years in here. From no one knows to one Michelin star, I have always love Hanaré. Whether it is before and after, Chef Atsushi has always been consistent. The biggest difference is after get one Michelin star it more difficult to make an appointment because there are too many appointments. The reason why I still go there often is that I feel like home. The chef knows our preferences very clearly. It doesn't need to say much, and the delicacies are all in place, which will not disappoint. read more

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wow, this was a fantastic meal. it is not a strictly sushi omakase where you're getting is 10+ pieces of nigiri -- this is much more a kaiseki of 10 different courses, mostly 'marine' based, but at least one land that will have you salivating and wanting much, much more my wife and i sat at the bar, and were served beautiful dish after beautiful dish by chef atsushi and his small team. the sake was wonderful, the ambiance was great, the plating was refined, and the flavors were unique and refreshing. not once did i feel the cadence was off, or that i was too full for whatever was coming next. that being said, i don't believe this is the kind of meal where you will be bursting at the seams afterward -- and for good reason -- because larger portions of these dishes could very quickly become far, far too much of a wonderful thing a lot of work goes in to making this many small dishes, and each one was just incredible as the last (and the last was very, very good). there were zero misses for me across this entire evening, which is rare for a 2 hour meal, michelin or otherwise. we both left completely satisfied -- happy and grateful to have had this experience, wondering how often the menu changes, so we can plan our next escape to hana re gochisousama deshita !! thank you for choosing to establish yourself in costa mesa, i hope you never leave read more

Hanare Sushi - sushi bar, sake/drink list - Japanese Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Their store is located in a nice plaza, where there are a lot of places good for pics. Love the whole course setting, have enough portions for me. And the whole plating is very colorful and fun. However, I found fish scales in the nigiri... well this is a little bit disappointing... Since it is a one Michelin star restaurant, it should have a high standard... lol! In general, in OC county they are ok, but compared to the whole of LA, I hope they could come up with sth more interesting, not only on plating but also on ingredients. I am expecting some special ingredients that I won't be able to eat in every other fine dining sushi restaurant. read more

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This Michelin Star Restaurant, one of the two in Orange County, is a perfect and quaint place for a lovely foodie adventure. The chef and his wife were a pleasure to talk to and learn about the amazing omakase dishes. My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed this entire experience. The fish and seafood were really fresh. Everything including the garnishes and plating were prepared with the utmost care. I would highly recommend trying this restaurant if you enjoy authentic Japanese sushi. read more

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