By far the best traditional style sushi there is on this side of the Caldecott tunnel, also one of the really few owned and operated by a Japanese duo. Coco and Kenji are true hospitality professionals of the highest level and really know how to deliver an AUTHENTIC Japanese dining experience. From Sake to nori...Every product is carefully selected by them and prepared with care and passion. Call way ahead of time, ask for the tiny bar seating if available, go for the omakase, site back and let them entertain you and delight you. If you are looking for bukkake rolls or sake bombs, this is not your place. read more

They are very meticulous and everything served is exquisite. It seems to be just the two of them, so I get the sense that they work very hard. A lovely place for a date or to treat yourself to something special, but this is not where you want to bring your loud drinking friends. read more

The good: Quality of the fish is good. Ordered 4-5 dishes, all good. The toro was cut much thinner than the rest but still good. The not so good: Miso soup was not very flavorful. Overpriced by about 25 percent. I should be able to feed 2 for $75. But cost over $100. The place is good. But I cannot justify the prices. read more

I went again and took a friend from work. Coco and Ken never disappoint. If you are looking for quantity over quality, this is NOT a good choice for you. This is refined sushi, paired with excellent sake. We left the entire evening up to the chef and were treated to incredible anago, very tender octopus (my favorite), the best uni I have ever had, (and much much more). Yes, it was pricey, but I am still dreaming about the flavors. This is not Asian fusion sushi, but truly traditional sushi. Haute Cuisine Classic! We had Coco and Ken all to ourselves and had the best time discussing sushi cuisine and techniques. For me, it's along the lines of Chez Panisse in terms of quality of ingredients and technique along with every little detail of service, plating, and perfect quantities. The best sushi is not the largest or the thickest. It has to be sized just so. If I were a Sushi-Goldilocks, I would be very satisfied here. Please make sure you make a reservation. And do NOT be late because they will not seat you if you will run into the next guests' allotted time. Try this place at least once so that you will know whether you like the newer style of sushi or the traditional style of sushi. It's good to be educated. We ended up paying about $100 per head (we had a lot of sake and sushi). It was well worth it, but not something I can manage frequently. It's worth the wait. Save up and go! read more

I was the first time to visit this sushi place last night. honestly, the place run by family only husband and wife. Food over there definitely great.It is not the best one I ever had but it is the best at this pricing and chief is processing by heart. there is not a American style sushi bar and only one chief so dont expect that how quick you can have your food. I enjoyed every piece nigiri I ate. read more

The BEST sushi I've ever had. They have done such an amazing job during the pandemic; the food has been top quality every time. The in-person experience (pre-Covid) was wonderful, and the experience during Covid has been awesome. Just a wonderful local business. It's amazing how they've taken everything in stride and still produce incredible results. I promise you won't be disappointed. Thank you!!!!! read more

Great sushi, not the best of my life but still quite good. I love the smallness of the restaurant and the personality of the place. The folks I went with are regulars and treated as such. Good miso soup. Nice sake menu (ask for recommendations if you're not sure). We ordered waaaay too many rolls but finished them all they were so good. read more

Great sushi. I loved Ikura, which was de-salted and marinated by the Kenji-san. Not too salty, and nicely flavored. It has an atmosphere authentic to sushi restaurants in Japan, especially if you sit on the counter. Ankimo (monk-fish's liver) was great too. My favorite. The only thing I wished it were different was rice (shari) for the sushi. It was a little drier than I wished it would be, so it fell apart a bit too easily. I did not try, but Chirashi (variety of fish (sashimi) over sushi rice) looked great. That would be something I will try next. I was told that it gets very crowded from Thursdays until Saturday, and also ordering take out can take a long time. We went there on Tuesday night, and it was hardly crowded at all. I would go there between Mondays and Wednesday to enjoy their food better. read more

Very good sushi and service. The couple (who own and run the place) are always friendly, especially to regulars. If you're a local (or live close enough) I recommend spending a few more bucks to eat here than Serika, given the difference in quality of food and service. read more

Love a place with a sign admonishing you to not use your cell phone. Love a place that's a mom and pop serving decent fush. Love the location, tucked away in the sleepy little village of Orinda. Maybe I wouldn't go out of my way for this but it's worth trying if you're close by. read more

This Japanese/Sushi reataurant is simply EXCELLENT!!! Having been raised in Orinda I have been to all of the local Sushi restaurants and Hanazen is by far the best!!! I always look forward to eating there when my wife and I come home to visit my parents. Hanazen is a small and cozy restaurant owned and operated by husband and wife Kenji and Coco. They are the only people working in the restaurant. Hanazen has top quality fish and unique items from Japan on the menu you won't find anywhere else in the East Bay. For those that want more than Sushi try the Salmon Skin Salad, Grilled Tofu or super delicious Tempura. The Sake menu is extensive/unique, Coco has always made excellent recommendations for my mom and I. The bottom line is that if you want an amazing culinary experience presented by a gracious and welcoming husband and wife team Hanazen is the place for you. If you want a cheap Americanized drive thru experience then go elsewhere. read more

After two years of looking for good sushi in the East Bay our search is over... Not sure it gets much better than this. Been a few times now and this place does not disappoint!! We've mostly stuck with the sushi and sashimi - top notch quality here. We typically aren't very adventurous, but we decided to let Kenji make a chefs choice for us - wow, what a treat!! Also try the fried eggplant! Be sure to make reservations well in advance, they DO NOT take walk-ins. read more

The sushi was good. It is real sushi not american roll. We love it. The appetizer on their white board were good. The same as their special sushi too. This restaurant is very small. You better reserve it before you go. However, this is husband and wife family restaurant . it is slow , so be prepare to have patience! Cell phone is not ok to use! Great food! read more

Intrigued by the Yelp reviews, I decided to give this place a whirl.. we walked in and were asked about reservations.. the dining room was sparsely seated and we said no. The hostess said if we did not mind waiting we could take a seat. I did not mind waiting... and I am happy I did... I felt that the quality of the seafood at Hanazen was some of the highest quality seafood I have ever had. I do recommend you call in advance and take the "chef special" or omakaze because after all, chef does know best. read more

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It looks appealing outside and on Yelp. We called to ask if there are available seats today. However, the girl answering the call was very annoyed and replied with "You need to reserve one month ahead." I have never met this situation before and thought maybe I did not hear correctly. So I repeated the message to confirm. She simply replied "yes" with an unfriendly voice and hang up my call directly. Can't believe that the rude service worth one month waiting. Strongly not recommended. read more

I love this place sushi it has great flavor!!! By far the best sushi in lamorinda and the service is fantastic! The only problem is how tiny this place is because it is very hard to get a table on a Friday or Saturday night. I want to try their saki sampler one night I think it's on Thursday night but heard it's very informative and fun! If you don't want to drive to Berkeley or the WC for sushi this is the place for you! read more

After eating at a few more Omakase places I feel more confident in leaving a review for this place. This restaurant was my first experience and I thought this was just the norm for expensive high end sushi restaurants but I was mistaken. This place definitely enhances the sushi with their special recipes that not all Omakase restaurants do well. Although we didn't have the experience to sit at the bar and converse with the chef I am OK with that. I think this place deserves 5 stars more so because the price is definitely worth the taste of the sushi instead of the whole experience with talking with the chef. I want to come back to this place again except it is a bit far in Orinda! read more

The reviews for a 5 star are a bit deceiving. The quality of nigiri here is great, but definitely not worth the ticket price and there is absolutely no ambience. Not to mention there reservation policy and process is a bit ridiculous. We are local and would rather go to berkeley for sashimi and nigiri. read more

Freaky weird place. Arrived 10 minutes early for our 7pm reservation and they only had one table seated but the soup nazi told me that we were early and to come back in 10 minutes. The fish is fresh but with all of the little signs posted telling you the proper way to eat sushi and how NOT to eat sushi, I felt like I could be put in a time-out at any moment. Not for me. read more

Great experience. I like how it was a husband and wife place. It was a nice ambiance and had a very traditional feel. The sushi chef definitely took his time and made sure everything was prepared right. The fish itself was very fresh and had great flavor. I would come back or recommend this place to anyone looking for a true sushi experience. read more

I came with my friend it is the best sushi! Thanks to yelp i found it though living in Orinda for so long! You need reservation even if tables are empty they plan their night and will not let you in! they do not have any help ! It is an experience not a place where you have fast bite. For sure going soon for more! read more

Hanazen - The sushi plate (chefs special) is seasoned no need soy or wasabi! - Japanese Near Me - Orinda, California

Small upscale intimate sushi restaurant in Orinda. Reservations only. Chefs choice, meaning you order by the plate (or half plate) and get what's fresh and good. Chef's wife acts as hostess and server - she makes it a great experience. Explains where every fish came from and how to eat it, what to pair with it. Not cheap (maybe $100 per "plate") but very small nice traditional sushi dining room. Perfect for slow contemplative meal, feels like private chef almost. Its definitely worth the splurge on a special occasion. read more

I couldn't believe how good their sushi was....I never thought it was possible to find really good sushi out side of my home town Tokyo... till I found HANAZEN! !! read more

This place is great IF AND ONLY IF you want exactly what they're offering. If you want to have a loud, boisterous care-free night... this isn't your place. There are a lot of rules here: 1) Reservations Only: And it's definitely not because they're busy. They made a big show of fitting us in when I called that same night, but the entire evening, only 2 other couples came in. Most tables were empty. I'm guessing this is actually more related to inventory management and not wasting expensive sushi. 2) You only get two types of sushi: classic style... and very classic "old" style. There's no California or Spider rolls here. No tempura. Don't expect a Nobu-like experience. In fact, you actually can't even order. I don't know if it's a regular thing, but on my night, it was Omakase or nothing. After the first 12 courses, you can then have some choices to top up if you'd like. 3) The hostess/waitress/co-owner (I'm guessing) was very nice, but certainly had strong preferences on how the sushi should be eaten. You are given a laminated instruction card with 8 steps of how to properly eat sushi and she is very pleased when you actually read it. Also, despite the instruction card shows options for both hand or chopsticks, it was hand only as that's apparently the preferred method. The chef also tells you whether soy sauce is acceptable for each piece of sushi. Oh, and you're also not provided wasabi because the chef will add the appropriate amount. If you're willing to put up with all of the rules, OR (like me) you simply would have done most of those things anyway, then this place is great. I'd probably give it a 4-star in SF, but it definitely gets a bump up since it's quite possibly the only good restaurant in Orinda. read more

Not an everyday sushi place for us since it takes some planning to eat here. Must have reservations, and must leave a good amount of time to enjoy the meal and conversation with the owners. Fish tasted fresh--we loved trying items we never tried before and tasted the intricacies of familiar items and how they were prepared differently here. Also on the pricier side--another reason we can't be regulars, but we'd definitely come back for celebrations! For reference, our dinner for 2 was around $240. read more

You can't beat the fresh and yummy sushi at Hanazen. Best sushi on this side of the tunnel!

I called to make a reservation and then decided not to come to this place. The woman on the phone was incredibly rude. I asked for an opening Saturday and Sunday, and she said no opening, so I asked what about next Saturday or Sunday. She got pissed and replied something like "I don't have time to look for an opening for you we are very busy and you need to book a month in advance". And then a rant about how this restaurant doesn't serve things like chicken teriyaki, California roll-- only raw fish. Uh, ok. I've dined at Kusakabe(AMAZING sushi), Omakase(Michelin star sushi restaurant) and Sushi Sho(similar to Hanazen, family owned) and never had someone patronize me about authentic sushi dining before... I finally asked for a date that was open and she said to check the policy on website and that she will only call twice to confirm the reservation the night before and will cancel if I don't pick up. I tried to ask how much for Omakase, and she just hung up. I don't think this place is worth spending my money on. read more

This place would be either a 1* or 4* depending on whether you are a regular or not. And that's the problem. How a patron is treated should NOT depend on whether the restaurant can hope to gouge you in the future. I've been here once and that's enough for me. The fish is good, but, really, fresh fish isn't rare in the Bay area. And neither is polite service although it is here. Again, this was my first time and I do not like being ignored and treated like leftovers. Fawn over your regulars all you want, but realize that newbies who are abused will never give you a second chance. I'd sooner eat at McDs than go back. read more

Tried to make a reservation, and literally was condescended into thinking we didn't know what omakase was. I'm sorry that they unfortunately might have experienced unpleasant attitudes from customers who book reservations at this location but there are better ways to be informative and polite in their upfront "screening" of customers. read more

One has to learn to appreciate how Coco and Kenji choose to run their business and their individual personalities. They take a lot of pride in the quality of their food and sake, and they do not cut corners! Once they get to know you, you can expect a sushi experience that is consistent time after time and with what you would expect in Japan. It is small restaurant, casual, and it is memorable. A few things come to mind.... 1. Hands down the best sushi rice I have ever tasted. Light, clean, not mushy. The seaweed is also roasted and crispy and not moist when you bite into it. 2. Eye opening sake experience and proper pairing with food. Coco does not mess around with sake/food pairing. You will appreciate the free education, so do not be afraid to ask her for recommendations. 3. Monthly sake dinners are extremely fun time! Reward yourself once in awhile and appreciate the seasonal sakes with seasonal Japanese food. 4. Getting to know the regular customers. Have met really interesting people here. 5. Special menu items I have never seen anywhere. I am not talking about all the goofy rolls (tuna and peanut butter roll, etc) you see elsewhere. Rather original items such as tender cooked octopus, smoked mackerel, etc. 6. Kenji is probably the most authentic sushi chef I have ever met. He apprenticed in Japan and it shows he work under the eyes of a Master. Do not fall for the sour grapes review I read below. If any sushi bar has declined over the years, its Kirala. I have been a loyal Hanazen customer for a number of years, and will remain so long into the future. Don't expect them to kiss your ass, they don't have too. They food and drink stand on their own. Remember this is just Coco and Kenji doing everything....give them credit for their passion and commitment to keeping this running. I would be lost without them! read more

Easily our favorite sushi restaurant. No frills omakase style. Husband and wife team from Japan who are very knowledgable about their fish. Small intimate setting. Great sake selection as well. We've been here several times and still remark how amazing (and random) it is to have this place in Orinda. Reservations only. read more

This is simply the best place in the Bay Area for authentic sushi and sashimi. It also has the very best sake selection of any place in the Bay Area. Please note that it is the best for AUTHENTIC sushi and sashimi. If you want some Americanized roll concoction (like a Caterpillar Roll or a Lion King Roll), then go somewhere else. You might even want to go somewhere else if you want teriyaki, yakitori, or tempura. They do a very good job of those items, but you should come to Hanazen for 3 things: sushi, sashimi, and sake. If you are a true gourmet, then ask to be put on their e-mail list and try to come to one of their once-a-month sake pairing dinners. Kenji-San cooks 5 authentic gourmet Japanese courses and Coco (a trained and gifted sake sommelier) picks the perfect sake for each course. It is an amazing meal and a great experience. Even if you are there on a regular night and not for the sake pairing, ask Coco for a sake recommendation that goes well with your food. I have seen earlier reviews that complain about the service. Well this is the deal: Kenji-San and Coco run the restaurant by themselves -- just the two of them. In order to find a cook who is old-school and can do things as well as Kenji-San, the cook would have to be an apprentice of Kenji-San and learn how to do things right. If the service is slow or is not with the best mood or a smile, it is because they sometimes get very tired. The freshest items are listed on their whiteboard and you can always ask Kenji-San for what he recommends on any given day and he will choose the best items for you. Although I like the fresh fish, shellfish, and seafood the best, Kenji-San makes his own tamago (sweet egg omelette) and it is fantastic. Focus on the food: the sushi, sashimi, and sake selection is unsurpassed. read more

Great omakase, friendly environment. Less common fish and great preparation including excellent home-made ingredients. Worth the trip from Oakland where we have little comparable (delage, yume). Request one week notice for best service, though we got in with a same-day call on a Monday. read more

It took us 3 months to finally tried Hanazen, a hidden gem in Downtown Orinda. We've tried many Omakase style sushi in Bay Area, but Hanazen is the most authentic and classic one. There's no menu, but the chef surprised me and my husband with most selection of the nigiri. The Bonita is the best in the Bay! We can't wait to come back again for sometime different during the summer. read more

this place was recommended to us by a friend whose opinion I trust. what a gift: hanazen is probably one of the top sushi places in the bay area. we ate omikase, and every piece by sushi chef Kenji (if you define sushi restaurants by their "rolls"--this isn't the place for you) was top notch. they had quite a few unique fish (ocean trout, toki sake, buri, and kelp mackerel for starters) and we've vowed to become regulars. we don't even live in orinda (we live in berkeley)--but this is well worth the drive through the tunnel--and even over a bridge. very quiet on a weeknight, but i hear it gets crowded on weekends. also the sake here is amazing. Coco is an amazing sake sommelier. read more

I been going to Hanazen for many years now and each and every time the food has been amazing. My only reason for the -1 star is due to the extremely high cost of their Sake. I know Coco has incredible knowledge of Sake but a 300ml bottle should not cost 60-70 dollars and up. read more

Great news! As of August 8, 2017 they seem to be open again. Everything appears to be back to "normal". Hurrah! +++++ Appears to be permanently CLOSED. Change of ownership sign in window as of July 15th, 2017. What an enormous disappointment!!! This was an incredible, unexpected gem in Orinda. The owners had very specific expectations, but if you were ok with that, the quality of the food and hospitality were *exceptional*. Unfortunately, no visible notice with an explanation or indication that they have move or otherwise may be reopening. Hanazen will be sorely missed! read more

I had a similar experience as explained by Bill M. My brother and I went to Hanazen mid-week around 6:30PM and there were only a few folks dining. We wanted to sit at the EMPTY bar but we couldn't because it was "reserved". We were seated at a table and received horrible service. The staff went out of it's way to treat us like "outsiders". The sushi was ok, nothing to brag about. Oh, and by the way, the "reserved" bar was still empty when we left. Did I mention the horrible service? If you're looking for quality food and a friendly staff try Yu Sushi in Orinda. read more

Despite this being my neighborhood sushi bar -- I can see the lights glowing inside from my living room window -- I think I've been here twice since they opened years ago. I guess we were so fond of Jun Jun, the former sushi spot in this same location, that when it changed owners, style, and menu, we just couldn't manage to get into our old habit of visiting once every couple weeks or so. But I'm happy to report that we went this week and had a fantastic meal and experience. At first, we were greeted with a bit of skepticism, but once we sat down and started friendly chatter and ordered from the board and menu, things warmed up quickly. Both Coco and Kenji are lovely people who care for their craft and their patrons. The sushi menu is pretty classic, but draws from the diverse options available in the Bay Area, and they have a really nice sake menu. A couple memorable notes that should be a strong draw for anyone in the area: 1. Kenji's sushi rice is among the best I've had. It's flavorful and tender; neither the consistency nor the taste overwhelms the super-fresh fish -- a nice balance on the palette. 2. When given the space and encouragement, Coco takes time to provide context, and even some humorous parables, with the table service. For example, she provided some interesting info about the sake we ordered, and also explained the origin of the special uni we were served. This is a really great asset to our small town, and I intend to become a regular once again. If you're in the area and you're craving something fresh and authentic from a real family run business and artisan, come by Hanazen and enjoy the ambiance and friendships. read more

We've been going to Hanazen since Coco and Kenji opened their business. If you're in the mood for high-quality, authentic sushi and great Sake in the East Bay, this is the place. Especially good for the harder to find, off-the-menu items like Kohada and Aji. The Sake is very good and the selection can be overwhelming but worry not...Coco really knows her stuff and she gets to know you and your taste over time which is a real bonus. The place is very small (part of its charm) and it can be difficult to find a spot on some nights. read more