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    Mecha-Uma

    4.3 (10 reviews)
    Open 11:00 am - 6:00 pm

    Mecha-Uma Japanese Restaurant Photos

    MECHA-UMA ATMOSPHERE

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    Jack Straw S.

    I think that Mecha-Uma is absolutely amazing, and anyone even passing through on I95 should take the five-minute detour off the highway and go eat here. When you see this unassuming place off Campbell Ave in West Haven it would be easy to pass by. When you walk in the door that barely closes walk through the Japanese tapestries hanging in the door and in the windows, you get teleported out of West Haven into someone's kitchen who will cook for "you." It is a little dark but do not let any of this deter you. As you enter you may notice the giant bags of panko bread crumbs stacked next to giant bags of rice. The counter still has plastic barriers with Covid signs telling you to wear a mask and to keep six feet apart. The menu is a double sided 8.5 x 11 sheet of paper with the front listing the soups and entree and the back has some sushi. I was craving Chicken Katsu curry so I ordered the beef curry over chicken katsu and rice and the kimchi pork soup. I placed my order and sat at the little stools. This nice gentleman thanks me and I wait. I start looking at him cooking in the back and I realize this man is going to cook this to order and it will take some time. I hear the clanking of things on the gas burner and then the sound that made me realize "this is going to be next level." As I patiently wait, I hear the best sound in the world when you order katsu...the sound of the chicken cutlet as it enters into the hot oil and it crackles perfectly but it gets better. The sound is just long enough and you realize you are going to get a perfectly crisp chicken cutlet that will hold up to being put over rice smothered in a perfect beef curry sauce and it did not disappoint. As a quick note his perfectly cooked light as a feather gyoza is not to be over looked and should be enjoyed immediately to appreciate how light a dumpling can be. Now I would have been perfectly happy with what I ordered but it actually gets better. The kimchi pork udon soup was pretty much a bowl of homemade goodness. The soup was a perfect kimchi broth with udon noodles cooked to perfection. The way this became even better is that the pork was cooked so perfectly it melted in your mouth. Not one chewy bite in the entire bowl. The kimchi and pork mixed bites combined with bite size pieces of kimchi ad perfectly cooked udon was next level. This man is sharing his home-made food and it shows in every single bite. I hope everyone goes and supports this place and gets to enjoy the food so we get to keep this restaurant here for years to come.

    Exterior view.
    Frank S.

    I'm so pleased to learn that this legendary New Haven food cart has now opened a takeout, storefront location in West Haven. This is authentic, Japanese comfort food at its finest. It's very easy to find free parking in West Haven and they also have curbside pick up if you call ahead. They post menu updates on their Facebook page and offer a hot menu as well as a sushi menu. They serve hot dishes on rice or udon noodle soup. Their fried seafood dishes are exquisite, but most of the time I am in the mood for curry or gyudon (beef bowl).

    Andrea G.

    Cute little place. Owner was very friendly and service was great. The rice was on the drier side but the fish was fresh and delicious.

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    1 year ago

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    2 years ago

    I think this place is closed. We tried going on a Saturday night and it was closed. Looks like it's been closed for awhile.

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    3 years ago

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    Burrito Bliss - Chicken quesadilla w/ fixings

    Burrito Bliss

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    One of my coworkers who's a quesadilla lover told me that the best food cart to get a quesadilla…read morefrom is "the one with the guy" if you have the time to wait, but that "the one with the woman" is quicker if you're in a rush. In checking out the food carts today, I determined that "the one with the guy" is called Burrito Bliss, so based on my coworker's recommendation, I decided to try it. Needless to say, I ordered a quesadilla ($6). I had mine with chicken and all of the fixings except for cabbage slaw. The quesadilla itself was filled with white cheese (queso fresca?), chicken, mushrooms, and caramelized onions, and was served with sour cream, hot sauce, pico de gallo, and guacamole on the side, as well as rice and beans. True to my coworker's description, the quesadilla itself was large and generously filled with ingredients, and had good flavor, esp. with the included toppings. It made for a lunch that was satisfying but didn't weigh too heavily on my stomach for the rest of the afternoon. My loyal followers know that one of my favorite pastimes recently has been to complain about the cost of everything in CT, esp. compared to Pittsburgh, where I spent the past 5 years of my life. The quesadilla I received from this food cart represents the second time since I moved to CT a month ago that I feel that I received a good value for my $ (of which there's unfortunately much too little!). If you're a cash-strapped postdoc, med student, or staff member, be sure to check this cart out to get a good bang for your buck in terms of flavor and portion size!

    Hachiroku Shokudo & Sake Bar - Mini Harasu Don

    Hachiroku Shokudo & Sake Bar

    4.6(86 reviews)
    2.9 mi

    Hachiroku Shokudo & Sake Bar is a real find. Good Japanese food is hard enough to track down, and…read morefinding it in New Haven feels like a huge victory. Prices run a bit high, but the quality of the ingredients more than make up for it. The Jako Salad (4.5/5) is a favorite of mine. It perfectly mixes peppery arugula and crisp radish with a poached egg, fried baby anchovy, bonito flakes, and nori. The baby anchovy gives a sweet/salty crunch that tastes like my childhood. Every bite swings between fresh and umami in a really creative way. The harasu don (5/5) is pure richness in a rice bowl. Grilled salmon belly and salmon roe together are incredibly rich, almost to the edge of too much, but the warm rice underneath keeps it grounded and turns it into a perfect comfort dish. The giant octopus sashimi (4/5) is a great counterbalance, cleanly sliced with a firm, fresh bite that lightens things up. The fresh tofu with uni (5/5) might be my favorite plate. The tofu is ultra delicate, and the rich uni on top adds a briny depth. With the simple seasonings on the side, it's a savory panna cotta. If they ever did a dessert version with ginger syrup, I would be here daily. Sashimi here is excellent (5/5). You get a balanced mix of fatty cuts like otoro and leaner ones like akami, along with hamachi, katsuo, and octopus. The variety lets you move between clean and rich bites at your own pace. A side note. Every so often a piece of yamamomo shows up on the plate (small red berries), a little mountain peach that is sweet enough to outshine most desserts. It may just be a palette cleanser, but it is a personal 10/5 for me. So good! Both indoor and outdoor seating feel comfortable, and service was on point: kind, attentive, and well timed. Overall, this is a standout Japanese option that I would highly recommend if you're ever in New Haven.

    Hachiroku was a highly anticipated place after being nominated for Restaurant of the Year in New…read moreHaven County for Connecticut Restaurant Association's annual Crazies awards so I had it on my list of must go to restaurants. I have also never been to a sake bar. Have to say....I was underwhelmed. We came in last Friday and apparently it was slow because Yale was off (according to our waiter). If a restaurant is good they should not be slow on a Friday night. We sat by the door on a cold night and there were two other couples practically on top of us. Rest of the seating are high tops against a wall by the bar or up the stairs on another level. We would have liked to sit upstairs but they were closing off that area. Menu was complex as the restaurant is authentic Japanese. Lots of beef options. Lots of Wagyu. I was hoping to be blown away by this restaurant trying something different. I was struggling trying to find something to order that sounded appetizing. I knew going in that this place was authentic Japanese but I don't know, nothing sounded great to me. I love mushrooms so I got the Mixed Kinoko Mushroom appetizer which was $15. To add scallops was another $8. Mushrooms were tasty. Scallops were not. $23 for a small dish. I also got the pork short ribs. Not a ton of meat on them, however, nice flavor. I was still hungry after this so I ordered a dessert which was the best part of the meal. They get some of their desserts from Hen & Heifer which is a well established place in Guilford. I got the Ube Panna cotta. Boyfriend got the Black cod Yu-an Yaki and upgraded to add the salad, pickles and rice for $3 more. The pickles were maybe two bites. Salad tasty but again, very small. He said the cod was just ok too. Very small portions and pricey for what you get. $30 for a mini sake flight. Not impressed with how it was served either. Small tasting glasses just placed on the table with no description. The server explained which was which, but I didn't remember. Not sure if he didn't care or this is how it's normally served, but if you go to a wine bar/brewery, they provide descriptions with flights usually written underneath the glass, or at least serve it in something. Not just tiny glasses placed on a table where you have no idea what you're having. Especially for $30! I was not impressed with this place whatsoever. As this is part of a newer restaurant group with a few different locations nearby in New Haven, we then went to their cocktail Lounge on crown street (116 Cocktail Bar) thinking it might be better, however we were equally disappointed. It was dead in there and the bartenders were miserable. They couldn't wait to get out of there. I have heard that their hand roll bar is very good (Handroll on State St). We have been to their Grocery Store called The Loop and it's cute. They have a brunch at the Grocery/Kitchen location that looks really good. They also have a wine lounge at The Loop that I'd like to try.

    Photos
    Hachiroku Shokudo & Sake Bar - Upstairs seating area

    Upstairs seating area

    Hachiroku Shokudo & Sake Bar - Signature Jako Salad

    Signature Jako Salad

    Hachiroku Shokudo & Sake Bar - Giant Octopus Sashimi

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    Giant Octopus Sashimi

    Mecha-Uma - japanese - Updated May 2026

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