One of the best Japanese restaurants you can find. Run by real Japanese trained sushi chefs. I'm used to be called Hama and it's still owned by the same original owners. Seikichi Muto is the owners name and he opened the restaurant sometime in the 80's. I'm happy for his success as well as the others that helped built this place from it's start. I remember how you were always to me and my friends, go shinsetsu ni arigatō gozaimashita. Thank you for all you have done Sei San, I wish you happiness. ~Sandy read more

1 star I had a really disappointing experience at Sono Bana Sushi. After being seated, it took 25 minutes just to get a menu. We then waited over an hour, and our food still hadn't even been started. The kitchen seemed to be prioritizing only takeout and pickup orders, while dine-in guests were left waiting with no updates. To be fair, our server was kind and kept apologizing, but nothing actually got resolved -- just repeated apologies while we sat there hungry. Eventually, we decided to leave. I had heard good things about this place, but based on this experience, I can't recommend it for anyone planning to dine in. read more

There's a good amount of enjoyable Japanese restaurants in this area, but out of all of them, the most authentic to Japan is Sono Bana. One visit and it's easy to see that they're the real deal. I got a light meal of dumplings and sushi this time. I don't think I've ever had better pork gyoza, the sauce it came with was nice as well. The shumai was sitting in sauce and it was delicious, although I would have preferred the sauce on the side. All the sushi was great. I got two California rolls, one with kani and one with real crab and they were both delicious. Admittedly, natto is an acquired taste so I can't recommend that roll outright, but I enjoyed it. Finally I had the sweet potato tempura roll which was very fresh but lacked the usual sweet sauce on top. Still, it was good. I've been here multiple times and the food is amazing every time. It's the closest thing to hopping on a plane to Tokyo. Itadakimasu! read more

Sono Bana Japanese Restaurant - Top: Natto Roll Bottom: California Roll with real crab, California Roll with kani, sweet potato tempura roll - Japanese Near Me - Hamden, Connecticut

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Sonobana on Dixwell Avenue in Hamden has a wonderful diversified menu. The serving sizes are small and expensive but the quality is amazing. Like many other restaurants, their hours are also very limited. However, it is worth visiting for a really good sashimi and sushi experience. The seaweed salad is light and flavorful. A favorite of mine is the soba soup with vegetables. It is full of flavor and important nutrients. For sashimi, the salmon and tuna are served at just the right temperature and are very fresh. A real treat is the dragon roll. It is beautifully crafted and melts in your mouth. Overall, you won't be disappointed with the quality of this Japanese restaurant read more

Sono Bana Japanese Restaurant - Japanese Near Me - Hamden, Connecticut

My favorite sushi spot in the area! I've been here about 20-30 times, and it's always great quality. The sushi is fresh and the chefs/owners make authentic Japanese dishes. The best options are probably the bento box (~$18 for dinner, ~$13 for lunch) or the sushi sets (~$17-24) read more

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Very good sushi quality. Much better than some of the other sushi choices in town. Our favorite Sushi chef, Rodrigo, has been out on sick leave, and we hope he returns soon and more regularly because we notice the quality isn't the same when he isn't there. read more

I've been coming to Sono Bana for 10+ years, and will be supporting for years to come. In all that time, they've been consistent in both service and food! I now almost exclusively come for their lunch bento specials and have probably tried every combination of options from their extensive menu by now! Their calamari salad, shumai, and fried oysters are my favorite! It is such a good deal, and there is plenty of seating and parking in the back lot. I've tried other things off their menu including yakisoba and udon- nothing too impressive. I'd stick with their bento and sushi. read more

Sono Bana Japanese Restaurant - Lunch Bento A, comes with choice of seaweed salad/ miso soup/ reg. salad. with extensive side combinations - Japanese Near Me - Hamden, Connecticut

Food ok, the service is terrible. Most people do take out, I can see why. Ambiance moderate.

Im not no professional sushi chef but this don't look right lol at that point all I'm tasting is the mango read more

Sono Bana Japanese Restaurant - a plate of sushi - Japanese Near Me - Hamden, Connecticut

Love this place! Been coming here forever. It's a staple! Spicy Scallop Roll Sushi so good. soba salad taste great! Fried ice cream to finish, friendly service! Nice environment read more

EXCELLENT sushi! That's all there is to say. I had the Tempura Maki Roll and the Spider Roll. The soft shell crab on the Spider roll was SO GOOD. Everything tasted so fresh and just looked so inviting on the plate. The others who were with me ordered Bento Box combination plates and devoured every bite. The service (waitress) is friendly, albeit a bit slow, but don't let that discourage you. The food is WELL worth the wait. And the prices are quite comparable to other sushi houses I've been to (and I've been to a LOT of 'em). read more

Sono Bana Japanese Restaurant - Tempura Maki (top) and Spider Roll - Japanese Near Me - Hamden, Connecticut

A real sleeper! Best sushi this side of the Mississippi..I'm not kidding. The owner is a Japanese man who has taken the art of sushi rice-making to a new level. The salmon is like butter, fresh , tasty and best of all, affordable. As authentic as if you were visiting Japan. read more

Sono Bana Japanese Restaurant - Sushi from Sono Bana - Japanese Near Me - Hamden, Connecticut

Sono Bana has such a cute name, and I was pretty excited to have some of my first sushi in Connecticut after moving here. Their menu is really extensive with various appetizers, rolls, bentos. Though I do have to say that while it's a sushi place, there weren't too many options when it came to nigiri sushi sets; the sets do seem a good price for the amount. -HAMA SUSHI: This is an okay roll. The fish and its amount was fine. I found the rice to be pretty mediocre. For some reason, some of the rice grains were hard. The price for sushi here is actually very reasonable. However, the sushi is mediocre. All in all, an okay sushi place, especially with limited options in the area. read more

The restaurant was good, but not spectacular. I wouldn't go back but it did the job for what it was. I do have to say, I NEVER order spicy tuna rolls because it reminds me of cat food, but here the spicy tuna roll felt like real chunks of tuna mixed with spicy mayo- I would order spicy tuna if it was like the roll here! The rest of the meal was just ok, I got the dinner box for $16, crispy chicken wasn't crispy and was all dark meat. The tempura wasn't crispy either, sad. Overall, if there isnt another place open, I would go again if I needed to eat somewhere but I woudlnt go out of my way to go here. read more

Worst service ever. This woman is so lazy and rude. She interrupted us while ordering by walking away. All food that was supposed to be hot was cold. We needed to ask for the check multiple times before leaving. Very inattentive. Sushi was good and creative. Don't expect speedy service. read more

Sono Bana Japanese Restaurant - a plate of sushi - Japanese Near Me - Hamden, Connecticut

The rolls were delicious and the miso soup. Unfortunately the delivery took well over a hour on Sunday night and I live under 1 mile away. Waiting so long defers from the taste food! read more

A few friends and I went to Sono Bana for a little NYE dinner before heading off to a proper party. The place wasn't really crowded at all and our server, Kuni, was super nice as well as super gracious in letting us stay pretty late past closing. The sushi was good, but not the best I've ever had. I got the zaru soba for an appetizer, which was good but also a little disappointing because typically zaru soba is served cold and on ice and this was kind of lukewarm... :( I also tend to like a little bit more of a vinegar-y sauce and their sauce was kind of bland. However, the non-sushi parts of the dinner box ($15 for soup, dumplings, a main dish, and two sushi rolls all in all a very reasonable price) were really, really good. The chicken katsu was sliced thick and tender and the veggie gyoza were really tasty and melted in my mouth. Also, the super secret deal here that my friends and I particularly enjoyed was a bottle of Momokawa pearl sake, reasonably priced at $20. Yeah, if you picked up a bottle from a wine shop it'd be probably 25 - 50% cheaper. But, compared to the $10 a bottle for a large hot sake at most sushi places, you got probably 1.5x more, better quality sake for the money and it was really good. All in all, a cool little sushi restaurant that's worth an occasional stop in. Definitely worth a peek to try out their Japanese style dishes that aren't sushi, but I really didn't feel like their sushi was anything spectacular. It was good, though. read more

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My family have been customer of this restaurant for over 20 years, the food were good, services were wonderful. Especially the Japanese waitresses, friendly, quiet, provided wonderful service. Thing seems changed after the restaurant has the new owner. One of the waitresses talks loud, sometime rude, I am not sure if this lady has any knowledge of how to be a waitress. My family don't go that restaurant that often, last time I went after 2 years Covid pandemic, I thought this lady is gone, unfortunately she is still there... not sure I will visit this restaurant again. read more

Surprisingly delicious yellowtail sushi. I thought it was better than sushi palace. Dragon rolls was little too mushy. But overall, we enjoyed it. read more

I love this place. I've eaten there dozens and dozens of times. Best sushi I've had anywhere except for one place in Boston. And VERY VERY GOOD prices. The neighborhood is a little sketchy, which probably is why it's so much more affordable than other places - they probably have cheaper rent. I've tried a lot of things on the menu and never been disappointed, but I almost always get the Bento Box now. I absolutely love their gyoza and crunch rolls. Thinking about it now (at 9:30am - not the time I usually eat sushi!) is making my mouth water. The crunch rolls have the usual tuna, spicy sauce, and tempura bits on the outside. What sets this apart, is the fact that the tuna is not all mushed up so you can appreciate the awesome texture of the raw tuna. Also, there is avocado and very thinly sliced scallion in there. Yummmmmm!!! Their tempura fried ice cream is to die for as well. The service is awesome and very attentive. The decor is pleasant. And most importantly, it seems pretty authentic. I'll admit, I'm a Connecticut native of European descent who's never been to Asia. I was afraid I had Americanized taste for sushi (which I may). But I took a colleague/friend who was visiting from Japan to this restaurant. She said it was very good and authentic. The only thing that she said was different was that the sushi salad she's used to in Japan uses black seaweed (and every seaweed salad I've had, including the one here, uses green seaweed.) She liked it so much that she in turn took a VERY higher-up person in our company here (he's a VP of something and responsible for the entire Asian region) so they could indulge in comfort foods from back home while in America. I consider that a huge compliment to Sono Bana. My only complaint is that now that I've moved out of Hamden, it's too far to eat there every week. I still travel 45 minutes to eat there once a month or so though. As I said at the beginning, I LOVE THIS PLACE. read more

Sono Bana Japanese Restaurant - The toilet in the ladies room has many options. - Japanese Near Me - Hamden, Connecticut

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Quick hands! The night started off pretty amazing the waitress made an excellent catch and prevented my beer from falling. We ordered 2 boats and wow the presentation was great and they were very filling. Really enjoyed my experience here. read more

Sono Bana Japanese Restaurant - Sushi boat!!! - Japanese Near Me - Hamden, Connecticut

I live in Nashville TN and there is a restaurant called Sonobana here. I went to this restaurant's website thinking it was the one near me and in my rush I placed a to go order online. I arrived at the restaurant and the host was confused since there was no order with my name. So I checked my receipt and realized my error. I called this location explaining what I did and asked if it could possibly be refunded. I was told that they already made the food so they won't give me a refund. I explained that I was in Nashville and they are in Connecticut and the restaurant I was trying to order from has the same name. They did not care to refund me $27 for their Chirashi and I'm stuck without dinner. If I'm ever in the area I certainly will not be going to this place as any good restaurant would at least refund a portion of the charge since they got to keep the Chirashi. *EDIT: about 15 minutes after I left this review I was refunded $15. I still spent $12 and some change on this ordeal. Still would never eat here. read more

How would anyone not love poke?! Poke is much more popular in western part (California) and now poke is getting popular in New York cities, too. I am very glad that I can find poke in this area, Hamden! Sono Bana offers various options for fish meats and sauces to be in your bowl. I tried spicy mayo sauce and which I was very sure that I made a right choice. My friend ordered special assorted sushi plate, which you can also pick the sushi and rolls for your plate. The fish meat was thick, soft and fresh. The side dishes were great too. The owner was so friendly, which must be a reason that there were regular visiting customers in the restaurant too. We do not have many Japanese restaurants offering Poke around New haven and Hamden regions although it looks like someone is trying to start a business. I want to visit Sono Bana again in the near future. read more

Sono Bana Japanese Restaurant - Seaweed salad and vege salad - Japanese Near Me - Hamden, Connecticut

Sono Bana gets five stars from me for two reasons: 1. Their sashimi was really fresh. You can just feel their freshness, as you sink your teeth into them. Even better than their sushi. 2. Their lunch specials were more than reasonably priced. You can't beat their price of two rolls for less than six dollars. Other things to note about this place: Sashimi was generously sliced: Good sized portions. Spicy tuna rolls had big chunks of tuna rather than having the chopped up kind. Salad was cold and crunchy. Tempera was crispy. Service was good. Udon was unimpressive, but at least they weren't overdone. Atmosphere is just average, but there's parking in the back. If there's ever a bargain for Japanese food, this place has it. read more

I was a resident of New Haven for 7 years from 2000 to 2007 (Just moved to Oakland, CA!) and this is my favorite restaurant in the greater New Haven area. I will sorely miss this place! This place used to be called Hama until they decided to change their name (same owners though). I still call it Hama though, for old times sake. They have, hands down, the best deals on high quality sushi and Japanese food. I love their dinner combo bento boxes (so many different combinations to choose from) which is a large amount of food for 16 dollars. Even better, this place has the most awesome sushi/roll combination called "The Sushi set". You get to choose 7 pieces of sushi (including really good fatty tuna, sea urchin, eel, and sweet shrimp) and 2 rolls (each with like 6 to 8 pieces) and you get a seaweed salad or miso soup, all for like 17 dollars! As for non-sushi items, I love the katsudon,donkatsu, and their udon dishes are also awesome. I highly recommend their nabeyaki udon. The restaurant itself is laid-back, is a neighborhood restaurant, not one of those chic fancy japanese places, so if you are looking for a relaxed non-pretentious place to get really good sushi at reasonable prices, GO HERE. I also have to give the people there some props for being courteous and attentive. I love the down-home service there. If you are looking for a fancy trendy experience, then I suggest you try Miso in downtown New Haven instead. Finally, if you frequent the place as much as I used to (once a week or more), you can pick up a VIP card that will get you credit back for each time you eat there. Once you accumulate 10 dollars credit, you can apply it back towards your bill! Good stuff. Anyway, I'll miss this place, and for sure, if I ever go back to New Haven to visit, I'll make sure to go here. For all you New Haven people, please keep this place going strong for years to come, so that I may drop in and enjoy myself here. read more

Sushi Perfection !!! Call me an addict, I must have my sushi fix at least 2x a week or I shake and shiver. There was a time when I was having sushi every day, this sickness was sparked by the ultra fresh offerings at Sono Bana. Their sashimi is by far the freshest I've had in all of CT. Also their soy sauce is the premium stuff that tastes deep and has a complex aroma and intoxicating flavor with a slight hint of sweetness that trails through. However, like almost all sushi restaurants, the wasabi is just horseradish blended with green food coloring. Real wasabi is real expensive and not widely available. The sushi chefs are incredibly friendly, they make sure to greet you with a glowing smile every time you walk in and out of the place. Chatting with the sushi chefs reveal that they get their fish supply from NY and Boston every other day, I'm thinking this is the reason for the freshness factor. Every time I take a bite into their sashimi, I just feel like I'm consuming the essence of the fish, the very soul of the aquatic creature. Their service is immaculate. The waitresses are very cordial and take care of every little detail with blazing expediency. Everytime I go, I order from the blue sushi special. For just $17.99 you end up getting about $40.00 of sushi priced a la carte style. That is an absolute steal!!! Order a cup of tea, order some sake, order the sushi special, order a friend or two, dinner or lunch is almost guaranteed to be awesome!!! The shock and awe of the freshness of the meal will linger in your memories long after the transient mouth orgasms. I can't imagine a better place to share time with your most beloved friends. This restaurant gets my highest recommendation!!! read more

I have been eating at Sono Bana for 17 years now. While these days it is much easier to find sushi in CT, it is hard to find sushi and other Japanese dishes that are nearly as delicious. And not only is the fish incredible, but the prices are more reasonable than any other place I've tried. If I lived closer to Sono Bana, I wouldn't get my raw fish anywhere else. Another dish you can't miss is their soft-shell crab appetizer. Not only is it difficult to find this dish at many Japanese restaurants, but their light batter and meaty pieces of crab are paired perfectly with a vinegar sauce. I believe the $10 appetizer comes with two crabs, so it's quite filling for the price. While dinner prices are good, you can't beat the lunch special prices. Despite getting such a great deal, you get to choose your sushi/sashimi and special rolls. And if amazing food isn't enough, the staff at Sono Bana is the best. Everyone is friendly and happy to answer questions without making you feel rushed or imposing. The restaurant's ambiance is quiet and wonderful. They play soft Japanese music in the background, so it is a wonderful place to catch up with friends. read more

Sono Bana is the sushi place I've always wanted for sushi takeout and delivery, and I didn't even know it until I stopped in yesterday to grab dinner to go. The dining area looks nice, but takeout is a great deal, so this is my new go-to place when I just want to vege out and eat sushi on the couch in front of the TV in the comfort of my own home. Unlike a lot of sushi restaurants, I can get enough sushi to be uncomfortably full at Sono Bana for around $15-20, even at dinner. The combination boxes and sushi set specials are especially good deals and come with a lot of food. The sushi itself isn't the best ever, but it's satisfying and more than above-average, and there are several creative options on the menu. You can also get your fill of teriyaki, tempura, and noodle dishes, all reasonably priced. The staff is very friendly and even offered me water or tea while I waited for my order. If you live less than 3 miles away, you can also get sushi delivered from 5-9 p.m. as long as you order a certain amount and pay a small delivery fee. read more

I first came to Sonobana (then called Hamas or something like that) with a friend who is actually Japanese. Since then I go there on occasion for the fantastic variety of top notch sushi and also for their excellent soups. You would be hard pressed to find another Sushi place of this caliber outside of New Haven or New York. Its elegantly decorated and the wait staff is very friendly, the prices are ok but a little towards the pricey side if you are having more than just bento or sushi. read more

Pretty decent sushi spot, though the rolls are standard to smaller in size. The Negimayaki, however, was terrific, with tender slices of beef oozing with melted cheese. The place is clean and service is very good. read more

Sono Bana Japanese Restaurant - Negimayaki - broiled rolled beef stuffed with cheese and scallion (4.5/5) - Japanese Near Me - Hamden, Connecticut

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For frequent fish-eaters, such as myself and family, Sono Bana offers a 'club card', which lets you build up points for every dollar you spend. Although the card doesn't make me eat here more often, it's nice to be rewarded as a frequent customer. Yes, you could get better sushi in NY. Maybe in Boston. But in greater New Haven, this traditional sushi is the best. The only thing keeping me from 5 stars is the endless loop of music with about 5 songs. It's the same every time I go. Don't miss the "Mad About You" theme. It's in my head, and now it's in yours. read more

The service is truly awful here!! 30 minutes in nobody took our order---then came the attitude---then came the cold edamame minus the Salt!---then came our completely disjointed order---then the waitress forgot our to go order---then they miscalculated the bill ( always check it here !)---then we left completely dissatisfied. Oh an the Sushi was VERY ordinary in case you're wondering:) read more

My go-to place for utility sushi in the New Haven-Hamden area. Consistently good and reasonably priced food across the menu, including both the sushi and the rest (noodles, bento boxes, etc). The sushi sets are some of the highest cost-efficiency items you'll find anywhere in the region. read more

VERY inconsistent; Loyalty from long-time customers is NOT reciprocated. Lived in the neighborhood, near Sonobana & have been getting food from here at least monthly for the past 6years. Sometimes the rolls are great, w/ fish that has the texture & taste expected of super-fresh sushi-quality. Other times, the same roll is not so enticing. Tuna that seems like it's had some additional dollops of spicy sauce added to mask it's age... Soba salad is sometimes had tasty, appropriately firm noodles. Other times the noodles are limp & near gelatinous. For the number of items I order from here, the quality has ranged from excellent to horrible. I haven't been able to figure out when it will be good or bad. End of the week? Certain time of year? Can't figure out the pattern. The staff is usually quite nice, especially the wait staff. In light of that, when take-out orders have been screwed up (ie: missing a roll or forgetting to make the roll spicy, etc.....) I haven't made a big deal. No body is perfect & with the frequency I get sushi from here, a mistake or two is bound to occur. However, I recently received another order that was missing the requested spicy sauce & when mentioned this to the staff the person/people in the back were quite dismissive. At another visit, a large group I was part of wanted to split the bill into two separate checks. The manager refused because we had a restaurant coupon. The customer service from the manager certainly doesn't make me feel very appreciated especially when I've not made a big deal about the the cumulative missteps over the years. Not being able to count on consistently good (or even consistently decent) food is very disappointing. And, feeling like you've been a loyal customer over the years & then being dismissed by staff for what seems like a legitimate request is insulting. read more

I am always bragging about this place. I grew up in this area, and this is my ALL TIME FAVORITE sushi joint. I am IN LOVE with the dragon rolls and there is NO OTHER PLACE that makes it better. I even learned to make them at home since I love them so much. I actually had my first mochi here many many years ago; and I also had my first Japanese toilet experience here.. Go check it out! The owner is so kind, and the service is always excellent! I highly recommend this spot to all sushi lovers! read more

I've been coming here for years. Usually I take out (even though I don't live all that close) but sometimes I eat in. The neighborhood is just ok and I wouldn't really recommend going any further south down Dixwell. It's in a strip mall and doesn't look like much from the outside. You can park on the street in front and there's a lot in back. If both of those are full just park in a side street. It's not a huge place, with both tables and a sushi bar that fits maybe a half dozen people. It's got a pretty big menu but I usually stick with he sushi. It's pretty much the best sushi in the local area and prices are reasonable. The staff is usually friendly and helpful. Unlike another reviewer mentioned my to go order has never been messed up, though my order usually isn't very complicated. I haven't been to Sushi Palace because I'm loyal to Sona Bana so I can't compare. I have had the sushi at nearby Sakura Garden which is a nicer physical building but the sushi is not as good and ends up costing me a lot more money than Sono Bana for essentially the same thing. I guess he fact that I drive pretty far and have been coming here for so long means I like it and it deserves 4 stars. read more

I still come here regularly - there is no better sushi in the state. I do find that the sushi can still take a while at busier times (e.g. Saturday night) - seems like they're pushing out all the takeout orders first. However, the quality has improved. There was a period of time where they were going through a bunch of different sushi chefs so that probably explains that. Service has generally improved. There's been some turnover and I think it's been for the better. read more

The freshest sushi in the area. I love coming here for lunch because they have a great bento selection/sushi selection for not so much cash. The weekends can be insanely busy so definitely call ahead for a table. read more

Sono Bana Japanese Restaurant - Sushi Boat - Japanese Near Me - Hamden, Connecticut

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This is the best sushi place in New Haven, hands down. Being from Japan, I'm extremely picky about the temperature of the rice, how the fish are cut, etc. Some nights seem better than others (they were out of uni one night, some rolls seemed smaller than usual on some nights, etc.), but in general, I have not been disappointed. Forget other overpriced places like Miso or Miya's (though Miya's does have an interesting menu). This is the cheapest and the best sushi in the region. read more

I went there on a fairly empty night and went against my original choice, which was not to go. MY friend (who is a vegetarian) suggested the restaurant and said it is "the best". Service was very slow and it took a while to get service. Drinks came at a reasonable speed. The menus are a little confusing but it's not a big deal. Quality of food was average and it was nothing to be impressed about. On this specific occasion I split a boat with my friend. Both of us were still really hungry after we ate it all and it didn't really come with much for the price we paid. I don't know where most of the people here have been going to but paying $18-20 for fresh sushi isn't exactly a good price. Heck, even big Y has fresh cut fish sushi for about $5. as far as authenticity goes, my friend was so adamant about "Japanese quality chefs" that he claimed they had gone to school for it and were extremely skilled. Being absolutely convinced this place was sub par I actually got up and headed to the main desk near the kitchen and politely asked a little about them. One of them went to school for accounting and the other chef also didn't "go to school for sushi" or culinary for that matter. I'm sorry but it baffles me how people's popular opinions manage to overthrow facts. The place was ok, but far form "the best" and the prices were too high for my liking. (note: I went 6mo ago, I only got around to this review because the vegetarian friend is spreading rumors that this place is "the best") read more