From my Yelp review:For the love of all things, DO NOT EAT HERE. Every dish was the very worst, most flavorless version of itself. Rice? Dry. Curry sauce? Weak, watered down flavor with something lumpy added. Like a thickener. Tonkatsu? Dry & chewy. Pork belly yakitori? No yakitori sauce, dry and inedible. No sauce on the chicken yakitori either. Agedashi tofu - tofu was cooled, not hot, sauce was kind of cold, it only had shreds of bonito, not flakes, no daikon, & sauce flavor was watery, very weak flavor. The veggie tempura appetizer was crispy but the oil had an unfresh flavor, the wheat batter had no flavor (& small portion for the price, as the kicker). My daughter ordered Tonkatsu ramen & got the entree. There was some chicken appetizer that was overcooked, with a tiny bowl of dipping sauce to make these edible.And when we first sat down, the busses spilled all 3 glasses of ice water all over the table & the waiter wouldn’t help dry it. And staff took forever to come dry everything down. The waiter handed ME napkins but it was like 6 cups of water. A worker kept telling him to clean it & not leave to the customer. My guest has wet trousers the whole night.It was $189 of my hard earned money for a total birthday disaster. I talked to the manager after & he should have comped the entire meal but instead offered a $25 coupon. I declined as we'll never go here again!!The more I thought about it, the more shocked I was that I wasn't offered something for the water disaster, like a free meal, but then the whole dinner was so bad..and the manager didn't bat an eye or offer to comp at least some of it.I'm embarrassed, crushed that my daughter's birthday meal was a disaster, my guest had wet pants the whole meal, and I'm just furious that we didn't matter much to the manager or the waiter.Don't waste your money on this 4th rate "Japanese" resto. Please.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 1
Service: 1
Steven S.
Very nice and good bartenders here. Had the mai tai and had to have another one. Bartender named Giselle is a pleasure to talk to. Enjoyed the sushi especially the newton roll. They name their rolls after the surrounding towns! Nice looking place for a date.
Melba M.
For the love of all things, DO NOT EAT HERE. Every dish was the very worst, most flavorless version of itself. Rice? Dry. Curry sauce? Watered down flavor with something lumpy added. Like a thickener. Tonkatsu? Dry & chewy. Pork belly yakitori? No yakitori sauce, dry and inedible. No sauce on the chicken yakitori either. Agedashi tofu - tofu was cooled, not hot, sauce was kind of cold, it only had shreds of bonito, not flakes, no daikon, & sauce flavor was watery, very weak flavor. The veggie tempura appetizer was crispy but the oil had an unfresh flavor, the wheat batter had no flavor (& small portion for the price, as the kicker). My daughter ordered Tonkatsu ramen & got the entree. There was some chicken appetizer that was overcooked, with a tiny bowl of dipping sauce to make these edible. The busboy accidentally spilled all the glasses of water when we sat down & my guest sat in wet pants the whole time, and the workers expected US to mop up the water. It went everywhere. The waiter actually handed ME paper napkins instead of taking swift action for his guests. Another woman kept telling him to do the work. But he wouldn't. It was $189 of my hard earned money for a total birthday disaster. I talked to the manager after & he should have comped the entire meal but instead offered a $25 coupon. I declined as we'll never go here again!! The more I thought about it, the more shocked I was that I wasn't offered something for the water disaster, like a free meal, but then the whole dinner was so bad..and the manager didn't bat an eye or offer to comp at least some of it. I'm embarrassed, crushed that my daughter's birthday meal was a disaster, my guest had wet pants the whole meal, and I'm just furious that we didn't matter much to the manager or the waiter. Don't waste your money on this 4th rate "Japanese" resto. Please.
Shawn Connors
Fantastic food in a fairly busy spot in Cushing Square. On the pricey side of things, but you definitely get what you pay for. One of the few locations with Uni, O-toro, and Hokkigai.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 4
Dee C.
This place is so freaking cute, Nord was my server. He was cool and knowledgeable and had a love for Taylor Swift. The sushi rolls here are ginormous, so if you typically get more than one, you might want to think about that because they are big. I couldn't even get through a whole roll. I also got salmon to go it comes in a little cute bento box, and it's so freaking good. And it comes with mixed vegetables rice and a salad. The only negative thing I have to say is my son got his plate before me so I was watching him eat and by the time I got mine he was done so then he was watching me eat. I always feel like that's weird when you're dining. I prefer for you to just hold the food and bring it back when everybody gets their plate so everyone eats together. Other than that everything was great it's a cute little place, plenty of street parking. That's the nice thing about Belmont after about 5:00 p.m. or when the other businesses close, there's not that much traffic or cars taking parking. Oh, this is a small little detail, but their chairs are so comfortable as soon as you sit down it's like a cloud for your bum. It is also a little pricey, so prepare yourself. Also, I noticed that they do not have red wine on the menu, though they have a full bar. It was two options of white wine, plenty of sake, and again, probably anything else you want.
Jimmy Su
Came here for a date night. Chill atmosphere and good food. We'd definitely come back again.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Y F.
Sushi is good but unagi don(eel) so bad. It looked like I was eating a rubber plate. You should definitely not eat them.
Carrie Bryan
Good food, great service and support staff, nice atmosphere.Parking: plenty of street parking within walking distance
This Belmont local Japanese is worth visiting from surrounding neighborhoods. The decor is modern and more upscale than one might expect. The menu is diverse, offering traditional sushi and sashimi, Yakitori (including chicken hearts), Udon (both hot and cold), Ramen, and more. Take a seat at the expansive bar, at a high top, or traditional dining room table. If you're a sushi lover, you will like that the menu typically includes 3-4 types of tuna, not just basic Maguro, but also Chu Toro (medium fatty) and Oh Toro (very fatty). My only disappointment was that the Uni (Sea Urchin) was sourced from Maine, which is just not on par with Uni from California or Japan. For better local sushi options, you'd have to hoof it to Boston. Lastly, the wait service was pleasant and helpful.
Julie P.
We had a great time here. Great sushi and drinks, and it didn't seem crazy busy. The waitstaff were able to be very attentive because of this. The bartender was so friendly and we had some fun drinks. It was a great place to spontaneously meet up with friends! A new local gem for us.
Menu unclear, no vegan entree options.Our server/bartender Gisele was great.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 5
Vincent Newell
Really fresh sushi and juicy tonkatsu pork, and attentive service
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Peter C.
Love to find great places only 10 minutes away from me. This is the crown jewel of Belmont eateries. Hanami is exactly the type of place that the area needs. It's vibrant, with great good and live music nights. It was packed on a Saturday night. The menu has many options. You can find staples like miso soup, vegetable tempura, crab Rangoon and pork gyoza. However, I came for the sushi to be the main attraction. A must order is the Tuna flight. I ended up ordering 2 of these just for myself. It was a tough decision since there was also Toro Toro roll on the menu which sounded awesome. Caterpillar roll was great. Individual Nigiri pieces were divine. Himachi melted in my mouth. Salmon was so good too. I will order all of these again and again. The list of specialty rolls is so creative. It was hard to pick. The signature Hanami roll was good, but the uni was very mushy. My only complaint is the uni. At $28 for this roll, it's probably one I would not repeat. Shrimp tempura roll was crispy. Unagi roll was pretty awesome as well. There are so many great options for sushi. The highlight was Gizelle, who made our experience so much more fun. She was so friendly and fun, and very engaging. I will make sure she's my server every time. I'll be back for the service and the food. Excellent experience all around. Definitely check this place out. I'll be back.
Ariel E.
Fun sushi place. It still feels young and like it's trying a little to please everyone (e.g., I can see a reach toward poke, but tournedos rossini feels a bridge too far for a sushi/izakaya joint). Really great to have something like this in town. The costs can feel a little high for the basics ($9 for a basic salad). I hope as time goes on, they get the confidence (and the finances) to go full sushi/izakaya in terms of their menu options. In the meantime, they're open most of the day and they have great options, including a solid sake section on their wine list.
number o.
Great place to unwind. Had a late night dinner here and had the best sushi! Espresso martini was the best I've had. You won't be disappointed.
From my Yelp review:For the love of all things, DO NOT EAT HERE. Every dish was the very worst, most flavorless version of itself. Rice? Dry. Curry sauce? Weak, watered down flavor with something lumpy added. Like a thickener. Tonkatsu? Dry & chewy. Pork belly yakitori? No yakitori sauce, dry and inedible. No sauce on the chicken yakitori either. Agedashi tofu - tofu was cooled, not hot, sauce was kind of cold, it only had shreds of bonito, not flakes, no daikon, & sauce flavor was watery, very weak flavor. The veggie tempura appetizer was crispy but the oil had an unfresh flavor, the wheat batter had no flavor (& small portion for the price, as the kicker). My daughter ordered Tonkatsu ramen & got the entree. There was some chicken appetizer that was overcooked, with a tiny bowl of dipping sauce to make these edible.And when we first sat down, the busses spilled all 3 glasses of ice water all over the table & the waiter wouldn’t help dry it. And staff took forever to come dry everything down. The waiter handed ME napkins but it was like 6 cups of water. A worker kept telling him to clean it & not leave to the customer. My guest has wet trousers the whole night.It was $189 of my hard earned money for a total birthday disaster. I talked to the manager after & he should have comped the entire meal but instead offered a $25 coupon. I declined as we'll never go here again!!The more I thought about it, the more shocked I was that I wasn't offered something for the water disaster, like a free meal, but then the whole dinner was so bad..and the manager didn't bat an eye or offer to comp at least some of it.I'm embarrassed, crushed that my daughter's birthday meal was a disaster, my guest had wet pants the whole meal, and I'm just furious that we didn't matter much to the manager or the waiter.Don't waste your money on this 4th rate "Japanese" resto. Please.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 1
Service: 1
Very nice and good bartenders here. Had the mai tai and had to have another one. Bartender named Giselle is a pleasure to talk to. Enjoyed the sushi especially the newton roll. They name their rolls after the surrounding towns! Nice looking place for a date.
For the love of all things, DO NOT EAT HERE. Every dish was the very worst, most flavorless version of itself. Rice? Dry. Curry sauce? Watered down flavor with something lumpy added. Like a thickener. Tonkatsu? Dry & chewy. Pork belly yakitori? No yakitori sauce, dry and inedible. No sauce on the chicken yakitori either. Agedashi tofu - tofu was cooled, not hot, sauce was kind of cold, it only had shreds of bonito, not flakes, no daikon, & sauce flavor was watery, very weak flavor. The veggie tempura appetizer was crispy but the oil had an unfresh flavor, the wheat batter had no flavor (& small portion for the price, as the kicker). My daughter ordered Tonkatsu ramen & got the entree. There was some chicken appetizer that was overcooked, with a tiny bowl of dipping sauce to make these edible. The busboy accidentally spilled all the glasses of water when we sat down & my guest sat in wet pants the whole time, and the workers expected US to mop up the water. It went everywhere. The waiter actually handed ME paper napkins instead of taking swift action for his guests. Another woman kept telling him to do the work. But he wouldn't. It was $189 of my hard earned money for a total birthday disaster. I talked to the manager after & he should have comped the entire meal but instead offered a $25 coupon. I declined as we'll never go here again!! The more I thought about it, the more shocked I was that I wasn't offered something for the water disaster, like a free meal, but then the whole dinner was so bad..and the manager didn't bat an eye or offer to comp at least some of it. I'm embarrassed, crushed that my daughter's birthday meal was a disaster, my guest had wet pants the whole meal, and I'm just furious that we didn't matter much to the manager or the waiter. Don't waste your money on this 4th rate "Japanese" resto. Please.
Fantastic food in a fairly busy spot in Cushing Square. On the pricey side of things, but you definitely get what you pay for. One of the few locations with Uni, O-toro, and Hokkigai.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 4
This place is so freaking cute, Nord was my server. He was cool and knowledgeable and had a love for Taylor Swift. The sushi rolls here are ginormous, so if you typically get more than one, you might want to think about that because they are big. I couldn't even get through a whole roll. I also got salmon to go it comes in a little cute bento box, and it's so freaking good. And it comes with mixed vegetables rice and a salad. The only negative thing I have to say is my son got his plate before me so I was watching him eat and by the time I got mine he was done so then he was watching me eat. I always feel like that's weird when you're dining. I prefer for you to just hold the food and bring it back when everybody gets their plate so everyone eats together. Other than that everything was great it's a cute little place, plenty of street parking. That's the nice thing about Belmont after about 5:00 p.m. or when the other businesses close, there's not that much traffic or cars taking parking. Oh, this is a small little detail, but their chairs are so comfortable as soon as you sit down it's like a cloud for your bum. It is also a little pricey, so prepare yourself. Also, I noticed that they do not have red wine on the menu, though they have a full bar. It was two options of white wine, plenty of sake, and again, probably anything else you want.
Came here for a date night. Chill atmosphere and good food. We'd definitely come back again.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Sushi is good but unagi don(eel) so bad. It looked like I was eating a rubber plate. You should definitely not eat them.
Good food, great service and support staff, nice atmosphere.Parking: plenty of street parking within walking distance
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Sushi and Sashimi Boat, Watertown Roll, Lump Crab Rangoons
This Belmont local Japanese is worth visiting from surrounding neighborhoods. The decor is modern and more upscale than one might expect. The menu is diverse, offering traditional sushi and sashimi, Yakitori (including chicken hearts), Udon (both hot and cold), Ramen, and more. Take a seat at the expansive bar, at a high top, or traditional dining room table. If you're a sushi lover, you will like that the menu typically includes 3-4 types of tuna, not just basic Maguro, but also Chu Toro (medium fatty) and Oh Toro (very fatty). My only disappointment was that the Uni (Sea Urchin) was sourced from Maine, which is just not on par with Uni from California or Japan. For better local sushi options, you'd have to hoof it to Boston. Lastly, the wait service was pleasant and helpful.
We had a great time here. Great sushi and drinks, and it didn't seem crazy busy. The waitstaff were able to be very attentive because of this. The bartender was so friendly and we had some fun drinks. It was a great place to spontaneously meet up with friends! A new local gem for us.
Restaurantji Recommends
Menu unclear, no vegan entree options.Our server/bartender Gisele was great.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 5
Really fresh sushi and juicy tonkatsu pork, and attentive service
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Love to find great places only 10 minutes away from me. This is the crown jewel of Belmont eateries. Hanami is exactly the type of place that the area needs. It's vibrant, with great good and live music nights. It was packed on a Saturday night. The menu has many options. You can find staples like miso soup, vegetable tempura, crab Rangoon and pork gyoza. However, I came for the sushi to be the main attraction. A must order is the Tuna flight. I ended up ordering 2 of these just for myself. It was a tough decision since there was also Toro Toro roll on the menu which sounded awesome. Caterpillar roll was great. Individual Nigiri pieces were divine. Himachi melted in my mouth. Salmon was so good too. I will order all of these again and again. The list of specialty rolls is so creative. It was hard to pick. The signature Hanami roll was good, but the uni was very mushy. My only complaint is the uni. At $28 for this roll, it's probably one I would not repeat. Shrimp tempura roll was crispy. Unagi roll was pretty awesome as well. There are so many great options for sushi. The highlight was Gizelle, who made our experience so much more fun. She was so friendly and fun, and very engaging. I will make sure she's my server every time. I'll be back for the service and the food. Excellent experience all around. Definitely check this place out. I'll be back.
Fun sushi place. It still feels young and like it's trying a little to please everyone (e.g., I can see a reach toward poke, but tournedos rossini feels a bridge too far for a sushi/izakaya joint). Really great to have something like this in town. The costs can feel a little high for the basics ($9 for a basic salad). I hope as time goes on, they get the confidence (and the finances) to go full sushi/izakaya in terms of their menu options. In the meantime, they're open most of the day and they have great options, including a solid sake section on their wine list.
Great place to unwind. Had a late night dinner here and had the best sushi! Espresso martini was the best I've had. You won't be disappointed.