Hanare Sushi

The whole dinner is not worth it, it’s really expensive, and does not taste that good.

Ambiance: very elegant and timeless. I love the use of ropes inside.
Perfect for a date and great place to fulfill your omakase cravings without breaking the bank.
Service: fast. Our chef was so nice. He got us the best seats at the bar, which I recommend sitting at the end of the bar. It’s easier for the chef to reach and put the amazing art on your plate.
Parking is troublesome so I recommend valet. Please don’t hesitate to try.

I’m always on the hunt for new Omakase places and $ 48 for 10 pieces is a deal!
Made reservation and was a little late by 5 – 10 minutes. I thought there was other seating besides the bar. But the bar was it. 10 seating restaurant only. (very intimate) As soon as we arrived we walk through these BIG ropes that were hanging (part of the décor) our host literally tucked each of us into our chairs. (LITERALLY tucked us in). The sushi chef greeted us as we aprroach the bar his name «Sushi» I think he might be the only chef there. He’s fun and silly and cracks jokes.
The beauty of doing Omakase is that you don’t have to think about what to order, trust your sushi chef and enjoy each piece as is. (no dipping) It doesn’t get easier than that! For dessert He gave us «Panna Cotta» with Fresh grated wasabi. (sounds weird but it was pretty tasty) My experience here is similar to «Sushi Murasaki». I’m defiantly coming back to try their «Tasting Course» and the «Chef Omakase». Cant wait!
Note: If you are looking for sushi rolls this is not the place for you.
GO OMAKASE or GO HOME

Some say it’s the food, some say it’s the experience, and some say it’s the service that makes it for them. Hana re sushi nails it with all three. It was one of the best sushi dining experiences I have had!
The bar sits exactly 10 people and the two tables can sit up to another 8 – 10. The menu is simple: 3 options of omakase and about 11 – 12 appetizers. The menu also lists out their special fish and wild fish.
Our party of 4 sat at the bar and ordered the Hana re omakase, also called the tasting course, for $ 95/​person. The other two options are the 10 piece sampler nigiri omakase for $ 48 and the Chefs omakase, which ranges from $ 120 to $ 185+.
The menu does change regularly depending on the fishes they get, but our Hana re omakase consisted of:
6 cold/​hot dishes:
–Japanese uni on top of snow crab
–Octopus head pasta
–Japanese jumbo eel
–monk fish liver hotpot
–black cod
–roasted duck
8 pieces of nigiri:
–Japanese Seabass
–Japanese snapper
–wild winter yellowtail
–bonito
–blue fin tuna
–cherry salmon
–jumbo scallop
–California uni
And ended with an almond panna cotta. Omg, I don’t like panna cotta, but whoa. This dessert blew me away! It was so creamy but also very light. Every dish was plated beautifully and all the different components of the dish complimented each other so well! It was all delicious!
We ordered the A5 wagyu toban yaki, 3oz portion with Japanese mushrooms, for $ 45. Very good! It came out still sizzling on the plate. We also ordered the foie gras, which was seared and placed over daikon radish risotto for $ 14. I’m not a fan of foie gras, but this was also amazing! Probably the best I have ever had.
As for service, the chef tried to present and plate the dishes for us to see. And he was very friendly! The host/​waitresses were there filling our sake glasses as well as making sure our waters or teas were refilled. There is a huge list of sake bottles as well as sake reserves too.
Highly recommend to try this sushi spot !

Craving sushi? It’s worth every dollar !! Absolutely delicious ! You will not regret it

I saw some pictures and decided to celebrate my birthday here. I looked at Unilocal and noticed they closes Sunday’s! was so disappointed but I decided to call anyways just in case.
someone picked up! it was the sushi chef. he said they’re usually closed today but I guess someone important or rich wanted to eat sushi and he had to work so he said he’ll let me dine too. only thing is he’s serving omakase only. perfect because I always get omakase when first trying a new sushi place! so happy!
when I came this place was really small. the sushi bar fit 8 people and there’s only like 2 tables that fit 4 people each.
the chef was the only one working so he was our server and chef. I came with a party of 4. the other group that came was an older Japanese group of 3. they must own this place or be rich as hell for the restaurant to open on a closed day lol.
we got the $ 45 for 10 piece omakase. I liked all of the fishes! no need to dip in soy sauce.
since it was my birthday, I decided to get the $ 45 wagyu. lol it was like 8 small pieces. very good! but i would rather have $ 45 worth of sushi then eat a little bit of wagyu.
I also love the fact that they have YUZU and PICKLED WASABI!!! yummmmmmmm
this place is really small so MAKE RESERVATIONS if you want to try this place.

I did like this place, and I would come back.
Typically this location closes on a Sunday put upon a personal request, they took us in on a Sunday privately. It was nice to have a one on one experience with the Chef.
Upon arrival we were greeted by Sushi (the Chef’s name, hahah cute). He had a bucket of ice and comped Still Acqua Panna Natural Spring Water bottles ready for us to drink ^_​^
He prepared us all small tasting soups and allowed us to have several sake tastings before choosing a bottle and oz size.
We ordered the A5 Miyazaki Japanese Beef Ribeye 3oz. VERY GOOD, buttery and perfectly seared.
Uni
Tako ashi octopus (served completely raw) with raw tentacle tips
Cherry Salmon with yuzu ********* LOVED
Ten ben buri — Wild winter yellowtail ********* LOVED
Medium toro
Japanese king mackerel
Hagatsuo — White Bonito ****** LOVED
Lightly seared Golden Eye Snapper
Madai –snapper
It was a great experience. We ordered extra pieces (scallops, Spanish mackerel) and had comped dessert as well. He traded small conversations with us and I would gladly revisit him and try the more higher tasting menu! (it has many side dishes)

Since the place is really small, I was afraid of having to wait so we made a reservation for two at opening hours (5:30). It turned out we didn’t really need the reservation because we were the only ones in the restaurant at the moment. We opted for the 48 $ 10-​piece omakase. The ones I enjoyed the most was Hamaku (Japanese Baracuda), Hagatsu (White Bonito), and of course Uni (Sea Urchin). The portions seemed small, but everything was tasty. Also tried the Foie Gras appetizer, but I felt that it was pretty pricey for its portion (about the size of two bites for 14 $). The Panna Cotta was a good finisher; it had a nice texture and almond aroma to it.

I noticed Zipangu looked a little different from the outside. So when I peeked inside the building, I noticed a new set up. The restaurant space which was formerly known as Zipangu was now split between CaliPoke and Hanare. I decided to make reservations the next day with a friend.
Let me start of by saying the main chef is a very kind man! My date and I couldn’t decide what Sake to order and he let us sample a few before we ultimately decided on a bottle. Too bad we ended up picking the most expensive one but it was delicious nonetheless. Also, before we started our dinner, our chef asked each of us if we loved or disliked any fish. This way he’d know what to incorporate or leave out in our 10 pieces. I personally am not a fan of octopus so he made sure to leave that off of my courses for the night. As we began our omakase dinner ($ 48/​person) we got to know the chef a bit, which I loved. In addition, each piece was meticulously prepared and super fresh.
We ordered sweet shrimp which was not part of the omakase and the shrimp to our surprise was still moving! He served the moving head on the plate as we enjoyed the sushi. The heads were then fried to perfection. You can either fry them or have them in your miso soup. He then provided dessert on the house. He made 2 almond pan cottas but after I notified him that my date has a severe but allergy, he whipped up some Yuzu ice cream instead. After dessert, I realized we were the only 2 customers the whole night! So it made the experienced that much more memorable and intimate.
I LOVE LOVE this place. Have been back twice since my first experience.

the best Japanese food in OC def worth every penny
Ordered the chefs omakase for 135 two people with sake and tip comes out to around 380.
Chef extremely nice and passionate about culinary art. The place is small and service is welcoming.

This new sushi place is amazing.
very clean and neat sushi counter.
Food is fresh and service is good.
$ 48 omakase for 10 pcs sushi is very good value
If you like authentic japanese sushi, hanare sushi definitely worths trying

Opted for the 10 piece omakase and truly enjoyed maybe 2 pieces. Which would entail yellowtail and japanese uni. The rest were just «ok» because majority of the fish had the fish smell that lingered on your tongue (we were mainly served snapper of some sort). I truly admire the chef’s vision of his tiny little omakase style restaurant, but the price is too steep for not truly loving your meal. I’m sorry but you have to LOVE your dinner if you’re spending over $ 140…right?! At least leave on 7 or an 8 out of 10 on a satisfaction scale. But I pretty much left at 5/​10, if that.

Soy glazed nigiri is THE way to go. I got lost in the sauce and fell in love with every piece. I savored every bite and felt my night go by in slow motion as I thoroughly enjoyed Hanare’s omakase.
The food was amazing. No doubt. The chef asks for your preferences. I learned today what «Hikari Mono» was because my friend made sure to let the chef know (Hikari Mono means silver-​backed fish or shiny fish). The chef was happy to customize our meals to both of our likings. I was happy with my omakase and my friend was happy with his!
However, it is a bit difficult for me to admit this, but I do think Ohshima is still my favorite in the Orange County area. Only because I really love Ohshima’s aggressive use of wasabi. I will probably just ask the chef next time to add a bit more wasabi under my fish.
I can’t wait to go back!!!

If you never come you will never know what is a real Japanese cuisine about. This is truly a hidden treasure in OC. Although pricy it is one of the most authentic sushi.

Ugh, this place is amazing…
My roommate went by CaliPoke and noticed this inconspicuous place next door. We saw the 5 star rating on Unilocal (granted, only 7 reviews) and decided to check it out the following week with our other roommate as well. The place has no signs, but it is where Zipangu used to be. Hanare is quite small, with a bar for 10 people and a few small tables. We went on a Tuesday and were the only patrons there that night. Of course we opted to sit at the bar and decided to go with the 10 piece omakase for $ 48. At the chef’s recommendation, we ordered a bottle of his favorite sake for $ 45. Each piece of fish was MAGNIFICENT.
Chef Atsushi is the main chef there and he prepared everything in front of our eyes. He asked our favorites and was pretty chatty with us throughout the meal. He said the same owner of Zipangu still owns both Hanare and CaliPoke and decided to change it up (good idea because Zipangu kind of sucked…). The pieces of fish are a little smaller than other omakase places (or maybe I’m still used to the sushi I had in Japan, which were always VERY BIG), but the flavor of each piece made up for its size. Fatty tuna (toro) is my favorite and his piece did not disappoint. I also tried barracuda for the first time, which was delicious. Mackerel and yellowtail were superb as well. I am slowly becoming a fan of uni and he made a piece with both California uni and Japanese uni, so good! After 10 pieces, we opted for 2 extra pieces of fish each, and it was the perfect amount. He ended it with a panna cotta, which I scarfed down because it was so delicious, even though I was stuffed.
They have another omakase option on the menu for $ 98 that I would like to try next time, which includes traditional cooked items as well. There are definitely no rolls here so get your California and rainbow rolls somewhere else!
I can’t wait to come back!

came here for Friday date night dinner with Justin B and was really impressed with my meal at Hanare Sushi! we both opted for the Omakase sushi dinner ($ 48) that comes with 10 pieces of sushi of whatever the sushi chef decides to serve you haha… but he will ask you what you like or don’t like before he starts the meal. also love the intimate setting of the sushi bar setting where you can see the fish being cut up right in front of you and carry on a conversation with the sushi chef.
on to the fish… all 10 pieces of sushi were pretty amazing! they were all fresh and great quality. also liked that i got to try a lot of fish that i’ve never had before like barracuda, comet fish, and king mackerel… but i was also served some old favorites like blue fin tuna, scallop, and uni. also a difference at Hanare that i noticed is that the sushi rice is brown. i initially thought it was brown rice but after chatting with the chef, its actually regular white rice but they use a different vinegar compared to most sushi restaurants that is brown in color and makes the rice itself not as sweet which i liked — random fact but still pretty cool to know i guess haha. oh and the almond panna cotta for dessert was a perfect ending to the meal! anyways i thoroughly enjoyed my meal here and am definitely intrigued to come back and get the full omakase dinner ($ 95) which includes some cooked food in addition to sushi.
Hanare isnt exactly a place that I can afford all the time, but when i want an upgrade in quality and service, i know where to go :) reservations recommended since the sushi bar has about 10 seats and just a couple of tables!

Pros: 10 pc. omakase sushi dinner ($ 48), different types of fresh fish, friendly sushi chef
Cons: No rolls, only some hot food, not too much seating
This place is located where Zipangu used to be. Now the space is taken up by Hanare Sushi and Calipoke next door. When you walk in, you’ll notice there aren’t too many seats. There are 10 seats at the sushi bar and then 2 tables of four. Reservations are highly recommended.
If «sushi» to you means eating sushi rolls (ie. California rolls, crunchy rolls, etc), this is NOT the place for you. There are no rolls on the menu. They don’t serve that kind of stuff. However, if you’re looking for tasty nigiri or sashimi, then you’ve found the right place.
I opted for the 10 piece omakase sushi dinner ($ 48). It’s a little pricey for just 10 pieces, but the quality of the fish is excellent and that flavor is great. I don’t remember all the names of the fish I ate, but I definitely remember having a lot of fish that I haven’t had before.
The sushi chef was also very friendly. He didn’t mind answering any questions I had about the types of fish we were eating.
Anyway, if you’re a sushi snob in OC, definitely check this place out. I’m definitely coming back.

Wednesday was my first time at Hana Re and it was a little hard to find since the sign was hidden. It used to be Zipangu and next door to Cali Poke now.
It is a small sushi restaurant so I do not recommend big parties.
I got the 10 piece Omakase and their fish was fresh! It was not overpriced either. My favorites were the wild yellowtail, monkfish, and the baby king mackerel.
They do not serve rolls here. If you like trying the traditional omakase at different sushi restaurants like me then give it a try!

Hana Re is located where Zipangu was formerly. The restaurant is next door to CaliPoke. The entrance to the restaurant is a little confusing but it fits the name of the restaurant which in Japanese means «secret door/​entrance.»
Inside the restaurant you’ll find a very small and cosy setting. There is only one chef, Atsushi, one waitress, and the back kitchen crew. The menu is crafted based on fresh seasonal fish along with the typical year round sushi fish. Diners should be aware that this is not a quick dash dining experience. Typically it takes about an hour to two. Food is an art-​form here. We had the omakase-​cheft choice. Each dish was meticulously crafted into a masterpiece. We couldn’t help but take picture of every dish. The portion was bite size BUT was perfect as we had many dishes and in the end we were stuffed with guilty pleasure. Pricing is on the high side but the food and experience more than justify it in my opinion.
If you like fine crafted food using fresh seasonal ingredients that are hard to find then give this place a try.
The best tip that I can give is to ask for the Hana Re omakase. When the chef ask for what do you like/don’t like, request that one or two dish be created off menu. It’s much easier for them to honor this request when they’re not busy. You’ll truly see the chef quality and skill when he get to create random beauties for you to enjoy.

You can not go wrong if you dine at Hana re. This is definitely one of the best sushi place in Orange County. You will get the authentic sushi dinning experience. All the ingredients the master prepare are fresh. Even the wasabi is fresh from the root. The chef art work is phenomenal. I highly recommend the sushi bar so you’ll get to experience the master artwork. Staff are friendly and attentive to your needs, so you’ll definitely have a fantastic dining experience.