Haru

I’m sad it closed but I still like to leave a review. It was the first Japanese place I tried upon moving to Philly (in my neighborhood). I had lunch bento and it was lovely! I especially loved love the shrimp tempura. That was a special touch, I never had that before so it left an impression.
The building is great and I wish I could turn it into something fun. Such a nice location to lay bare like that. Here’s to the other Haru locations!

My daughters were craving sushi when we found Haru. The restaurant was beautiful inside and the staff friendly and attentive. Our sushi was fresh and delish. I definetly will return here when ever i am in Philly.

Bopped in after a movie and decided to indulge in another cocktail before bed
Ordered the Agave cooler more like the Agave loser. My first cocktail came with a special friend some sort of mosquito or Japanese bug. Bartender really good about apologizing and making a new drink. I have to say it was really sweet for my liking and I would never pay 12.00 for that $hit. Chris ordered a beer (ashai) he hates Sapporo. I think we stayed so long b/​c there were two guys chatting it up w/​the bartender and they had us cracking up. Based on the stories I heard Haru is the land of waste faced old swinger couples /​/​… who would have known. Took a peek at the food menu (my food baby started rumbling) nothing really grabbed my attention so I passed. I would probably stop in again but def won’t be having the Agave loser.
2stars for the entertaining fellow with the inappropriate stories :)))
1 for the bartender she was nice.

GET. THE. CHEESECAKE. TEMPURA.
It’s basically cheesecake dipped in tempura batter & fried to perfection. It’s crispy on the outside & it melts in your mouth when you eat it. It comes with strawberries, whip cream, & chocolate dipping. I get foodgasm every time once this delicious dessert hits my tongue. Need I say more?
Help Tip: Make sure to call in if you’re planning to get the dessert because they do run out since it’s so popular.
My heart sank the first time they told me they were out. :(

Bought the $ 35 tasting menu from DailyCandy and was very pleased. The first dish they brought out, and also my least favorite was the sushi tacos. The idea is solid, however the execution was not. The flavor of well… pico di galo with raw fish did not bode well for the fish. It over powered the flavor of the sushi by far and away.
The next appetizer was very good, however I was not a fan of the spring rolls. The spring rolls had a weird flavor of which I can’t make out and don’t deserve to be served with this dish. They should just we with a chinese take out meal.
The rock shrimp was out of this world and probably one of my favorite shrimp dishes I’ve had. They were light tempura battered with a spicy mayo, that was mild.
The calamari was very good as well until my last piece which was not completely cleaned. The peanut sauce that came with the calamari was a favorite, and definitely made this calamari stand out among the many I’ve had.
The tuna tartar was good. Actually, top 3 that I’ve had. What made this stand out was the freshness of the tuna, as opposed to stringy, rather «old» tuna that I’ve encountered elsewhere. I would indeed try this dish again.
The next dish up was the sushi. The appearance was spectacular. The waitress made us aware that both rolls were spicy, and I happen to be a big fan of spicy food, so it was perfect. The first roll, a spicy tuna with a jalapeño inside and on top was awesome. Very tasty roll that I have not encountered elsewhere.
The other roll I have to admit was very innovative, although I wish the temperature wasn’t so hot. It was a tempura fried roll with spicy tuna, eel, and asparagus. Of course with more spice. I enjoyed both of these rolls extensively.
Dessert was poor. The tempura cheesecake was very unoriginal served with warmed hershey’s syrup. This was upsetting as the sushi set the perfect mood for a great dessert. But I was let down. Maybe they should consider using real chocolate next time!
–Dan

I’ve been to Haru on Park Ave in NYC midtown many times and the happy hour specials are awesome. I trekked out to Olde City to take advantage of the DailyCandy Tasting Menu for 2 and it was absolutely terrible. Also, the scorpion punch is SO sweet. The strawberry and jalepeno drink was not great either. Our waitress was on her first day on the job and she seemed very out of place and confused most of the time. The tacos were good but everything that came after, down to the sushi and dessert even was ALL FRIED. If I want to eat unhealthy deep fried food, I’d go to an American restaurant, not a sushi joint. Very disappointed and the food was really not great. I recommend that those who are in the area and want sushi stick to the basics like the traditional sushi or sashimi combos.
The venue is interesting… I don’t like the downstairs area but the upstairs is gorgeous.

Thanks to Daily Candy, I was able to try the $ 70 tasting menu for $ 35. My only complaints are that 1) it would have been nice for them to have substituted out the shrimp after assuring me everything was shellfish free and 2) there is a generous sampling of tempura in the menu, so don’t get it if you don’t like fried food.
That said, the appetizer sampler was an array of very fresh, tender, and tasty fried shrimp, fried calamari, spring rolls, and tuna. The entrée was a generous portion of two spicy rolls: Kiss of Fire Roll, with the jalapenos removed, was particularly good; the Super Dynamite was heavier and didn’t show off the fish as nicely. Tempura Cheesecake wrapped up our meal, but was a little too heavy after the big meal.

We went to Haru for dinner over the weekend and had a really nice time. Our server was great, she was down to earth, personable, and really helpful. We had scoped out the menu ahead of time and decided to get two tartares, two special rolls, a regular roll, and dessert. We got the tuna and the yellowtail tartares (I much preferred the tuna, boyfriend preferred the yellowtail). We got the Gramercy Park Roll and the Park Ave Roll and both were great but Park Ave was the clear winner for me. Last but not least was the crunchy spicy salmon roll which was a solid choice.
For dessert I already knew they had tempura cheesecake and wanted it so so bad… but alas, they sold out and I couldn’t have it :(We were healthy and had the sorbet instead (which was tasty but wasn’t tempura cheesecake so I left unsatisfied).
They had a special drink for the month (Cupid’s something…) and it was really tasty and only $ 6.
The décor could use some updating, but all in all it was a good experience and I would go back (and the pricing really wasn’t bad for the quality and portions).

I wouldn’t normally recommend a chain but I’ve been to both the NYC Broadway and Philly locations and loved them both. I like the décor, the staff is almost always attentive and the mixed drinks are inventive.
The «Mad Crab» is my favorite app to order although it is a bit on the spicy side. The miso soup is totally YUM! And I highly recommend the specialty «Ling Roll» at the Philly location. It is King crab, avocado and torched salmon topped with eel sauce, masago mayo, scallions and tobiko. I wish they had it in NYC ! It’s one of the best pieces of combo sushi I’ve ever had.

Went for restaurant week dinner, which was a really really good deal. For $ 35, I got 4 courses: sashimi ceviche, lemongrass hot & sour soup, a sushi & sashimi platter, and mochi ice cream. I was expecting small portions since there were so many courses, but the sushi & sashimi platter was quite large. Several of my friends who ordered the Samurai (another sushi dish that came with 18 pieces), found that they couldn’t even finish because there was so much. The food was all pretty good, so it was a good value for the money we paid. I especially enjoyed the ceviche and the mochi ice cream.
I’d have to knock down my rating on the service though. The waiter was friendly, but did not seem very professional. He messed up our order, accidentally brought someone 2 miso soups, and accidentally spilled some sauce on me when he served my sashimi ceviche.

This is a pretty decent sushi place with some nice appetizers. The sashimi ceviche is a good dish to start with 9I could probably polish off at least 2 plates by myself) and the king crab dumplings are great with the wasabi soy dipping sauce. This is also the only place in Phila that I have had them. The symphony is also a good option and the presentation is great; it’s literally a tower of seafood goodness. The rest of the menu is decent, not spectacular, but I do fully appreciate the live scallops sashimi, which I get every time I’m here. The rolls are pretty standard and portions are okay but not great for the prices. Service has always been pretty friendly and efficient, but nothing to rave about. A good solid choice for sushi.

The food was ok, the service was abominable, but thankfully, they’re open late. My mom, brother and I arrived at 10pm on a Saturday night to a near empty restaurant and it took our server a solid 15 minutes to show face.
Once it was all said and done the food was just ok. Sushi was toothsome, but my brother’s chicken teriyaki (I don’t endorse this order either) was dry and bland. Soy Vay could’ve done a better job as a sauce.
Why Haru wins: smart, casual sushi joint in Old City with a full cocktail menu and a decent wine line.

Definitely a place to impress (and eat Ramen noodles afterwards to lighten the blow to the wallet…)
—
After reading how far my former favorite has fallen (Hikaru), I decided to bring a friend here instead. It was a slow night, due to the weather, but that made it that much better.
Highlights of our meal:
Warm sake, large carafe — just enough (unless you’re a lush)
Rock shrimp appetizer — average, but I was starving after missing lunch that day, I thought it was awesome
Sushi & sashimi for two — $ 58 for maguro /​2 pieces of chutoro /​various tuna-​based rolls (that’s pushing it!), but at least the fish was of high quality
Uni sashimi — $ 6 a pop, two pieces ordered. On the plus side, it was of excellent quality, and was served in a cucumber floret
Mochi mango ice cream — we split this, and were pleasantly surprised. The mango ice cream really hit the spot.
Overall I’m happy with the dining experience, and would come back.

I am a temporary object of affection; I am temporary, I am an object. I understand these things and I do not care.
She, too, is an object of of affection but perpetual, immutable; an object of many affections. She understands these things, cares deeply, intensely, so inhabits an edifice of her construction.
It is midnight and the first floor, sparsely populated with diners when we first arrived late this Thursday evening, is now surely empty. We are not here for the food: she draws delicate sips from a lychee martini, I fortify myself with whiskey. We are on a couch in the upstairs lounge, close quarters and dim light approximating intimacy. Someone suggests a round of sake bombs.
Night is an alibi, words spoken in hushed whispers under cover of music, finger to her lips, the warmth of flesh pressed close to new flesh in near darkness. The clear conscious of the morning never comes, only the taste of something exotic, rare and unobtainable, lingering on the tongue.

I’m currently on vacation in Paris with a nasty bout of food poisoning (NOT from Haru), and all I can think about is sushi, obviously.
The man and I went on a holiday date to Haru the night before I left. We had a nice budget and decided to get fancy sushi.
The food was fine. Good, even, but I’ve had better. I have to give them credit, though, for some really creative rolls.
The odd thing was, it was extremely uncomfortable being there. The staff wasn’t rude or anything. Just sort of… better-​than-​thou.
The server was nice enough, but his demeanor was definitely not that of a person working at an upscale restaurant. More like a TGI Fridays. He actually said, «So you wanna order now?»
When I went to find the bathroom, I was almost SCOFFED at. Sorry, but I’d like to wash my hands before I eat.
I don’t really get it, either. We may have been just like the rest of the Yuppies there for all they know. We don’t have ‘STILL IN COLLEGE’ stamped on our heads. Clearly, we’re prepared to spend some money if we’re coming in for dinner.

So my date sent me a text saying something along the lines of «meet me @ Haru– sushi is BOMB omw rt now c u soon OMFG they have electric buttons xoxo» or something like that.
Bomb sushi? Electric buttons? Text in CAPS? When someone texts in caps, you now they mean serious business. Or caps lock is stuck. Was the «xoxo» directed toward me, or the sushi? What were these mysterious «electric» buttons? Regardless, that sort of passion and mystery merited a visit, and expectations were high. Some friends from NYC mentioned it before, and being a chain, they have to be doing something right, right?
Having spent some time in Japan, my sushi standards are somewhat jaded, so I’ll just throw that out there.
We walked in around 8-​ish on a First Friday. It was relatively empty. Interesting. Most restaurants are slammed about that time. The high ceilings and high design gave the place a very open and airy feel. We sat at the bar downstairs by ourselves.
My date ordered an electric button. They were apparently out of them. Date disappointed. OMFG quickly became wtf?
So we skipped that and ordered sushi.
The spicy tuna roll wasn’t the best. There wasn’t anything wrong with it per se, but it didn’t stand out. The firecracker roll wasn’t that interesting. Actually nothing we ordered was particularly outstanding. The only thing on the menu that you couldn’t get anywhere else was the electric button, and they didn’t even have that.
The bill, however, stood out. Two drinks, a couple rolls and some miso for a C note reminded me more of NYC than Nagasaki. Then again, most of their locations are in NYC.
I wouldn’t write this place off completely. I mean, it is pretty. But overall, the experience was ho-​hum, and not particularly worthy of CAPS.

First time @ Haru, went during restaurant week. The food was really delicious and filling. I really enjoyed the sashimi ceviche and the eel hand roll, and I tried some of my friend’s Lemongrass Hot and Sour Soup and it was amazing. Our server was great, really down to earth and the décor is beautiful there.
The only reason I gave it 4 starts and not 5 is because I wouldn’t come to Old City just for the sushi here and I know of other sushi places that are more low key, which is more my vibe.

Just like the Haru mini-​chain in NYC. Over-​priced and over-​hyped. Nice maki and fresh fish with a good selection — but NOT a Holy Grail by any means.
The ceviche appetizer, King Crab dumplings and Yellowtail hand rolls are always tasty.
Still, I love Shiroi Hana best for its un-​pretentious feel and super-​fresh fish.

Of Haru’s locations — most are in New York — this is their Philadelphia outpost. It’s in a prime location, at the corner of 3^rd and Chestnut, right in Old City. Their beautiful interior, lighted bars, and lively music work together to create a relaxing happy hour spot with room to mingle, flirt, and people-​watch. Happy hours are the way to go here — their management is easy to deal with, and service is top-​notch: servers Katie (also bartender), Shayna, Sun-​Mi, and Ed have all done a wonderful job the times I’ve been.
If only their cooking was as good. More style than substance, I had a duck entrée that seemed to be having an identity crisis. Their sushi is a good effort, but with Zento right around the corner, there’s no «wow» factor from Haru. It’s a matter of taste, but Haru doesn’t strike me as the best DINING bang for your buck, even by Old City standards. Still, stop in for a drink or two. Or three.

Awesome sushi, AWESOME drinks (try the hip stare, a vodka martini with peach purée or the lychee martini~ both equally delish and this comes from someone who loves her vodka but not usually in fruity-​drink form).
Also awesome is the dessert~ there is some sort of fried or tempura (or could it even be a wonton?) cheesecake that is to-​die for. The green tea ice cream is great either with the cheesecake or by itself. Yummmmmmmmmm.
The restaurant itself is very nice~ the lounge upstairs is a great place for drinks or a romantic dinner if they don’t have a private party already up there. Overall, a great place and worth the price (which is not nearly as bad as some other reviewers seem to think).