Hatsuhana

Tokyo style old school sushi!Amazing place still. My father used to take me here in the late 1970s. It has not faded at all.

I found myself at Hatsuhana for an educational dinner. This was a nice surprise as steakhouses are the mainstay for these types of things, so sushi was a welcome reprieve. I do enjoy sushi, so I was looking forward to seeing what Hatsuhana offered. The restaurant is conveniently located in Midtown, and is decently sized. Upon entry we were greeted by the main lobby/greeting area - in the back there are a few tables, and they also have a second level with more tables and the main sushi bar where diners can also sit. The aesthetics were bright - lots of light woods and good lighting which made the entire space feel very open; it was almost a little retro in its design - I'm not sure though if that was intentional.We decided to start with a few apps - namely the salmon carpaccio, tempura, seaweed salad, and Ankimo (steamed monkfish liver). Everything was tasty - I liked the seaweed salad the most as it had good flavor and tasted fresh. The liver was an interesting experience for me personally, the best way I could describe it is that it's similar to pate. For our mains we got a variety of sushi pieces and a roll; we chose a la carte though you can also get pre-selected plates. For my roll I got the spicy tuna which was pretty good, albeit not too noteworthy - similar to what I've had at other sushi spots. The other sushi pieces I had were pretty good as well - my favorites were the salmon, fluke and toro. I also had sea urchin which I don't have much experience with - it was good but I'm not fully sold on it yet; maybe after a couple more tries. We decided to get dessert - I got the avocado ice cream which was pretty good - interesting texture and not overly sweet. Service was fine, though I wouldn't say anything was truly noteworthy about it. Overall, Hatsuhana was fine - you'll have a good meal here but I think there are more interesting sushi spots in the area. I would consider returning but I'm not running back.

Ordered:Miso Soup (~$5)Seaweed Salad (~$10)Blistered Shishito Peppers (~$8)Box of Dreams (~$57)Hojicha Tea (complimentary)Aya's take:Incredible meal at Hatsuhana! We arrived right on time for our 6pm reservation and went upstairs to our table. We were greeted in Japanese by the staff and took our seats. The ambiance is quiet, lowkey, and intimate. This is probably one of the only restaurants I've ever been to in NYC that didn't have music playing - it was kinda nice! We started off with the Miso Soup, Seaweed Salad, and Blistered Shishito Peppers which were all solid. The Seaweed Salad had like 5 different types of seaweed; I'm a fan of the standard green seaweed while the others were a bit thicker and earthy. Not for me but good try. The Box of Dreams was outstanding! Truly the sushi box of my dreams! I started off with the eel (bottom middle) followed by top left making my way down each row but ending with the shrimp & tomago (top middle) per my waitress's recommendation. Every piece of fish was unbelievably fresh, not fishy at all, and beautifully crafted. Each bowl had just the right amount of rice underneath. I enjoyed every piece and this is the perfect order if you're looking for an assortment of fish while still enjoying that authentic Japanese experience. It would be great if they served some nori with this! We ended with some complimentary tea before calling it a night. Lovely dinner and highly recommend!

Great date place. Our server, Betty, was super attentive and friendly. Sushi was fresh.

Looking for authentic sushi in NYC and we hit the sweet spot with Hatsuhana! Had a fantastic Japanese dinner on Valentine's Day. We had reservations and were seated quickly. Two level small cozy restaurant with tables close together but somehow feels just right. Service is excellent. There are plenty of servers a wait staff assisting with the meal service. Love their menu and the freedom to choose between a la carte, omakase, sashimi and sashimi. This is the only Japanese restaurant that I've been to so far that allows choice for a Nigiri set. The pick 10 and roll is fabulous! All the seafood is fresh straight fromToyosu market in Tokyo. We tried various appetizers, edamame, shishito peppers, gindara, tempura and the salmon sashimi sampler. I really liked the tempura crispy and not oily, really stands out from the typical tempura dish elsewhere. We tried two orders of the nigiri pick 10 set. Loved the uni nigiri and toro. the Unagi Don was outstanding just like in Japan. I've special dessert was a nice end to our meal. Overall fantastic old school classic Japanese restaurant that remains true to the art.

An intimate and relaxing spot with excellent sushi!Food:Miso soup: decent, comforting and was very umami, as expected Seaweed salad: had a few different kinds of seaweed in there (5-6) , which was cool, and came with Ponzu sauce on the side for you to drizzle over to taste. Blistered Shisito Peppers: larger in size and more spicy than I've had at other places, but still mild overall. They were good, I'm a fan. Box of dreams: beautifully presented, and a generous portion of fish in each bowl. Most of them had 2 slices of fish, and underneath there was sushi rice. It was stunning to look at, the fish were fresh and yummy, and it was good value!Sushi dinner: came with two rolls, I chose Yellow Tail with Scallion and Spicy Tuna. They melted in my mouth, the nori was super tender and not too strong in flavor, allowing the flavor of the fish to come through. The nigiri were phenomenal as well! Super fresh and well cut, no fishy taste whatsoever, and were served at the perfect temp in my opinion. Ambiance:As soon as we walked through the front door, we could tell it was a really quiet and relaxing atmosphere. And it was, which was perfect for a Friday night after a long work week. It felt intimate and quiet inside, like you were in someone's dining room (in a good way). There was no music playing at all. Service:Service was friendly, they checked in on us a reasonable number of times, and ensured we were satisfied. The complementary hojicha tea at the end of the meal was a nice touch, and probably aids in digestion.

If you read the history about the restaurant, it makes it all special because this institution has been here since the 70s to cater to Japanese businessmen. The ambiance and vibe is authentic, and that made the experience better. Service was great, I got a hand towel in the beginning and green tea at the end.However, this is not the best sushi I've had. It was decent but pieces were hit or miss. I ordered the omakase which is meant to have chef's best choice of sushi that day but it didn't live up to expectations. This place is great if you have built a reputation here or is closest to your workplace but I wouldn't necessarily seek this sushi restaurant out. There are better sushi spots.

We came to NYC for a 3 day a wedding and wanted a little 'something' not TOO heavy before the wedding the next day. I'll keep it simple by saying everything was wonderful! The service was friendly and the food was excellent as was the recommended sake. If I have anything to complain about it might be that it was a little "snug" inside. Still we'd be happy to have a Hastsuhana clone in our neighborhood. We both had the "Box of Fantasies" which included blue fin tuna, sliced and tartar! I have never had 'blue fin' tuna but this little bit was amazing, just melt in your mouth good. A bit pricey, but blue fin is stupid expensive, so there's that.

In NYC for the busiest week of the year. We passed by this place several times and the reviews were favorable.I ordered a takeout to take back to a family member who was working back at the hotel. I would have loved to dine in but, honestly, the presentation of their takeout was pretty amazing.I ordered a sushi combo with 10 pieces of nigiri including some items I've never had (i.e. amberjack). I ordered the veggie trio for our vegetarian. Also added a miso soup and side salad. The sides were a little disappointing. Might have had a little more of each and the salad deserved just some better components and dressing. Shisho wasn't popular.But the meal itself was well presented, very good sushi and the ginger and wasabi was as good as it gets. Among the best sushi I've had. I give it a 4.5, rounds to 5.

When entering and sitting down, Hatsuhana does not immediately give the impression of an upscale restaurant. With tight seating, and bright lighting, it feels everyday, but the server was knowledgeable and professional.But then you get the menu... and order one of their Box items (I ordered the Box of Dreams). Wow, what a fantastic experience. Each piece is an interactive work of art and tastes as colorful as it looks. I would come back again soon to treat myself!