Hatsuzakura

Super cute cafe to go with your friends or anyone if you enjoy a lively area, the staff were welcoming and kind. Plus the desserts I'd say the float is my personal fav .

Cute little Japanese spot in town. I love how the inside decor and atmosphere makes you feel like you're at a Japanese cafe. The food was delicious. I had the yakisoba and my husband had the burger patty. I didn't have a chance to take a picture of it but my favorite was the chicken karage. It was very flavorful and juicy. One of the best I have had.The wait was not long but I have heard that it can get busy. Parking is not the best in the area. The staff were friendly and checked on us if we needed anything. It was nice to see the owner of the cafe clearing off tables and working as well. You can tell that they really put their hearts in it. Wish we had room for dessert which was the main reason I wanted to try this place out but I guess that's my reason to come back!

I had Hatsuzakura saved and remembered their hectic wait times when they first opened. I came in on a weekday and the cafe does still anticipate customers, but not so much that their waitlist on Yelp is needed. It's an all-around adorable cafe, with Sakura pink walls and bright wooden tables. Their menu consists of certain traditional Japanese comfort dishes. I wasn't too interested in their beverages but had a sip of their matcha latte and it was a milkier taste rather than matcha. Gurutan (3/5): Very plentiful, yet quite heavy for an entree. There was a generous portion of chicken, and the broiled mozzarella was my favorite part.Naporitan (4/5): Their version of a spaghetti was much lighter in flavor and didn't taste like marinara. Their sauce is more tarte, but I liked it with their bacon. This one was my favorite of the two pasta dishes.Overall, service was pretty standard but got quite busy towards the night, and they accommodated to my friends and I's seating situation. It is a peaceful cafe, but I do see it as more of a restaurant setting. Their menu is quite small and I had a harder time selecting what items to order as not much was appealing or different than other Japanese counterparts in SD. I'd rate my experience and the food a 3.5 overall!

Saw this Japanese cafe on Instagram and wanted to give them a try. Ordered a few menu options. The good: The chicken karaage was light and fried to perfection. The matcha daifuku were also very delicious with a chewy mochi exterior. The doria was also delicious.The not so good: The omurice and onigiri were very disappointing. The omurice used little eggs so the omelet layer ended up being very thin and cooked all the way through (I even asked for it to be a lil runny). Onigiri had way too much rice and too little salmon. The ratio was at least 6:1, rice to salmon. For $7, I expect a lil more protein in the onigiri.Overall, a cute cafe but given the price point and quality of the food, I wouldn't visit again.

What's good:- Service was nice- interior was nice - the matcha kagigori was big with good taste, the cream on top was great What I didn't like:- Karaage was by chef soichi next door who has one Michelin star. The Karaage wasn't for me. The entire group of 5 people rated it a 5/10. - matcha kagigori was good but not wow. For $18 it was just too overpriced. Portion wise it's too big for one person - onigiri were big but was basically huge chunk of rice with little in it. Taste wise, didn't convince. If I come back I'd only order the matcha kagigori, but not if I was by myself.

So I was just here yesterday and I usually I'm not that quick to leave reviews, but I was so beyond impressed with this business that I had to leave a five star review immediately!!! Our hostess/waitress was the sweetest girl she made our experience beyond amazing !!! we came in Saturday evening just for some dessert. It was my goddaughter's first time trying the Kakigori shaved ice and I also had my dog which they were super accommodating. She really did a great job explaining the entire menu to us and she even brought out the most adorable little bowl and spoon for my son. The shaved ice was so delicious and I can't wait to come back and try more items. We didn't add any gelato to our shaved eyes, but I think next time I will, I believe it'll make it even better. Oh also wanted to mention that She brought me some ice water for my dog ( I didn't even asks for it ) these little things matter to me because I usually take my dog everywhere and it's the little things that count I definitely recommend them and I cannot wait to come back. Thank you !!

Came here on a weekend around 3-4PM and was seated right away. However, at the start of our meal, the wait had an estimation time of 30 minutes. Anyways, my boyfriend and I weren't that hungry and just wanted a snack and a dessert. We chose ChefSoichi's Karaage and Japanese Parfe (Wafu).ChefSoichi's Karaage was okay. The batter was crispy and thin. The chicken was juicy and tender. The problem for me was the taste. It was bland and though Kewpie mayo was provided, I felt like the chicken should speak for itself without any sauce or mayo. Other than that, it did taste healthier compared to the other places. The Japanese Parfe was amazing! We went to Japan not so long ago and ordering this brought me back. Though all the ingredients may not be the same, the richness from the matcha ice cream, along with all the red beans, strawberries, and corn flakes, sure tasted like we were in Japan all over again. It is a bit small for the portion, but it sure is the closest thing to the Japan's parfait. Also, quality over quantity, hehe.The ambiance is cute, small, relaxing, and cozy. I love how they tried and make it very similar to a Japanese café by playing Studio Ghibli inspired music. The staff are also very attentive and kind. Overall, I'm interested in trying their other menu and would love to be back.

5* for ambiance but that's about it. I was very disappointed with the food. The service was outstanding, and our waitstaff came running after me with my purse that I had forgotten on the back of my chair as we left which makes me even sadder to report that I found the food flavorless. We tried the yakisoba and karaage and a matcha based parfait. The menu appeared to be mostly westernized Japanese fare. If you enjoy the flavor of typical mall food-court yakisoba, then this will be right up your alley. I was surprised to see many Asian faces dining here, but then again, I was there too, lol! I wish I could say there was anything beyond the service and atmosphere that would bring me back...

We enjoyed Hatsuzkura (even with two young kids). They no longer do waitlist on Yelp (just paper list). Thankfully wasn't busy the day we went. The restaurant itself is so cute (everything is pink, even the bathroom). They have little baskets on the floor which was practical to put personal items like purses or little things our kids had all over the table lolWe tried the following;+Chef Soichi's Chicken karaage+Hamu Sando (hand and cheese sandwich)+Omurice (Japanese omelette with tomato fried rice)+Ichigo daifuku (strawberry stuffed mochi)+Dango skewers +soup and saladOMG everything was so delicious and the portion sizes were a good amount. I really enjoyed everything we had for lunch and so did my family. All of the works were so friendly. My baby was very intrigued by them and they always entertained/amused her even in passing lol. We look forward to coming back next time we are in SD. Yum

We loved it so much! The staff were super nice to us and the place looked amazing! It was a really nice date spot for me and my boyfriend! The food was yummy as well! The chicken was very moist and breaded perfectly! The rice balls are huge so proceed with caution but they were amazing! I would love to come back again if we are ever in town!