Perfect for date night, exceptional sashimi (BYOB)
Hanami Sushi is a very welcome new addition to North Center's quickly growing options for excellent dining. The atmosphere is intimate, the artwork appealing and relaxing. There were not many people there on the Sunday night when we went (which I suspect will change as the word gets out), so it was perfect for a date. The service was very friendly and exceptionally good (which I guess is not surprising on a quiet night). Between the miso soup/seaweed salad and main dish, we were surprised with some warm, complimentary edamame that was, in my opinion, perfectly cooked. I'm a finicky sushi eater--I eat it without soy or wasabi--so the quality is essential for me. I asked what the freshest catch was, and I was treated to some very creamy salmon sashimi that had just come in. The super-white tuna was also very fresh, creamy, and buttery. The maki was also good--the Passion on Fire Maki was an excellent combination of flavors that I have never had before. It was slightly over-flavored, but the taste was appealing, so I didn't mind a little extra richness--definitely worth trying; I'll probably make it a regular order. The Mixer Maki was slightly less satisfying--it's a combination of spicy tuna and spicy salmon, covered with tuna and salmon sashimi. The top fish were fine, but the roll itself was neither flavored very well nor spicy, somewhat of a disappointment. This is probably a difficult issue for sushi chefs though, since most people immediately dunk it in soy with a ton of spicy wasabi--If I had done that (which I actually did for the third piece), it probably would have been fine. No real complaints though--I'm just splitting hairs. At the end of the night, we were again treated to a complimentary dish, this time mango and green tea ice cream balls. A very tasty end of the night. The restaurant is currently BYOB, which saves money--our entire bill for two was $43. If you forget alcohol, it's not a problem--just visit the new Bottles and Cans boutique wine and beer store 2 blocks north on Lincoln (I just discovered it today as well). On the whole, Hanami was an excellent experience that I highly recommend. I'd probably rate it 4.5 stars, but since it's a new neighborhood business, I'm rounding up...
Tried Hanami yesterday night after a long work week. Â Since I like to eat dinner early, I wasn't surprised that we were the first couple there on a Friday night. Â There were 4 servers standing around and after a few pauses, one of them finally invited us to pick any table. Â Our server was very nice and friendly, but definitely new to the job, which she told us up front. Â I had barely taken off my coat and pulled out the chair before she asked if we wanted any appetizers to start the meal. Â When we were actually ready to order, she was unfamiliar with the menu and took a while to take our orders. Â
Then we waited. Â And waited. And waited. Â None of our food arrived until at least 30 minutes after we ordered. Â At least the sushi was decent, which was the only redeeming factor in our dining experience here. Â We started with the Yellowtail Sunomo, which was good. Â Then we waited for another 10-15 minutes until the rolls, nigiri, and hamachi kama arrived all together. Â Initially, we were missing a pair of ebi shrimp nigiri, but the server said they were still preparing it. Â I thought that was odd since I'm used to having all the sushi presented at the same time (or at least all the similar types of sushi in groups). Â Seriously, how long does it take to make ebi nigiri? Â The rolls were pretty good: we ordered the Spicy Crunchy Tuna and the Caterpillar. Â The best was the hamachi kama, which was tender, fell right off the bone, and was not over salted.
By the end of the meal, our meter had already expired, and so had both of our patience and tolerance. Â At least the food was decent and the server remained enthusiastic, even when she was oblivious to what was going on.
I'm disappointed given the higher ratings. Â If we ever try this place again, perhaps we'll order takeout; it'll probably take just as long if not longer to get the food!
Hanami is our go to sushi place in the area. We eat it about once a week. We dine in, pick up and order take out. All three ordering options are quick and efficient.
Hanami has a beautiful dining room and delicious food. The sushi is amazing! My friend and I recently had a leisurely dinner here and left feeling like we had been at a spa.
It's hard to stand out in a city with so many sushi restaurant open and close all year long.......
This would be a solid 3.5 star:
The salmon sashimi is close to being as fresh as it can be. The scallop shooter is fun, but as many other sushi place, it was not done to make you like Waha.....
The deco is warm with candles. The small restaurant quietly sitting in around a street corner.
The service is very nice. You also receives FREE edamame , and Muchi cake for desert! What a nice touch to win over customers.
I'd always keep in mind this lovely store is there if you need a quiet and good service Sushi Restaurant.....However I can't see myself come back with a long list of Sushi place to try in chi-town.......
The staff was friendly, the place looked cute and the menu looked good- but... the place was empty and food took soooo long. Â If you want something to drink, keep in mind they are BYOB- Â and no longer offer the smoothies on the menu. Â Most places offer a kids version of chopsticks- but this place clearly isn't targeting that crowd as they had no idea what we were talking about. Â (Some may appreciate that tidbit) Â And keep in mind if you sit next to the window on a cold night- wear something warm as the window wall makes it pretty cold. Â I hope the recent Groupon gives them some traffic and they speed up the service- Always like a local place to do well. Â Tough neighborhood with so many other sushi places nearby.
Review Source:Some of the best sushi we've had in Chicago. Â They kept bringing our large party free things (edamame, some drink I can't remember), which was awesome. Â We loved every single roll we ordered. Â Usually there is one or two people think are ok, but every one was great.
Two weird things: Â as other people mentioned, this place was empty. Â We couldn't understand this because the food was so amazing and the service was great. Â The 2nd thing was that is smelled REALLY bad. Â So that might be the problem? Â But no one else mentioned this, so it could be a weird, one off situation. Â We all agreed we would give it one more try to make sure it was just a random problem, but that we would definitely do carry out / delivery.
10/365
This was a great place to eat my last meal of 2012. We came here for a "light" NYE dinner before going out but ended up leaving stuffed. I think where we went wrong was with appetizers. Â My friend and I ordered a seaweed salad and a special cucumber salad, both of which were HUGE. The seaweed salad was practically an entree and the special cucumber salad was smothered in sushi crunch (see the photo). The cucumber salad was certainly not what I was picturing, but was delicious nonetheless. We were also served edemame on the house, at which point we were regretting ordering two rolls each.
I tried the salmon avocado and spicy salmon rolls. I prefer my salmon cut with a little more fat, but both rolls were good. And filling.
They served mochi with our check. Delicious, but it really eliminated any chance of my taking advantage of the appetizers at our NYE party.
I called for a delivery order and spoke with Sam. Â I didn't have a menu, their website menu wasn't working, however, I did find them on GrubHub. Â GH's menu was minimalist and Sam was most gracious in suggesting maki rolls based on my preferred tastes. Â
I ended up ordering salmon, mackerel and yellow-tail sashimi (two pcs per order) and one of their signature rolls, Passion on Fire.
The sashimi slices were slightly larger than what I would expect on rice as nigiri, yet much smaller than I've been served elsewhere. Â The salmon and yellowtail were as fresh tasting as could be. The mackerel was just a bit over-the-top preserved and tasted more like pickled herring.
The Passion on Fire roll is described as shrimp tempura inside salmon, super white tuna on top, served with chef's special sauce with a sprinkle of tobiko and green onion. And to me, the shrimp was sweet and plump, the sauce and garnish combo was delicious, however, the salmon and superwhite tuna were mere shavings. Â Overall, they fit together well in theory yet I would have enjoyed it more if the salmon and w.tuna pieces were thicker and distinct in flavor.
3.5 stars would have been 5 had I felt the portions matched the pricing.  I'm grateful that Sam included a comp order of edamame to fill the void for a more satisfying light  meal.  I bumped my rating up to 4 for great service and a speedy delivery.  I really want to give this place an ELEVEN...their unique menu is just one better than most,
I'll give Hanami an in-house visit, with a Yelp or Groupon discount deal, to get the full experience of the house instead of a late night delivery and will post an update if there's a significant difference.
Very nice staff. The place was empty when we went but the food was really good.
They start you off with complimentary edamame, which is always a nice treat.
The appetizer crispy sake is amazing. It's very unique and tastes great! The Mixer Maki, spicy tuna and spicy salmon were all very good too - tasted fresh
We finally were able to dine in at the restaurant last weekend. Â Again, my husband and I were blown away with how good everything was. Â We both agree now that Hanami makes the best sushi in Chicago. Â (And we've eaten at a lot of sushi restaurants.) Â Everything we ate was delicious, and we couldn't get enough. Â They gave us free edamame and cucumber salad, which had their yummy tempura crumbs and special sauce on top. Â We've never tasted a cucumber salad like that. Â My husband doesn't even like cucumbers, and at first he didn't know that they were in there, but he loved it.
The only thing that bothered us about this place is that it was empty. Â We could not figure out why no one was in there on a Saturday night when their food is SO good. Â We're thinking it's because they're still a new restaurant. Â Well, that's why I had to update my review, so more people will go there! Â They need more business! Â If you want fantastic sushi with amazing flavor that melts in your mouth, you must try Hanami. Â We can't wait to go there again.
super duper uber mega delicious sushi!!
yeah, sushi cravings can be somewhat satisfied by going to walgreens or wholefoods to buy a pack of sushi but........ if you want fresh and beautifully made sushi then you have to try Hanami!
i melted a little inside when i took my first bite. i couldn't believe my taste buds
no lie. they are definitely worth a visit or just stay there and never leave their place because their sushi is all you need
they also have fried ice cream... sadly i didnt get to try it so i'm going to wait until next time
reallllly can't wait!
super kind staff! been here a few times now and every experience has been perfect, plus they give you a cash discount!
The sushi itself is always good, and the chef often comes out to ask how it came out! we even got free dessert.
Thats how you treat a customer who you want to come back
Delicious sushi place!
My server was very nice and polite.
Loved the complimentary edamame.
I got free miso soup for checking in with Yelp, which was tasty and a good portion.
Got the Chicago roll which was delicious and fresh. The environment is pleasant and the decor is fairly classy.
Would've given 5 stars but the rolls are on the pricy side for everyday, but I can't wait to go for a nice dinner again sometime!
My new go-to lunch spot.
Staff is friendly and attentive.
Edamame, nicely salted and tasted very fresh.
The mango fruit tea I got for free just by checking in with yelp was delicious and just the right amount of sweet.
Miso soup, perfect pick-me-up on a cool rainy day.
Of course the most important thing, the sushi. I got the spicy tuna and salmon lunch special, so good I got it twice just this week! Very fresh, would recommend.
Tasty sushi to enjoy with your favorite white wine at a reasonable price.
Went to enjoy some sushi and split a bottle of wine with my sister one last time before I moved for a new job. Â The decor was relaxing and attractive, and the service was attentive but not overbearing. Â One nice touch is that the standard water has lemons soaked in it to give it a slight flavor.
The cucumber salad we had for the appetizer was quite tasty, and all the tables came with complimentary edamame. Â The Hanami and Lover's rolls tasted great, and one cutesy thing on the Lover's roll is that they make hearts on the top with the sauce.
While driving back home I saw a grand opening sign for sushi and that's all it took to visit Hanami on their second day of being open.
So this place is where T Spot used to be and honestly I was surprised with the another sushi restaurant opening here considering Wasabi is pretty much across the street.
Service: Well, I talked to Sam who I think is at least a partial owner of this restaurant and he was very cordial. Since it was only their second day open, I did get paid close attention to, especially sitting at the sushi bar.
Decor: It's nice... Pretty much your usual new, hip style look with the exposed brick wall and also the black painted walls. The chairs and tables were new (found out talking to Sam) and everything fits together.
Of course, you can't just have good service without at least decent food... Things I got were:
Cucumber salad: Given to me to try complimentary and it tasted fine. Pretty standard.
Edamame: Given complementary. Same comment as the cucumber salad. It's edamame...
Salmon and saba sashimi: The fish is fresh. The cuts were on the generous side. With the saba I got three small pieces for my order. The saba tasted like it was pickled differently than other places, but was good although served what seemed a little warmer than room temperature.
Spicy scallop roll: It was fine. Not spicy... it tasted fine though.
Red fire maki: One of Hanami's signature makis. It was pretty spicy. I thought it was a bit too sweet though with the sweet chili sauce. I would attribute this to the sushi chef drizzling the sauce straight from the bottle instead of like a squeeze bottle or something. I liked the fresh jalapeno on top as it is a nice touch.
Strawberry mochi: Another complementary item for me. It was one strawberry mochi split into 4 pieces.
Overall, you can tell this a new place. I am giving Hanami a 4 (rounding up) as nothing was bad here. I actually enjoyed how I was treated and can see this place as a nice addition to the North Center neighborhood. Hanami definitely has the potential. I will definitely come back to try again and update.
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