Hatsuzakura
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Everything was on point here: the food, the service, the decor, the atmosphere and down to the details! This is now on our "must always visit when in San Diego" list! Do not miss! I recommend getting the entree with the salad and soup and then choose desserts and drinks.
I've been wanting to try omurice forever and it lived up to the hype! The soft scrambled omelet on top was so creamy and rich and a perfect topping to the brisket fried rice. I loved the savory Demi glaze on top - really elevated what could otherwise be more plain without. The mango shaved ice was so fresh and light and can't wait to come back and try more menu items!
Add this to your list of places to try asap. The food is delicious and they have really great service! It's a small place, you wouldn't think it's a restaurant if you drive by it. In a quiet neighborhood, look for street parking. Outdoor seating, bar, and table seating available.
Had a lovely lunch here yesterday. My husband and I were fortunate to arrive before the rush, and were immediately seated at the counter/bar area. The restaurant is small and cozy, and employees were friendly and attentive. We decided on their meal for 2, which included: tea; soup & side salad; tamago sando; omurice and/or udon; and strawberry popsicles. Everything tasted was great, and my favorite was definitely the omurice! We plan on coming back again to try their desserts!
A refreshing Japanese menu, but skip the drinks! As someone who grew up eating Japanese food, I genuinely appreciate this restaurant's menu. It's refreshing to see dishes beyond the usual sushi and ramen, especially guratan, which is rarely offered at Japanese restaurants in America. I've visited twice, once last year and again this past weekend. First Visit: We arrived too late last year and found out the waitlist had closed, so we could only order takeout and drinks. The fruit sando was okay but nothing special, and both the matcha and hojicha were disappointing. Second Visit: We returned Sunday around 12:30 PM, but the waitlist had already closed even though the restaurant closes at 2 PM. Thankfully, the host accommodated us when some guests didn't show up. We were seated a little after 1 PM. Her customer service was amazing! She kept us updated as promised about whether we could be seated. The wait can be long, so arrive early! Last call is at 1:30 PM when the kitchen closes. We ordered Earl Grey Lavender Milk Tea, Okinawa Milk Tea, shrimp guratan (with an extra charge to substitute shrimp for chicken), and hiyashi udon. Drinks: 1/5 I wanted to give the drinks another chance, but unfortunately, they were disappointing again. The Earl Grey Lavender Milk Tea had an overpowering lavender flavor. I couldn't taste the Earl Grey or milk tea, and we couldn't even finish it because the lavender flavor was unpleasant. The Okinawa Milk Tea tasted more like milk than rich milk tea. Even its color looked much lighter and milkier than what I typically expect. Personally, I wouldn't come here for drinks. I'd rather spend my money elsewhere for matcha, hojicha, or milk tea. Shrimp Guratan: 4.5/5 Easily my favorite dish! Guratan is a Japanese-style gratin made with pasta, creamy white sauce, vegetables, and cheese. It reminds me of the comfort food I grew up eating, so I was excited to see it on the menu. The cheese was delicious, and I genuinely appreciate that they offer something different from the usual Japanese-American restaurant menu. My only criticisms are that it didn't seem to include potatoes, which I'm used to having in guratan, and the sauce was a little watery. I prefer a thicker, creamier white sauce that coats the pasta beautifully. These are minor criticisms because I still really enjoyed it. I would absolutely order the guratan again! Hiyashi Udon: 3/5 Hiyashi udon is cold udon. This dish came with thinly sliced beef, green onions, and crunchy flakes. It was fine, but nothing particularly special. The broth tasted like a premade udon soup base rather than something distinctive. As someone who grew up eating Japanese food, this was something I could easily make at home. Sometimes simple comfort food hits the spot, but when dining out, I prefer ordering something that takes more effort to prepare. Next time, I'd rather try their hayashi omurice! Overall: What I appreciate most is the menu. I love seeing everyday Japanese comfort foods rather than only the dishes that have become popular in America. The atmosphere is cute and welcoming, too! The decor is lovely, and the tiny flowers on each table are such a cute detail. It makes this a nice spot for a date or a girls' day. My biggest recommendation is to arrive early because the waitlist can close well before the posted closing time. If you get seated, prioritize the food over the drinks!
This was the cutest date spot ever! It was a tiny restaurant, but oh so cozy. I liked how it was hidden, it felt like we discovered a gem of SD. Food was authentic and phenomenal, but the dessert is where it's at. We got a strawberry parfait with fresh strawberry's, ice cream and Frosted Flakes. It was the perfect size to share between two. Service was outstanding as well. Will definitely be back
Hatsuzakura is a cute and authentic Japanese restaurant. All of the design details are adorable, and they even have a heated Japanese toilet! Their servers are always so sweet and friendly. You can expect a bit of a wait if you're going for dinner, as the restaurant is quite small. The main thing I would recommend on the menu is the omurice. The egg is cooked well and is the perfect texture, the sauce has delicious flavor, and everything complements each other well! The dish brings me back to Japan - it is just as good, if not better than the omurice I tried there. If you're craving a pasta, the guratan is very creamy. The chicken karaage, curry, matcha latte, and fruit sando are all decent, but they don't particularly stand out from other restaurants in my opinion. I always have a lovely experience dining here, so would definitely recommend to try it out!
Just came back from Japan recently and this place is as close as it gets. One of the more authentic Japanese places and it made me feel like I was back in Japan finally! The cold udon is so refreshing on a hot day! It's not a common concept but it really hits the spot when you need to cook down. I missed daifukos so much and their strawberries here are sooooo delicious! So sweet!!! I need to come back and get their desserts and egg Sando!
This is a great spot for some classic Japanese food. The omurice was delicious. I was happy to see melon soda on the menu. It has a subtle melon taste; you need to stir the syrup they add. All of the desserts looked amazing and I want to try them all. It's a small location so go during off-peak times.
Omg this place was so cute!! I loved the Japanese kisaten energy. This is a small location, with some seating inside and outside. When I arrived, they had a long waitlist for inside seating but we got lucky because there was a table available outside. I didn't see any heaters outside but it also wasn't cold when I went. I will say up front, that it was a bit on the pricey side. One onigiri was $8, but it was a huge onigiri. We also got the Neapolitan noodles, and wow, it was so delicious! This thing that impressed me the most was their gluten free noodle options! It did not taste or feel gluten free, I had to double check with the waiter. Plus they didn't not charge extra to substitute to the gluten free noodles and I am grateful for that. Lastly we got the hot tea pot to share and it was so much tea! It was delicious. They served it with a tea candle so the tea stayed warm the whole meal. I really enjoyed this place, definitely check them out.
Such a cute little pink decor Japanese based restaurant, really reminded me of Japan not just for the food but the overall vibe. Even the bathroom had a heated toilet lol that's very Japan like. The food was pretty good. We got the omurice which my husband ate so fast, it's on the sweeter side, the egg could've been a little more runny but it was still good overall. We got the karage chicken, it was very flavorful and the breading was light which I liked and it didn't taste too oily. The curry was super good, the meat was tender and the curry sauce itself had a little spicy kick in it but still super flavorful. Also we got that huge tuna mayo onigiri which was like super sized but it was $8 so yea. It had a lot of tuna and it was packed really well. I was so full but the dessert looked amazing. We tried the matcha latte it was good but tasted just like sugar and milk lol There is no parking, u have to find street parking and there's no cross walk so u basically gotta jay walk if u park on the other side. Also the place isn't that big so it's not great for big parties, maybe for a family of 6 is the most you can accommodate. There is bar seating and limited outdoor seating. The service was great tho, and it's such a cute spot.
This Japanese restaurant is SOO cute and worth the wait!!! The wait can be VERY long though. We came on a Tuesday at 720pm and got seated around 810pm (one table ahead of us) and got our food by 8:40pm - we had a party of 3 and there's just a few tables that seat over 2. There's indoor, outdoor, and bar seating. The service here was excellent. Everyone was super friendly and checked in on us and apologized for the wait. Interior of the restaurant is very cute - it's small and gives off a modern/charming Japanese cafe vibe with wooden accents. The food was AMAZINGGGG - my favorite was the Napolita pasta - I love the flavor of the tomato sauce they use for this pasta and the ham was amazing. I also highly enjoyed the omurice, which was the best I've had - it was so flavorful and egg was soft and creamy. The chicken karaage was very fresh and crispy on the outside. The mango shaved snow was also phenomenal - I love the mango puree they used on the shaved snow and the mangos were super sweet!! There's some street parking nearby right in front of restauraunt and within nearby neighborhoods. Highly recommend!!
I've been wanting to try this place for a while and I finally was able to when a friend came to visit. Per the waitress recommendation I got the Hatsuzakura Curry topped with mozzarella cheese. Nice comfy curry with tender brisket, I wasn't sure how the cheese would be but it paired well. My friend got the Hayashi Udon. Refreshing noodles with sweetly flavored sliced beef. The karaage was okay, tender but could've been crisper with more seasoning. We ended our meal with Ichigo Daifuku. Nice mochi with fresh strawberry.
5 days ago
This was the perfect choice for a warm, hearty meal paired with an adorable ambiance. My friends and I came on a Wednesday evening and we were sat outside due to the inside being packed full. The staff were super friendly and accommodating, offering to move us as soon as something inside opened up, but the night was beautiful and we loved the outside vibes anyways. Throughout the meal, the service was also top quality. We were checked on consistently and everyone was very kind. For drinks, we tried the strawberry soda, matcha latte with whole milk, and the iced earl grey lavender milk tea. The matcha had a satisfying earthy flavor to it, but my favorite had to be the milk tea. Those earl grey and lavender flavors were vibrantly present with each sip, complementing each other deliciously. After serious debating, we ending up with four food options: The hayashi omurice, chicken karaage, tuna mayo bakudan onigiri, and the hatsuzakara curry. The omurice was definitely my favorite of the night, followed closely by the karaage! The only thing I wasn't satisfied with was the onigiri which just fell on the bland side in comparison with all the other amazing food. Still, the filling was tasty once I broke through the mountain of rice! Overall, this was a great experience for my friends and I, and we would definitely recommend others to try it out!! It was the perfect place to be for some warm comfort food. read more
5 days ago
Was planning on coming in for a good tea drink and ended up eating a early dinner and not getting sushi. Great find and I'm a very cozy space. Order a very tasty and tea forward Yozakura Milk Tea, Hayashi Omurice, Bakudan Onigiri with pickled plum, Coffee Jelly, and the Mushi Pudding. Favorite was probably the milk tea and desserts with the omurice coming in right behind. Service was great as well. Amazing staff! read more
13 days ago
i love how small and intimate this place is! their omurice is so tasty, it has chunks of beef inside the rice and there's topped with the demiglace is amazing. i added on the side soup and salad, the soup was a clear broths with small chunks of carrot and the salad had a sesame dressing that was so good. we also got drinks and they use PARU tea here, it was a clean and refreshing taste for a hot day! we also got their seasonal mango parfait and it was huge! topped with vanilla ice cream it had layers of mango, cornflakes ad whipped cream. i also love getting their dango and their egg salad sando is also good! read more
Everything was on point here: the food, the service, the decor, the atmosphere and down to the details! This is now on our "must always visit when in San Diego" list! Do not miss! I recommend getting the entree with the salad and soup and then choose desserts and drinks. read more
I've been wanting to try omurice forever and it lived up to the hype! The soft scrambled omelet on top was so creamy and rich and a perfect topping to the brisket fried rice. I loved the savory Demi glaze on top - really elevated what could otherwise be more plain without. The mango shaved ice was so fresh and light and can't wait to come back and try more menu items! read more
Add this to your list of places to try asap. The food is delicious and they have really great service! It's a small place, you wouldn't think it's a restaurant if you drive by it. In a quiet neighborhood, look for street parking. Outdoor seating, bar, and table seating available. read more
2 months ago
Had a lovely lunch here yesterday. My husband and I were fortunate to arrive before the rush, and were immediately seated at the counter/bar area. The restaurant is small and cozy, and employees were friendly and attentive. We decided on their meal for 2, which included: tea; soup & side salad; tamago sando; omurice and/or udon; and strawberry popsicles. Everything tasted was great, and my favorite was definitely the omurice! We plan on coming back again to try their desserts! read more
5 hours ago
A refreshing Japanese menu, but skip the drinks! As someone who grew up eating Japanese food, I genuinely appreciate this restaurant's menu. It's refreshing to see dishes beyond the usual sushi and ramen, especially guratan, which is rarely offered at Japanese restaurants in America. I've visited twice, once last year and again this past weekend. First Visit: We arrived too late last year and found out the waitlist had closed, so we could only order takeout and drinks. The fruit sando was okay but nothing special, and both the matcha and hojicha were disappointing. Second Visit: We returned Sunday around 12:30 PM, but the waitlist had already closed even though the restaurant closes at 2 PM. Thankfully, the host accommodated us when some guests didn't show up. We were seated a little after 1 PM. Her customer service was amazing! She kept us updated as promised about whether we could be seated. The wait can be long, so arrive early! Last call is at 1:30 PM when the kitchen closes. We ordered Earl Grey Lavender Milk Tea, Okinawa Milk Tea, shrimp guratan (with an extra charge to substitute shrimp for chicken), and hiyashi udon. Drinks: 1/5 I wanted to give the drinks another chance, but unfortunately, they were disappointing again. The Earl Grey Lavender Milk Tea had an overpowering lavender flavor. I couldn't taste the Earl Grey or milk tea, and we couldn't even finish it because the lavender flavor was unpleasant. The Okinawa Milk Tea tasted more like milk than rich milk tea. Even its color looked much lighter and milkier than what I typically expect. Personally, I wouldn't come here for drinks. I'd rather spend my money elsewhere for matcha, hojicha, or milk tea. Shrimp Guratan: 4.5/5 Easily my favorite dish! Guratan is a Japanese-style gratin made with pasta, creamy white sauce, vegetables, and cheese. It reminds me of the comfort food I grew up eating, so I was excited to see it on the menu. The cheese was delicious, and I genuinely appreciate that they offer something different from the usual Japanese-American restaurant menu. My only criticisms are that it didn't seem to include potatoes, which I'm used to having in guratan, and the sauce was a little watery. I prefer a thicker, creamier white sauce that coats the pasta beautifully. These are minor criticisms because I still really enjoyed it. I would absolutely order the guratan again! Hiyashi Udon: 3/5 Hiyashi udon is cold udon. This dish came with thinly sliced beef, green onions, and crunchy flakes. It was fine, but nothing particularly special. The broth tasted like a premade udon soup base rather than something distinctive. As someone who grew up eating Japanese food, this was something I could easily make at home. Sometimes simple comfort food hits the spot, but when dining out, I prefer ordering something that takes more effort to prepare. Next time, I'd rather try their hayashi omurice! Overall: What I appreciate most is the menu. I love seeing everyday Japanese comfort foods rather than only the dishes that have become popular in America. The atmosphere is cute and welcoming, too! The decor is lovely, and the tiny flowers on each table are such a cute detail. It makes this a nice spot for a date or a girls' day. My biggest recommendation is to arrive early because the waitlist can close well before the posted closing time. If you get seated, prioritize the food over the drinks! read more
16 days ago
This was the cutest date spot ever! It was a tiny restaurant, but oh so cozy. I liked how it was hidden, it felt like we discovered a gem of SD. Food was authentic and phenomenal, but the dessert is where it's at. We got a strawberry parfait with fresh strawberry's, ice cream and Frosted Flakes. It was the perfect size to share between two. Service was outstanding as well. Will definitely be back read more
Hatsuzakura is a cute and authentic Japanese restaurant. All of the design details are adorable, and they even have a heated Japanese toilet! Their servers are always so sweet and friendly. You can expect a bit of a wait if you're going for dinner, as the restaurant is quite small. The main thing I would recommend on the menu is the omurice. The egg is cooked well and is the perfect texture, the sauce has delicious flavor, and everything complements each other well! The dish brings me back to Japan - it is just as good, if not better than the omurice I tried there. If you're craving a pasta, the guratan is very creamy. The chicken karaage, curry, matcha latte, and fruit sando are all decent, but they don't particularly stand out from other restaurants in my opinion. I always have a lovely experience dining here, so would definitely recommend to try it out! read more
Just came back from Japan recently and this place is as close as it gets. One of the more authentic Japanese places and it made me feel like I was back in Japan finally! The cold udon is so refreshing on a hot day! It's not a common concept but it really hits the spot when you need to cook down. I missed daifukos so much and their strawberries here are sooooo delicious! So sweet!!! I need to come back and get their desserts and egg Sando! read more
3 days ago
This is a great spot for some classic Japanese food. The omurice was delicious. I was happy to see melon soda on the menu. It has a subtle melon taste; you need to stir the syrup they add. All of the desserts looked amazing and I want to try them all. It's a small location so go during off-peak times. read more
3 months ago
Omg this place was so cute!! I loved the Japanese kisaten energy. This is a small location, with some seating inside and outside. When I arrived, they had a long waitlist for inside seating but we got lucky because there was a table available outside. I didn't see any heaters outside but it also wasn't cold when I went. I will say up front, that it was a bit on the pricey side. One onigiri was $8, but it was a huge onigiri. We also got the Neapolitan noodles, and wow, it was so delicious! This thing that impressed me the most was their gluten free noodle options! It did not taste or feel gluten free, I had to double check with the waiter. Plus they didn't not charge extra to substitute to the gluten free noodles and I am grateful for that. Lastly we got the hot tea pot to share and it was so much tea! It was delicious. They served it with a tea candle so the tea stayed warm the whole meal. I really enjoyed this place, definitely check them out. read more
3 months ago
Such a cute little pink decor Japanese based restaurant, really reminded me of Japan not just for the food but the overall vibe. Even the bathroom had a heated toilet lol that's very Japan like. The food was pretty good. We got the omurice which my husband ate so fast, it's on the sweeter side, the egg could've been a little more runny but it was still good overall. We got the karage chicken, it was very flavorful and the breading was light which I liked and it didn't taste too oily. The curry was super good, the meat was tender and the curry sauce itself had a little spicy kick in it but still super flavorful. Also we got that huge tuna mayo onigiri which was like super sized but it was $8 so yea. It had a lot of tuna and it was packed really well. I was so full but the dessert looked amazing. We tried the matcha latte it was good but tasted just like sugar and milk lol There is no parking, u have to find street parking and there's no cross walk so u basically gotta jay walk if u park on the other side. Also the place isn't that big so it's not great for big parties, maybe for a family of 6 is the most you can accommodate. There is bar seating and limited outdoor seating. The service was great tho, and it's such a cute spot. read more
3 months ago
This Japanese restaurant is SOO cute and worth the wait!!! The wait can be VERY long though. We came on a Tuesday at 720pm and got seated around 810pm (one table ahead of us) and got our food by 8:40pm - we had a party of 3 and there's just a few tables that seat over 2. There's indoor, outdoor, and bar seating. The service here was excellent. Everyone was super friendly and checked in on us and apologized for the wait. Interior of the restaurant is very cute - it's small and gives off a modern/charming Japanese cafe vibe with wooden accents. The food was AMAZINGGGG - my favorite was the Napolita pasta - I love the flavor of the tomato sauce they use for this pasta and the ham was amazing. I also highly enjoyed the omurice, which was the best I've had - it was so flavorful and egg was soft and creamy. The chicken karaage was very fresh and crispy on the outside. The mango shaved snow was also phenomenal - I love the mango puree they used on the shaved snow and the mangos were super sweet!! There's some street parking nearby right in front of restauraunt and within nearby neighborhoods. Highly recommend!! read more
3 months ago
I've been wanting to try this place for a while and I finally was able to when a friend came to visit. Per the waitress recommendation I got the Hatsuzakura Curry topped with mozzarella cheese. Nice comfy curry with tender brisket, I wasn't sure how the cheese would be but it paired well. My friend got the Hayashi Udon. Refreshing noodles with sweetly flavored sliced beef. The karaage was okay, tender but could've been crisper with more seasoning. We ended our meal with Ichigo Daifuku. Nice mochi with fresh strawberry. read more
WOW!! This place is legit! Happened to be in this area and was looking for great place to get some omurice and stumbled into this little gem of a place!! First, street parking only but don't let that deter you from coming coz every inch or foot that you spend walking to this place is all worth it. Secondly, love the ambiance. Reminds me a lot of those ikazaya pubs in Japan but a little more chic and modern. They have bar seating of about 10 and 6-8 tables inside. But they also have outdoor seating. So I came at exactly 11 am and I was the second guest and they sat me at the bar. By 11:30 am, the entire resto was full, not granting it was a Saturday morning but people prolly got smart to come here early before the lunch crowd gets bigger. So for the food, I had to order their Hayachi Omurice and Chef Soichi's Chicken karage and both were BOMB! 11/10 each! Love the flavor of the rice and nice touch of thin slices of meat and the egg was perfectly made. I just wished there were heapings of those egg. The sauce was slightly tangy but love the flavor. The other star of my meal was the karage. Prolly the Top 2 karage I've had. I liked how they sliced in lengthwise and there not too much coating. And it wasn't oily and very juicy inside. Well seasoned and it came with lemon wedges and kewpie mayo. All I did was sprinkle some Nanami Togarashi for an added umami flavor. Overall, this should be on your top 10 restos in San Diego. Service was excellent, the servers were all friendly and always smiles!! Kudos to you guys!! I'll be back for sure!! read more
Had such a wonderful experience here! Went with friends and we all enjoyed ourselves so much. Food is great, atmosphere is too, and the service was guess what? (Great.) It's a smaller venue so definitely book a reservation to secure your spot. There's a park nearby so there should be plenty of street parking if you're lucky. Shout out to Vivian, Reiann, and Taira they made the experience so much more enjoyable and memorable. Definitely going to come back when in the area! Should've taken more pictures of the menu, but the prices aren't bad for the good quality food you're getting. The karaage chicken is something else oh my goodness. read more
This restaurant is super relaxing and has a calm environment, so a friendly meal here is great. Do keep in mind there's only street parking, so you may have to walk a bit. Everything on their menu sounded so good, but our tummies were limited so unfortunately we could only order a few dishes. Earl Gray Lavender Milk Tea - This came in a cute little mason jar and even had a few sprinkles of the lavender on top. The milk was light and not too creamy while the lavender gave a soft aroma just right. This drink is very easy to drink Chef Soichi's Karaage - It's like your typical karaage, although the sauce that comes with it was divine Guratan - We couldn't help it, the macaroni was loaded. The chicken was very tender and each spoon gave you a nice cheese pull Hayashi Omurice - The star of our meal. It had a strong umami flavor and the rice was very well seasoned to match the sauce. I ended up cleaning the plate read more
I came here after spending a day in SD and was pleasantly surprised by how cute and pretty the interior is. The staff is very kind and efficient. I got the guratan and the Hatsu curry. Both dishes were not bad but honestly nothing special. The guratan didn't have much chicken and just tasted like pasta I could get anywhere or make at home. The Hatsu curry had good flavor, but there was way too much rice and barely any curry or meat in the dish. Overall, it wasn't bad but nothing special. There are definitely better spots to grab dinner when you're in SD! read more
If you come here, you MUST try the omurice! I came before one other time, but decided to try some items on the menu that were new to me. Each thing we ordered were worth coming back for Hands down, my favorites were the ichigo daifuku (mochi with strawberry) and hayashi omurice. I can't stop thinking about the mochi (I will come back just for that!) and the omurice was perfectly seasoned. I really enjoyed the taste of the demi glace sauce on the omurice. We also ordered the salmon onigiri and it was huge, so definitely ideal for sharing with someone. Those three dishes were the perfect amount for my girlfriend and I. It's small inside so keep that in mind if you're in a group of 4+. Very cute atmosphere though. read more
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Reymond P.
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1 month ago
Love love love this place so much, the food is amazing, everything is made to the perfect detail, flavors, and presentation. It's a small place, so it is very intimate with others, and your server, if you're at the bar, even more but you feel so cared for! The place is beautiful, I've come here multiple times and never have I left disappointed read more
5 months ago
Such a cute casual Japanese spot in north park. The food is so simple, but perfect tasting. The drinks have the perfect balance of sweetness. I love the quaint jazz ambience making such a great lunch or casual dinner spot. Please note there is a waitlist and you have to come in person to put your name down. read more
Parking 3/5 -There is only street parking available. Service 5/5 -Staff was friendly and service was prompt. Food 5/5 -Hayashi Omurice $20, wow it's no wonder why almost everybody that comes orders this dish. The flavor is so rich but not overwhelming, every ingredient tasted so seasoned, soft and compliments each other perfectly. It really tasted so authentic like I was in a cafe in Japan. -Hot hatsu curry udon $22, the curry broth was a soft slurry that coated every strand of al dente udon. The green onions made it so refreshing, beef was tender but the ultimate stars were surprisingly the super soft carrots and potatoes that have absorbed all of the curry's essence. I enjoyed every bite out of this bowl. Ambiance 5/5 -The space is pretty small and intimate but very comfortable, pink floral theme throughout and with one of the cleanest bathrooms I have seen in a restaurant(warm bidet seat included). read more
Honestly this place is so good. The atmosphere genuinely feels like you walked into a cafe in Japan it's cozy, cute, and nothing like your typical San Diego restaurant. It's based on the kissaten café style from Japan and you can really feel that when you're sitting there. Servers were friendly and attentive as well The omurice was amazing. fluffy egg over brisket fried rice with a house-made demi-glace that all just works together really well. Got the earl grey lavender tea to go with it and that combo alone is worth the trip. Already planning to come back and try more of the menu. read more
This Japanese restaurant is so cute and pretty!! The servers also add to the Japanese vibe~ The menu is pretty easy to navigate. I feel like everything looked really good, so it was hard to decide what to order. The dishes have small portion size despite the price. I think this kinda helps in that you have room to eat dessert! The brown sugar Okinawa tea was good but the after taste of the sugar was not good. They kept the tea pot warm, and they served oat milk on the side. Karaage had too much chicken skin for my preference. Guratan was penne pasta and not macaroni as specified in the menu. Yakisoba could have used more chicken. Omurice had the more flavor and the egg was really good. I want to try naporitan next time because of the tomato based sauce. Of the desserts I tried, the parfait was most enjoyable because of the fruit with ice cream. The mushi pudding was good; it was the thick and "hard" type of flan. I want to try kakigori next time because I saw their shaved ice machine was legit. Parking - free street parking only. Be prepared to walk up/downhill. Credit card/apple pay accepted Bathroom is only one room in the back. THE SEAT IS WARM. This was a nice gem to find in this part of town. read more
2 months ago
Kawaii, oiishii! Cute (place), delicious! And super friendly service. Love it! We'll be back for more. read more
THE OMURICE IS SO GOOD The sauce was ketchup forward and the meat was tender although not a lot of it. The sauce was soo good. Everything else was cooked perfectly. The egg was soft, creamy, and not overcooked. I WAS SO HAPPY EATING THIS Guratan was a creamy baked mac and cheese. It was good and creamy, but a little too cheesy and creamy. Tuna Mayo Onigiri WAS BUSS. HUGE. AND PACKED WITH TUNA MAYO. Solid onigiri and very filling. Matcha latte was rich in flavor but the milk was just a tad bit overpowering. The yozakura milk tea was nutty and floral, delishhh Service was so nice and attentive. There was a bit of a wait for a weekday dinner because of how small the restaurant. can't wait to go back! read more
My BFF & I came here for an early dinner. For drinks, I ordered the Yozakura Milk Tea and my friend got the Earl Grey Lavender Milk Tea. We ordered the Hatsuzakura Curry and Chef Soichi's Karaage to share. These 2 dishes complemented each other well and we really enjoyed our dining experience here. It came with side salads that were fresh and had a light dressing. Loved the decor with the light pink and Cherry blossom theme. Definitely recommend this place! read more
3 months ago
Super cute restaurant with lots of pink decor ! The staff were super friendly and there is a decent amount of seating. We came right at opening bc we heard it gets super busy. There was a physical paper waitlist for people who came later. I got the omurice and it was pretty good. I didn't expect the rice to be tomatoey tho lol it was my 1st time getting it. My bf got the karaage bowl and a tuna onigiri and he thought they were standard read more
3 months ago
I finally was able to check this place out!! I been seeing the hype on tik tok and wanted to try this place. My boyfriend and I got there around 12 and we got seated right away. We already knew what we wanted which was the Karaage and the Curry. For the curry, i personally thought it was very delicious. I subbed it for the chicken as I can't eat beef, and it still tastes very delicious to me! I can definitely say that it gave me comfort vibes. The Karaage was also super good! It had a nice crunch and paired well with the sauce. For our dessert, we tried the fruit sando. It was super delicious but I do not think it was worth the price. It felt like something I should have made at home instead. Nonetheless, the service was so nice! Everyone was very attentive and making sure we were doing okay. I think I could see myself coming back there. I definitely do recommend to try this place out! read more
This review is strictly for the desserts and drinks! Love the decor and the cute design every time we come in. We've been here quite a few times now and decided it's best to come during dessert hours. The wait can get pretty long because it's popular, but it's honestly worth it, especially for date nights. Parking is still tough to find during prime time, so be prepared for a bit of a walk and a wait. $16.50 for the parfait is still kinda shocking, but we always end up ordering it anyway lol. The kakigori is also really good, especially the seasonal blueberry flavor. You can tell it's house made with their puree. read more
Hatsuzakura's vibe overall was incredibly homey and pink! Went for brunch with a friend to try their curry plate & omurice which both had nice portions. Our server was friendly and recommended me the curry with cheese which I enjoyed. The restaurant is very small with some outdoor seating, so it's great for small parties of 2-4. I also took a matcha latte w/oatmilk to go & it was definitely more vanilla forward with a light matcha taste than I'm used to, but I prefer my matcha's with a bit more depth to it. Would definitely come back! read more
2 months ago
This is a small and casual restaurant next to its sister restaurant Sochi. It had a neighborhood vibe restaurant because it's not in the heart of north park. Unfortunately we couldn't make rezzis next door at Sochi so we decided to try this place. There is both inside seating and patio seating. We sat in the patio. Service was very friendly and the food came in a timely manner. The food was just average to me. Since they received great reviews I had high expectations so therefore I was a bit disappointed. We each ordered the full set meal which came with entree, soup, salad and dessert. (entrees were about $20 and for $7.95 more, you get a soup, salad, and dessert. ) Our Entrees were the hatsuzokura curry and the hayashi omurice. And dessert was strawberry mochi. The salad was fresh. Miso soup was ok. The curry dish came with rice , bits of brisket and assorted vegetables. Husband didn't feel that satisfied because the curry wasn't that rich in flavor. The omelette in the omurice was filled with tomato based brisket fried rice. I felt the sauce was on the sweeter side. Like I said it wasn't bad just average. I think the best thing we had was the strawberry mochi. The mochi was very fresh , soft and chewy with red bean paste inside and a sweet fresh strawberry on top. Sorry but this didn't live up to its hype for me as I've had better. But it is a nice option for the residents in the neighborhood to walk and have a Japanese dinner. read more
If you're looking for a cute, small, warm, cozy date dinner spot... this is it. The place is very very cute and feels intimate without being cramped. It's perfect for a lowkey date night where you just want to sit, talk, and eat comfort food. Price wise, I wouldn't say it's cheap, but it's not crazy expensive either. It feels fair for the quality and the vibe. My favorite is their curry. It's super rich and just tastes... homey. I don't even know how to describe it other than it feels like comfort in a bowl. The flavor is deep and cozy and makes you want to keep eating even when you're already full. The milk teas were kind of ehh for me. They all tasted very milky, so I couldn't really tell much of a difference between the flavors. Not bad, just nothing too special. Their shaved ice is HUMONGOUS. Like actually huge. There's nothing too crazy about it, it's mostly fluffy ice with homemade syrup, but it's fun to share and looks cute on the table. Overall, it's definitely a must try for a cozy date night. The vibe is adorable and the service was great too. I'd come back just for the curry and the atmosphere alone. read more
Although the ambiance and service were top-tier, the food was quite mediocre for the premium price. *FOOD* Omurice - The Omurice had a pleasant earthy tomato flavor which meshed well with the rice and egg. I would say this is one of the better dishes. Karaage - The chicken karaage had a good ratio of breading to chicken and the chicken itself was juicy. However, there was not much flavor and it tasted like I was just chewing on plain chicken. I would not get this again. Yakisoba - The yakisoba had a sweet taste and was a very small portion for its price. I didn't think of anything special in the flavor that would make me want to buy this again. Daifuku - The red bean filling was a little bit too sweet for my taste. The mochi wasn't anything special. I don't see anything special that warrants its price, so I would probably not come again. read more
9 months ago
Surprisingly amazing. A small hidden gem that had a simple menu but so good. We ordered two HIYASHI UDON's but one was the hot curry that you can upgrade too. The regular is a Japanese traditional chilled and it was amazing. For dessert we got the KAKIGORI SHAVED ICE which had strawberry with matcha ice cream. So refreshing and generous portions. Everything about this place was perfection. read more
2 months ago
I've had Hatsuzakura bookmarked for awhile but haven't gotten the chance to try this place out until today! It was a super quaint, pink and bright restaurant off Adams Ave. We went at 3:30pm when they re-opened for the dinner shift and the place actually filled up pretty quickly. We opted for the Summer Special for 2 which came with 2 teas of your choice (Oolong or Mugi Cha), 2 Egg Sandos, 2 Salads, 2 Soups, 2 entrees (Hiyashi Cold Udon or Omurice), and 2 Strawberry Kakigori Popsicles, and also 2 Oniguri Rice Balls (Tuna Mayo and Salted Plum) to-go. We got the teas first, both came out unsweetened. I had the Oolong which was lighter, and my boyfriend got the Mugi Cha, which tasted like barley tea. Then we got the Egg Sandos which had thick milk bread. We both enjoyed the fact there was tiny cubed cucumbers in it which gave a surprising crunch and a nice change in texture. The cadence of dishes being served was actually really nice, they served the next item while we were still eating the previous. So the hot Soup was served while we were still eating the Egg Sandos, and it actually paired really well because the Soup was savory and had a bolder taste in contrast to the lighter tasting Egg Sando. Next up was the Salad which was a spring mix with cherry tomatoes topped with Sesame Kewpie Mayo Dressing which tasted sweet and savory at the same time. Then came the entrees, I got the Hiyashi Cold Udon Noodles and my boyfriend got the Omurice. The Udon Noodles came in a clear dashi broth, sweet marinated beef, crispy/crunchy tempura pearls, green onions, and garnished with dried seaweed. It was good and I can see how it could be refreshing on a hot summer day, but I think I prefer hot udon noodle soup better. I wish I had asked if they had this as an option, but on the menu there was a $3.50 upcharge to change it to a hot curry soup base instead which I didn't want. The Omurice was a ketchup-based fried rice inside of an omelette, and on the outside there was some type of mushroom gravy. It was tasty and filling. My boyfriend wished there was a little more beef inside. You definitely get your money's worth though with this Summer Special for 2, there's plenty of food and we actually ended up taking home leftovers for both our entrees. The Kakigori Popsicles were an interesting texture, when you bite into them it's chunky shaved ice! The strawberry flavoring was artificial though which is predictable from the bright pink color. Later in the day we tried the 2 Oniguri Rice Balls we got to-go and they were probably the biggest Rice Balls I've ever had in my life, they were HUGE (which for $8.50 each I appreciated they were larger). My boyfriend enjoyed his Tuna Mayo and I was pleasantly surprised with how much filling was in the Salted Plum. I also appreciated that the seaweed was packaged separately so that it wouldn't be soggy for when we ate it later. The bill came out to be about $80 before tip, $96 afterwards. Overall great food, amazing service, attentive and courteous staff, and also great value for how much good food you get. read more
This restaurant was highly recommended so of course I had to try. The inside is small (very Japanese feeling) but so cute inside. Cherry Blossoms decor which is so warm & comforting. The food was amazing. I had the hatsuzakura curry, and the fruit sando. We had the Bakundan onigiri, & the yakisoba. Even the earl grey lavender tea was delicious. I loved this restaurant it reminded me of Japan. The wait staff were all so kind. I'll be back for sure. read more
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More info about Hatsuzakura
2123 Adams Ave
San Diego, CA 92116
University Heights
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(619) 810-9541
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https://www.hatsuzakurasd.com
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Ask the Community - Hatsuzakura
Is this a good spot for a student to come get coffee/tea/food and study?
In my opinion, I don't think it's a spot to study. It's more of an enjoy -- eat -- go place.
Are dogs allowed?
Unfortunately, our establishment only allows service dogs, but when we incorporate outdoor dining, they're more than welcome to dine with us, too. :)
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