Cancel

Open app

Search

Hatsuzakura

4.4 (618 reviews)
Closed • Closed
Updated 2 months ago

About Hatsuzakura

Loading...

Read the full summary in the app

Hatsuzakura Photos

Business Info

HATSUZAKURA ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Casual
Trendy
Intimate

You might also consider

More like Hatsuzakura

Recommended Reviews - Hatsuzakura

Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
Yelp app icon
Browse more easily on the app
Review Feed Illustration

Reviews With Photos

Exterior
GiGi G.

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.

Mango Kakigori Japanese Shaved Ice
Jordyn S.

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!

Lavender latte
Anna L.

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.

Hayashi Omurice
Jasmine D.

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!

Curry
Gabriella P.

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

Curry
Cara M.

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.

Fruit sando
Amy D.

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!

Ailin J.

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!

Menu
Christina H.

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.

Bar
Krystle A.

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.

Shannon Z.

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!!

Restroom is very clean!!
Dojo A.

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!!

Karaage
Malease T.

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.

See all

3 days ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

3 days ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

11 days ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 days ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

5 days ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 1
Love this 1
Oh no 0

11 days ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 months ago

Helpful 3
Thanks 1
Love this 4
Oh no 0

15 days ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Cara M.
154
28
122

2 days ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 months ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

3 months ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 1
Love this 1
Oh no 0

3 months ago

Helpful 2
Thanks 1
Love this 2
Oh no 1

3 months ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

1 month ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

3 months ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

1 month ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

4 months ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 2
Oh no 1

4 months ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

4 months ago

Business owner information

Photo of Reymond P.

Reymond P.

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

1 month ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

5 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

5 months ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 1
Love this 1
Oh no 0

5 months ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

6 months ago

Helpful 11
Thanks 4
Love this 8
Oh no 0

2 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

6 months ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

8 months ago

Helpful 3
Thanks 1
Love this 2
Oh no 0

3 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

3 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

6 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

3 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 months ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

7 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

8 months ago

Helpful 6
Thanks 3
Love this 2
Oh no 4

5 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

2 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

9 months ago

Helpful 2
Thanks 0
Love this 2
Oh no 0

9 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

5 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

Page 1 of 16

Hatsuzakura Reviews in Other Languages

Ask the Community - Hatsuzakura

Does Hatsuzakura accept reservation?

Yes they do take reservations

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.

Is there a parking lot or is this street parking?

Street parking.

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. :)

Do they do to-go?

We just started incorporating to-go orders. :)

Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

You might also consider

Tabu Shabu - North Park - Outside

Tabu Shabu - North Park

4.6(733 reviews)
1.4 mi•North Park
•$$
Healthy dining

the service, the food, the price, and the restaurant vibes were fantastic !…read more our server aaron was amazing. he answered all the questions my group had and gave really great suggestions. if you're ever not sure what broth you want, you can ask to mix them ! i mixed the miso and the tonkatsu and it was yummy they also give a free broth booster which helped elevate the broth even more ! i personally did a spoon full in my broth and used the remaining as a dip ! would come back here again !

Great service. We…read moreloved this a few months ago and came back. Immediately when we walked in a manager we recognized said "welcome back". Let me tell you.... When you only ate somewhere once but they remember you that makes you want to keep coming back! One big draw for me is the kids meal and options/service for kids. If a kid is under 7 they don't charge for them to split your meal with you and they can still get their own soup bowl and chair. Also, they have a kids meal option for 10 and under. My kids absolutely love being treated like real customers. They get to cook their own food and the team addresses them kindly and tends to them. By the nature of this type of meal there is a decent amount of checking in the waitstaff has to do like adjusting cook temps, delivering plates and drinks, coming back for add ons etc so it is a good restaurant experience for kids. They even have high high chairs (not a typo) for the babies. The food is good. Everything is prepped to order... you can literally see people slicing your meat or putting your vegetables together in the back. I come here because I want quality and not the volume of an ACYE place. I'd prefer to spend my calories wisely. I was surprised that it was full but no wait on a weekday. It's hard to find somewhere with a vibe on a weekday but this place has one. It's a short drive from the zoo and Balboa park so I'm sure the team will see us again.

Photos
Tabu Shabu - North Park - Wagyu short rib

Wagyu short rib

Tabu Shabu - North Park
Tabu Shabu - North Park

See all

Between Us - Mushroom Toast was amazing

Between Us

4.2(343 reviews)
1.0 mi•North Park
•$$

This was actually our 2nd time at Between Us, and unfortunately the experience with the hostess…read morethis time was disappointing. The food was amazing and our server was great, friendly, attentive, and provided excellent service. We didn't have a reservation, so we completely understood that there would be a wait and never complained about it. However, the hostess came across as very rude and unwelcoming, which really took away from what could have been another great experience. We really enjoyed the food and our server was wonderful, so it's disappointing that the interaction with the hostess left such a negative impression. Hopefully, the front of house experience can be improved, as we'd love to come back.

Between Us is a really gorgeous brunch/dinner spot that has a knack for all things matcha! I came…read morehere with a friend and we got an 11AM reservation about a week in advance. The parking in this area is dreadful so planning advance! We got the Harvest bowl, Chunky Avo toast, Beignets, and matcha lattes. Everything was pretty good besides the avocado was quite browned on my toast. I ended up only eating half of it and having to pick out the bad parts. The beignets were really delicious and i would definitely recommend the matcha lattes (ceremonial grade, 4g used). I would come back to try dinner here!

Photos
Between Us - Matcha Latte Tiramisu, love it

Matcha Latte Tiramisu, love it

Between Us - Cookie Crunch French Toast

Cookie Crunch French Toast

Between Us - Beignets and Matcha Latte Tiramisu

See all

Beignets and Matcha Latte Tiramisu

CinKuni

CinKuni

4.3(378 reviews)
0.9 mi•North Park
•$$

Foods always great! I am vegetarian and I appreciate that they have several options…read more This time we also got the Sailor Moon flight, which were tasty.

My friends and I came here on a warm, September night to try something new & we got our sushi…read morecravings fulfilled! We got to try 3 different appetizers: the yellowtail carpaccio was really light and citrusy, the garlic and Parmesan edamame was heavy on the Parmesan (but pretty solid), and my friend really enjoyed the takuni (their version of poke tacos)--she said that she loved the crunchy nori shell and appreciated the layers in it, she just wished that there was more rice, but the flavors were really great, nonetheless. My friends enjoyed the San Diego roll because they were craving cream cheese (inside: cream cheese and crab surimi; outside: spicy tuna, crab surimi, crunchies, spicy mayo, dynamite sauce, sweet sauce, whole roll tempura battered & fried). They said it was pretty solid and predictable in flavor. My other friend ordered this pizza (which I can't quite remember the name of) but he said it was really good with the tomatoes, pesto, and dollops of burrata. Really delicious, generous helpings, and definitely some leftovers for home! I got the Sanji roll, which had spicy salmon, spicy tuna, shishito pepper on the inside and tuna, yellowtail, avocado, spicy mayo, dynamite masago, and microgreens on the outside. I wouldn't classify it as spicy, but I really love the flavor combos. Overall, I'd give this place an 8/10, the service was good, the restaurant itself was fun and creative, and the sushi was decent!

Photos
CinKuni - Back patio & restrooms

Back patio & restrooms

CinKuni - The yellowfin tuna. Excellent!

The yellowfin tuna. Excellent!

CinKuni - Gyoza

See all

Gyoza

Oishi Sushi on Blvd - Sushi Sampler

Oishi Sushi on Blvd

4.6(109 reviews)
0.7 mi•North Park
•$$

Probably my favorite sushi place in San Diego! Not only were the sushi rolls generous with great…read moreprices, the taste was amazing, and their selection of items on their menu was insanely impressive! If sushi is not your vibe, they have tons of other things you can enjoy, such as bento boxes, yakisoba, bowls, etc. The staff is so sweet and they were great at serving us on time! There's also lots of seating which is a huge plus!

A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING MENU (3.4 stars)…read more - FOOD: ok - PRICE: decent - SERVICE: ok - AMBIANCE: kind of small but no wait for a seat This place reminds me of a place where you are craving sushi or Japanese food that is served quickly but you don't know exactly what you want because the menu has a huge offering and a little bit of everything. Service was ok, they were attentive but definitely slow getting the bill and that awkwardness of them hovering as they hand you the machine to pay with your card and the screen shows the tip. it's like ugh they are standing there starring kind of makes you feel awkward. :: ORDER :: MISO SOUP ($4.50) - nothing special about their miso soup and feel it's a dollar more than many other average sushi restaurants. I did like gave more tofu in their soup. RECOMMEND ULTIMATE HAMACHI ($19.00) - Salmon, avocado and cucumber. Topped w/ Yellowtail, fresh lemon slices, and ponzu. I was told this was one of the two most popular/ordered rolls off the menu. I was thinking this was going to be a very creamy roll with a splash of citrus and would love it but the yellowtail fell below standard for me. Although the piece of yellowtail is small and on top of the sushi resting underneath the lemon slices - towards the middle of eating roll the yellowtail seemed to have a subtle fishy taste for my liking (yellow tail should not be fishy). Perhaps it was the quality of the fish or what but something abut it wasn't it. You won't notice if you are dunking your rolls in soy sauce or letting the lemon slices hide the flavor but I was able to taste it. I ended up plucking the yellowtail off of my rolls and the rolls were up to standard as what I was expecting... creamy with a splash of citrus, that told me that the yellowtail was def off the night I ate there. I'm sure I'd be back but not in a rush. There are many other restaurants to be had. Until the next review...

Photos
Oishi Sushi on Blvd - Partial view of the inside dining area

Partial view of the inside dining area

Oishi Sushi on Blvd - Chicken Yakisoba

Chicken Yakisoba

Oishi Sushi on Blvd - Avocado Tempura

See all

Avocado Tempura

Azuki Sushi

Azuki Sushi

4.4(3.6k reviews)
2.5 mi•Banker's Hill
•$$$
Takes reservations
Vegan friendly

I have heard amazing things about Azuki. So was super excited to final it try it! We had…read morereservations at 6pm. We showed up on time but still had to wait 20 mins to get out table, which wasnt really ideal. But they did offer us free nigiri to make up for it was a nice touch. We sat at the sushi bar which was cool to see the chefs in action. They also had seating outside and a second floor as well. I got the strawberry matcha cocktail. This had to one my favorite cocktails in SD! The strawberry flavor was so fresh. And the fact that there wasn't an ounce of green but the matcha flavor still comes through was amazing! For sushi, I got the bluefin four ways. If your a fan if tuna I would highly recommend, it was delicious and a nice way to try the different cuts of tuna. We also got 2 nigiris, sake toro and scallops. Both also amazing. The rolls we got were the Rainbow Roll and the Super Dragon. Both delicious. One thing I do appreciate is that they use real blue crab instead of imitation crab. Will definitely come back! And highly recommend anyone to try it out!

Came for our anniversary dinner. Food was great! There were some hiccups in service but they did a…read morenice job trying to make up for it. We made a reservation at the sushi bar so we could see them making all the rolls which was fun. We ordered the bluefin four ways, rainbow roll, super dragon and the sake toro and scallop nigiri. We got two of their cocktails as well. My favorites were the rolls and the sake toro. I usually prefer salmon so I didn't try the bluefin but my partner enjoyed it. The rolls were a good size and all the flavors were well balanced and tasted fresh.

Photos
Azuki Sushi
Azuki Sushi
Azuki Sushi

See all

Tanuki - Exterior

Tanuki

4.4(536 reviews)
2.1 mi•Kensington
•$$

Such a cute hole‑in‑the‑wall spot on the tail end of Kensington! I had no idea this place existed…read morefor years, but I'm so glad I finally found it. Located in a small shopping center with a few parking spaces, Tanuki is a great tapas and standard sushi spot. It leans more toward Asian‑fusion tapas with some sushi rolls and a limited selection of nigiri and sashimi. If you're looking for specialty fish, a huge roll list, or omakase, this isn't that kind of sushi place. But if you want a wide selection of sake, fun fusion tapas, and some classic sushi options, this is your spot. I love that they have a small bar and that cozy, true hole‑in‑the‑wall feel. The staff is friendly, the vibe is relaxed, and it's the perfect place to come alone, with a friend, or for a casual date night. The quality is solid, and the service is fast and welcoming. They also have some great sake and green‑tea‑based drinks. I love it here -- definitely a go‑to spot for us.

I came here a couple weeks ago for the first time to celebrate a birthday, and it was a good…read moreexperience. It definitely helped to make a reservation as there's very limited seating, but even though it is a small space inside, I did not feel cramped. There's also outdoor seating available, but I'd much prefer to sit indoor for the atmosphere. The food for the most part was very good and enjoyable. Although there are a couple items that I would never order again, such as the seared wagyu tapa--it is a very cheap cut and the easily the most disappointing item I had on the menu. Overall, I enjoyed my dining experience and my server was very nice and attentive. I would come dine here again, especially for the chicken katsu.

Photos
Tanuki - Exterior

Exterior

Tanuki - TANUKI

TANUKI

Tanuki - Interior

See all

Interior

Hatsuzakura - japanese - Updated October 2026

Loading...
Loading...
Loading...