Cancel

Open app

Search

Hatsuzakura

4.4 (623 reviews)
Closed • Closed
Updated a few days ago

HATSUZAKURA · YELP ASSISTANT

Ask Yelp Assistant

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

Curry
Amanda J.

Cute Japanese restaurant and good service. I tried the Tamago Sando, Side Salad, and Hatsu Curry. Everything tasted good and fresh.

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!

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!

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!

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!

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.

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.

dessert menu
Vanessa D.

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!

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

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!!

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.

Restroom is very clean!!

See all

24 days ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

13 days ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 1
Love this 0
Oh no 0

24 days ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

17 days ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

3 months ago

Helpful 4
Thanks 2
Love this 4
Oh no 0

23 days ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

26 days ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 1
Love this 1
Oh no 0

3 months ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

3 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

3 months ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 1
Love this 1
Oh no 0

1 month ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

1 month ago

Helpful 0
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 2
Thanks 1
Love this 2
Oh no 1

4 months ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

4 months ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 months ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

5 months ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 2
Oh no 1

5 months ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

5 months ago

Business owner information

Photo of Reymond P.

Reymond P.

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

1 day ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

6 months ago

Helpful 10
Thanks 4
Love this 8
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
Photo of Rieko E.
144
61
186

20 days ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Cara M.
154
32
140

23 days ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

7 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

7 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

4 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

4 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

4 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

8 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

9 months ago

Helpful 6
Thanks 3
Love this 2
Oh no 4

9 months ago

Helpful 2
Thanks 0
Love this 2
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

Extraordinary Desserts - Road trip with the girls. Gorgeous stuff here.

Extraordinary Desserts

4.0(9.3k reviews)
3.2 mi•Little Italy
•$$$

Locals and foodies know about this place. The only challenge here is finding parking…read more There is a paid parking lot south on Union street and that is only a 5-minute walk including the wait at the stop light. This place sells itself. If you want to have an amazing dessert experience this is the place! There is another location north of this location about a 7-minute drive but there are not as many tables. The same inventory but the parking is even more limited. The ordering workflow can be confusing at this location but here's how it works. The line on the left lets you view the dessert display that line will get you to the cashier but patrons think the line starts at the cashier. It does not, it can be confusing. I recommend having one person in your party stand in line near the register and have another party stand in line near the dessert display case on the left side. Swap places with your party if they want a better visual of the desserts. The coffee, tea and lemonade are good here, just be patient with your order it's a process here but the wait is worth it. Enjoy!

Unfortunately, what was supposed to be a simple and enjoyable sweet treat turned into a really…read moreunpleasant experience because of the extremely poor service we received. This was not our first time visiting Extraordinary Desserts, which makes this experience even more disappointing. Sadly, every time we come back, the service seems to get worse. The waiter's attitude and level of attention were unacceptable, and the overall customer service was simply not there. For a place that is supposed to be about enjoying beautiful desserts and having a nice experience, the quality of the service completely ruined our visit. Service, attention, and hospitality were all a zero.

Photos
Extraordinary Desserts - Spinach dip and chips and tomato and basil soup

Spinach dip and chips and tomato and basil soup

Extraordinary Desserts - One of our 'go to' dessert places in San Diego.

One of our 'go to' dessert places in San Diego.

Extraordinary Desserts - Chocolate lemon bon bon

See all

Chocolate lemon bon bon

Pappalecco

Pappalecco

4.3(3.1k reviews)
3.2 mi•Little Italy
•$

Pappalecco in Little Italy is a charming, traditional Tuscan-style cafe known to many as the first…read moregelato shop established in the neighborhood. The cafe features a small indoor space paired with a bustling sidewalk patio that is perfect for people wanting to bask in the sunshine! Because of its location, street parking is highly competitive and difficult to find, especially during the weekends. Service was quick and efficient. You pay at the register for either a cup or cone, and then order your gelato. Prices are reasonable. And the quality of ingredients in their gelato taste like fresh, ripe produce in season rather than sugary syrups or artificial extracts. Pappalecco gelato offers a pure flavor profile that develops cleanly on the palate like a bell curve and leaves a pleasant, lingering aftertaste 10/10! Highly recommend this place if you're looking for a new gelato spot! We're definitely looking forward to our next visit!

This place, located in Little Italy, was a side quest for gelato I went on while here in one of my…read morefavorite cities for work. The selection was good - I went with the tiramisu - based on a yelp recommendation - and it did not disappoint. For my second scoop, got Pappalecco's signature flavor and it was delicious. $7.00 for two scoops. Pay before the scoops. Friendly and pleasant staff. Perfect end to a long day!

Photos
Pappalecco - Inside

Inside

Pappalecco - Soup Tomato.

Soup Tomato.

Pappalecco - Gelato alla menta con gocce di cioccolato, Gelato al cocco con gocce di cioccolato

See all

Gelato alla menta con gocce di cioccolato, Gelato al cocco con gocce di cioccolato

Nibble Chocolate

Nibble Chocolate

4.6(74 reviews)
3.2 mi•Little Italy
•$

Stumbled upon Nibble Chocolate and I'm so glad I did. Ambience is sweet and cozy. It's a cute…read morelittle shop that feels like a hidden gem, especially if you're someone who appreciates good quality chocolate. They have a great variety to choose from, whether you're into milk chocolate, dark chocolate, or even non dairy options. I also love that they offer chocolate drinks and coffee, so it's easy to turn a quick stop into a little treat moment. I tried the peanut butter dates and they were so good. Smooth, rich, and just the right size when you want something sweet without going overboard. I also had a dark chocolate truffle and that one was just as good. You can really taste the quality. Customer service was a highlight. The guy helping me was super personable, gave great suggestions for drinks, and was genuinely kind, which always makes the experience better. Honestly, I'm just happy I found a chocolate spot within walking distance. Definitely worth stopping by if you're craving something sweet but still want it to feel a little elevated.

I don't usually seek out vegan products, but Nibble chocolate is a Bean to bar chocolate shop in…read morelittle Italy in San Diego with single origin chocolates. I sampled chocolate from Peru, Madagascar, and Kenya, and they all had unique fruity characteristics. Because they're vegan, so they use oat milk for their chocolate instead of dairy. My wife and I also wanted some drinks while we were here. I had a hot chocolate. My wife had hers with espresso shots. Good espresso in pure chocolate will never not be good. They are family owned and they only add chocolate, sugar, and oat milk to make their bars. Overall, this was a fun place to check out at Little Italy, and they also had a stall at the Farmer's Market.

Photos
Nibble Chocolate
Nibble Chocolate
Nibble Chocolate

See all

Hinar Dessert Bar & Cafe

Hinar Dessert Bar & Cafe

4.5(875 reviews)
3.7 mi•East Village
•$$

Hinar is one of the most recommended spots in San Diego, and it lives up to the hype. The drinks…read moreare sweet and dessert like, but the cakes are what really stand out. If you're waiting in line or making the trip out, I'd highly recommend adding a cake or pastry to your order. We came on Saturday around 11:30am and there was a line outside that took about 30 minutes to get in. While we were waiting, we saw parking enforcement come around a few times so make sure that you pay the meter! The inside is soo cute! We ended up staying here for a bit and studying because it was super spacious and cozy. There is a lot of seating in the front and back and even outside too! A lot of people were there working as well. There are plenty of outlets available so that was nice. If you do plan on studying/working, just bring noise cancelling headphones cuz it does get loud. The biscoff matcha latte was pretty sweet and the matcha flavor was not that strong but it was definitely a dessert more than a drink. Their cakes are pretty great too, I don't like cake but their cakes are worth trying. I liked the banana dessert the best though, it was like a banana pudding. My bf did say it was too sweet and he has a big sweet tooth, but I preferred that over the cake!

Rating matcha at Hinar * very cute interior with more…read moreseating in the back, could be nice for a study spot * so many desserts/pastries to choose from although I didn't get to try Earl grey matcha 7/10 - very creamy and smooth but the earl grey was strong overpowered the matcha flavor so I couldn't taste much

Photos
Hinar Dessert Bar & Cafe - Inside

Inside

Hinar Dessert Bar & Cafe - White Chocolate Raspberry Cake

White Chocolate Raspberry Cake

Hinar Dessert Bar & Cafe - White Chocolate Raspberry Cake

See all

White Chocolate Raspberry Cake

Hatsuzakura - japanese - Updated November 2026

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