Incredible value! Great Japanese comfort food seasoned to perfection. Friendly, helpful staff can guide your order to be just right, if you want. Casual, friendly atmosphere, very chill. Love this place! read more

Izakaya Hanzo - (Left to right) pork, cauliflower and tofu - Izakaya Near Me - West Bloomfield, Michigan

Great little place. The menu offers substantial variety and our selections were excellent. Our waiter was helpful and knowledgeable. We will return, read more

The food was absolutely amazing, the beef stew was the best beef stew I have ever had. I had a few bites to eat before taking some pics including the stew and shrimp. Staff were attentive, kind and helpful, would absolutely eat here again! The ambiance was a total vibe! read more

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There are no words to describe the incredible experience you will have if you dine at Kitchen Hanzo! The menu is nothing short of spectacular with some of the most interesting and authentic dishes you will find in the area. Quality is extremely high and the staff is so knowledgeable and attentive. All of the preparation and cooking is done right in front of you, and well you just have to go to experience how amazing it is! Highlights were - beef tataki, tuna, and the steamed pike with egg! read more

Food pics on here always makes me hungry. We are starving. Our first spot didn't work out. There's a line. It's a small place. There's this huge counter all around the kitchen and about 4 booths and one large booth. No one seems to be checking anyone in and having them sit down. The counters are messy still. Seems like only one waiter for the entire dining area tonight. Oh there's a waitress too. Two salmon onigiri (not on the menu), a kaki fried oysters, 2 wafu salads, grilled chicken yakitori and a fried chicken wakadori tatsutage. The wafu salad was decent, dressing is all at the bottom and topped with pieces of chicken. The kaki fried oysters were my favorite out of everything we ordered. The grilled chicken yakitori teriyaki sauce was good, as far as flavor, but the skin was left on the chicken pieces. Was hard to eat and to remove the skin, since the skin wasn't so crispy and was soft and rubbery. The fried chicken wakadori was nice and crispy, a bit too fatty for me. A cold pasta shell is accompanied with most dishes. The food is good here. It can get busy but the two waitstaff make it work. Food comes out quickly. Everyone helps each other out. The cooks even help out if needed too. The ceiling vents above the kitchen look rather neglected. Could use a bit of a deep cleaning in the near future. read more

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Wow! A jewel in a haystack! Small seating Asian restaurant ... food was simply amazing! No fancy plating ... it feels like you are seating in a Japanese or Korean noodle place abroad. There wasn't enough booth tables, so we end up seating in the bar. In front of us, we could see the chefs move around and cook our food. Homee vibe. Not sure how the dumplings tasted like, but looks good. Ordered the yotsuba hot soup...had a distinct miso flavor,liked it! The pork and scallion pancake was beautifully done in two separate layers sticking together. Takes a lot of practice and years of experience to make such omelette. This is a go to place for Japanese workers after work. read more

If you appreciate Japanese food and service, and live or work in this area....... absolutely unbeatable. Everything I have ordered has been wonderful and the employees remind one of what great service used to be like. read more

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We finally had something to do in this general area so, even though it meant killing a few hours, we were waiting outside in the car for it to open, which it did right at 5pm! Since most people seem to like a later dinner, especially on a Saturday, we had immediate seating. And since we had already predetermined what we likely would order based on Yelp photos and the on-line menu, things moved along rather quickly. The waiter got our drink order, water and green tea, returned with the drinks, took our order, and then brought us a complimentary Beef Stew (not the Dinty Moore that I used to eat) appetizer. Mostly menu items are a-la cart, sort of like tapas or dim sum, and we ordered a number of items that we could taste and share. My wife chose Nira-Moyashi-Buta Itame (leek, bean sprouts, and pork) sauté, Saba Shioyaki (grilled mackerel), and Sake Onigiri (salmon rice ball); I ordered Yaki Gyouza (pan fried & steamed dumplings) and Shrimp-Tempura Moriawase. After we finished the Stew, the Nira-Moyashi Buta Itame came up and we dug in; very flavorful. While we enjoyed that, our waiter delivered the Saba Shioyaki, quickly followed by the Tempura; both were excellent! The Tempura came with traditional grated Daikon with a touch of grated Ginger that is sadly lacking in most supposedly-Japanese restaurants. Again, the taste was excellent! Next came the Gyouza (or Gyoza) with an authentic taste that took me back to my years in Japan. And finally, the Sake Onigiri that was packed with salmon that reminded my wife of those her mother had made for her in Japan! One caution, she experienced a small bone in the salmon, but managed to survive. (In the rare instance that this happens, follow this life-saving technique: swallow a lump of sticky rice all at once; this should help dislodge the bone.) Overall, we really enjoyed Kitchen Hanzo from the arrival greeting to the service to the authentic and quality food. The experience was very much like that of an Izakaya in Japan. If only they would open Kitchen Hanzo 2 on our side of town. But it lived up to the high ratings on Yelp and we will definitely be back. read more

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Delicious Japanese bar food with a great bar like atmosphere. I absolutely love the seared steak. It is always seared just perfectly, with a raw middle portion. A bit expensive overall, but there's a lush variety of options to choose from. The chicken yakatori is quite delicious as well, especially with extra sauce. I enjoy the kimchi stew quite a bit as well. Perfect balance of spice and sweetness. Overall definitely recommend! read more

Izakaya Hanzo - 4 of the seared beef dishes and one chicken teriyaki - Izakaya Near Me - West Bloomfield, Michigan

So happy to know there's a itzakaya style restaurant so close to my parents! Did not expect this in West Bloomfield but everything was really fun to try! We got a ton of stuff, and I was so busy eating and tasting little things that I forgot to keep track of everything we got! Everything was really reasonably price though. The pork pancake was really good and gingery and we got small fried fish to try as well. These fish are super small though so I'd get a few if you have more people in your party. They also have a bitter melon dish that my Chinese family weirdly deemed to be authentically Chinese, and it was really good! We also had a soft tofu in a sweeter sauce that was tender and delicious. The only thing we weren't a fan of was a raw beef dish, where a lot of the beef slices were still frozen and icy. That wasn't appetizing for anyone in our group. There was also a questionable experiment of octopus in a sauce that I can only describe as parmesany. At any rate, since all dishes were small, the risk of trying something weird just added to the fun for me. The space is really small so sitting at the counter is a still a tight squeeze. Service is very good and attentive and polite. Their list of specials seems to change frequently and looks like there's even more stuff on it than the regular menu. I'd be really happy to come back all the time and just keep trying different items. Very excited about this place! read more

I recently discovered this is where all of the Japanese people live! Explains all of the real authentic Japanese food in the area. It is a pretty small restaurant with six tables and a seating area where you can see everything that is happening in the kitchen. The restaurant is pretty open. I like that. The type of food they have here are like tapas (little small dishes). We tried: -Ebi mayo (fried shrimp): def different from all of the fried mayo shrimps I have had. The flavor was very rich and unique. They did not just drench it in mayo. - Marinated Karaaage (chicken): I like how it had egg salad on the side. The chicken was soft and juicy. - Kinokono agedashi tofu: This dish blew me away. The flavors were amazing. It had a hint of ginger but no ginger what so ever in the dish. It really impressed me. The boyfriend and I were fighting over this dish! I will definitely stop by if I am in the area again. read more

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Truly five star. It is as good as it gets for izakaya (pub style) food. It is very Japanese - not tailored for the American market. If you're not familiar with the food, just go and order one or two plates at a time. They can vary a lot in size. You can also see dishes as they come across the counter. read more

Izakaya Hanzo - Oden - Izakaya Near Me - West Bloomfield, Michigan

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This place is great for Japanese comfort food and I love how the open kitchen makes me feel like less of a customer and more of a family member being cooked a meal. Waitress was very nice and helpful when it came to navigating the menu. They have a wide variety of small dishes and change it up every month! I also love the idea of small portions. I'm always stuck on wanting to try more dishes at restaurants, but Hanzo makes it easy for me to have different options without spending too much $$. Definitely will be coming back to try more of the menu!! read more

Great place to go with a group of 3 or more. Think tapas-styled plates...except they call this style of dining 'izakaya'. You and a few friends can pick out a bunch of plates and share. The more friends you bring, the more plates you get to explore. I came with one other friend and we picked out 5 dishes. It was more than enough for two people and I'm glad I got to try five dishes versus just one at any other place. The mackerel is just to die for, super tender and fatty. The beef stew was hearty and good for two. Mochi pizza was strange--savory mochi underneath a bed of cheese. It reminds me of French Onion soup...but with mochi instead. Order the seared beef dish. It does not disappoint. Nor does the friend Calimari. I can't wait to visit next time, roll up my sleeves, and try out new plates. This style of Japanese eatery is popular in NYC, and I'm so grateful to have stumbled upon one in Michigan! read more

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Wow! My family and I had such a great time at Kitchen Hanzo. The food was so good and I was so excited to eat I forgot to take a bunch of pictures. The table's favorite was the grilled maceral. The skin is crispy and the oily fish goes great with the shaved radish. The potato pancake with pork was really tasty; salty and a little sweet from the sauce. The Japanese stew was hardy and flavorful. We also had a tofu dish with mushrooms and a ginger sauce which was my personal favorite. I think we shared a dozen dishes between the six of us and there is still so much more I want to try. I will be coming back here over and over again. With the amount of specials they have I think it will be easy to try something new every time. read more

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My last week inMichigan & we just had to head back to the best Japanese in Metro Detroit Area. As Usual the food & service at Kitchen Hanzo was excellent. We ordered Tebasaki Yaki Grilled Chicken wings,Kimton a spicy omelette filled with Kimchi & pork, Tempura Udon, full of fat thick Udon noodles & Shrimp Tempura, Goya Chanpuru which is Bitter Melon with egg & Pork, finally Moyashi itame Tamagotoji Beansprouts served together with egg. Some of the finest Izakaya food this side of Shibuya!!! read more

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This is the furthest I have traveled for the sole purpose of trying a new place (~36 miles). But if Janelle says I need to go here, then I need to go here. What Alex said is true: authentic Japanese pub grub I'm sure that statement means nothing to you. It didn't mean much to me when I decided to go here. So how about this: pub food (fried things, burgers, meat) meets tapas (small plates of delicate things) meets Japan (sake, udon, yakitori, tofu, ponzu) They have a standard menu and then this huge menu for the "specials" of the day... and then on top of all that, there's things up on the wall written in Japanese and in English of what "chef recommends" as well as other goodies. Ebimayo - fried shrimp, wrapped in bacon, deep fried, with a weird American tasting mayo sauce on top of it Yakiudon - udon noodles, stir fried, with sausage, carrots, napa cabbage, bell peppers -- also strangely American tasting Suigyouza - delicious dumplings in broth with soy sauce Unagino yanagawa -- BBQ'd eel soup, really tasty TOTALLY recommended Fried oysters - HUGE delicious JUICY fried oysters with ponzu sauce and a kind of sauce reminiscent of tartar made with ginger (so good) Down side: smoking in a small space, got hit with smoke when I walked in and not the smell of food. But hey, the Japanese love to smoke, so it's authentic? Up side: it's pretty authentic feeling for someone who's never been to Japan. The waitress was super warm and not presumptive about my chopstick skills (no fork brought!). I didn't love everything we ordered (the yakiudon with the wiener sausages just really... really didn't do it for me). So 4 of 5 dishes were win, and my hair reeked of bar smoke when I left... gets a reasonable 4 stars. I'll be back to try out more of their dishes. A lot to cover! The 1$ is not true -- this place is about $6-8 per dish but they are SMALL dishes. This place is more like about $30 a person with a house sake and tip included. Open weird hours: Closed Sunday 6pm-12am Monday-Saturday Oh, and if it matters to you... relatively veggie friendly. I saw about 6 dishes that tofu/veggie only. read more

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Delicious!! Can you tell how much I love this restaurant... I need to update my review to try to convey how good the food is... Everything is amazing, even the fresh squid that was paired with my sake! The menu changes daily and everything is made with the greatest pride and care by the manager. Some stand out dishes; note I don't speak japanese and do not do the ordering so I do not know the name of the some of the dishes... ...My absolute favorite is some sort of Unagi stew. The broth is so flavorful and the stoneware bowl is full of eel, veggies, especially mushrooms. I could eat this everyday. ...The seaweed salad with sesame dressing... mouth watering. ...Order any pork dish. ...Don't forget the spinach salad with bacon and the garlic dressing... Most definitely the best salad in all of Michigan. ...Pork Gyoza, Japanese fried pork dumpling, are exactly how I remember them in Tokyo -- not too greasy! ...I always finish with Hiyayako or chilled tofu with soy, to cleanse the palate. This place is a small long restaurant. If the booths are filled you sit at the bar and start. When a booth opens, you have the option to stay at the bar or move to the booth. Overall, the best Japanese Home-cooking in the Midwest! read more

Izakaya Hanzo - Izakaya Near Me - West Bloomfield, Michigan

Been looking for a good authentic Japanese restaurant nearby. Originally planned to go to our favorite Maru Sushi in Detroit but gave Kitchen Hanzo a try. Decor is nice but did not receive a very friendly welcome. This is a small plates, no sushi which was ok. We ordered multiple things. 1. Miso soup was good. 2. Chicken Yakitori was NOT good. It wasn't grilled as most Japanese restaurants make it. 3. Sliced beef came cold, right out of the fridge. Was told that's how it's meant to be. Ok but Put on menu that way. 4. Dumplings were average. 5. Seaweed salad ok 6. Udon with salmon good but no veggies as on menu. 7. Our dishes piled up and no one cared. Very disappointed. read more

I think this place will become a favorite of mine soon. The atmosphere is very casual and friendly; it made me feel as if I was back in Japan traveling. It's a quaint little restaurant that serves small tapas style eats that is authentic, flavorful, and affordable. They offer a list of varieties, from udon to octopus salad, beef dishes, vegetarian dishes, and much more. There were two of us and we ordered 5 dishes and was plenty enough. One of our favorites was the octopus salad with cucumber and seaweed soaked in a vinegar based sauce. Simple yet, delicious. We also thoroughly enjoyed the beef and kimchi tofu soup, which is very similar to the Korean stew Soondubu Jjigae. We also got the mackerel though, a lot smaller than I imagined it'd be, but the grill on it was perfect. The skin was crispy with a little crunch, served with a side of what seem to be shaved daikon. This place is small with only a few booths for larger groups or if a smaller group, the bar is open to sit right across, looking over the chefs. Service is attentive and quick. Overall, a great place to have lunch or dinner. read more

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Have been coming here every so often the past few years, and I love it! The food is always great, gloves or no gloves. The staff greets you as you walk into the small izakaya -- it's meant to be small as it's a Japanese pub/small plates place. If you come during peak dinner time, expect to wait as there are only a few tables and then a long bar area. The wait is definitely worth it! If you're with two or more people, I recommend ordering the curry nabe. The tonpeiyaki and yakiudon are great too. And I was there on the same night as Colleen L. The cooks washed their hands regularly before touching food and FYI you can get cross contamination from wearing gloves while preparing food as well. I also watched her complaining to the waitress and then immediately after she ate all the food on her table that had been prepared by a cook without gloves on. So take that as you will. read more

A truly authentic Japanese restaurant! You know it's good when you walk in and everyone dining and working is Japanese. They ha e a daily specials menu and a traditional menu. There's also specials listed in Japanese on the walls. It's a small dining room with a few booths and then the bar area. It's cool to sit at the bar cause you can see the chefs cook. We got the daily special gyusujinikomi, which is stewed beef in a special broth with root vegetables. Very well cooked and the beef was still tender. Then we got the kinikono agedashi, a twist off the traditional version of fried tofu in sauce. It was more in a broth with mushrooms. This was a but too ginger tasting for me but my boyfriend loved it. Then we had the tempura soba. It's a shrimp tempura soup base with soba noodles instead of udon. Very good overall! read more

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Came w group of friends last night and everything sampled was WAY TASTY! First time to an izakaya (think Japanese tapas) -- so many options my eyeballs hurt trying to scan & identify selections. Cozy ambience, clean interior, casual feel. Attentive care with well-paced dish service. Heads up: no desserts here (at least none featured/listed on menu). Will def be back to try more options! read more

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One of the best Japanese diners I've been to outside of the West Coast. Homely and offering a welcoming atmosphere as soon as you open the door, Kitchen Hanzo offers a great dining experience even if you're not familiar with the sit-down Japanese bar feel. I came here on my own after a workout looking a little out of place of what I think to be their usual clientele, but they still welcomed me with a warm smile and great customer service. Their yakisoba is wonderful - it came as recommended by the waitress and I do not regret for a second ordering it. It was delicious and filling! The pork adds a savoriness to the sweetness of the sauce which I think is fantastic. I would highly recommend Kitchen Hanzo to anyone - they can adjust or substitute ingredients as you like, so there's a little something for everyone. Living so close to here, I can guarantee I will be coming back to try something new each time. read more

Izakaya Hanzo - Izakaya Near Me - West Bloomfield, Michigan

Well I did it... after weeks of finagling schedules and funds I made an attempt and took the jump to visit Kitchen Hanzo. The evening went very different than planned but I stuck it out and went anyway. I walked in and 1st thing I noticed that it was very nicely decorated, paper lanterns, and various japanese swag on the walls. There were 4 chefs behind the counter and 1 lady waitress. There was only two tables of people sitting and I opted to sit at the main counter. The lady waitress was very patient with me and explained to me in passable english what the daily specials were. She handed me a sheet with a list of items with prices which I looked over. I asked for Hot Tea and she left to check on other tables. the 2nd thing I noticed was there was a wonderful aroma in the air. I was not sure what it was but it reminded me of something being grilled. I must admit I liked sitting at the the counter as I could watch one of the Chefs preparing various dishes. Nothing resembled anything I know about. Aside from the occasional english being used I would of sworn I was outside of Michigan. It reminded me of some of the Asian eateries I've been to once long ago when my wife and I visited Toronto. I still had no clue what to order but I was taking it all in. The waitress was running back and forth... even though it was a small restaurant she was the only server and I saw several more groups of japanese people show up and fill the booths. within 15mins of coming there every booth was full of people having a good time as far as I could tell. There was some odd japanese tv show on and I saw several other patrons reacting to whatever was going on the tv. I only know literally 2 or 3 words of Japanese so I could not tell you what it was all about. It took a good 20 mins before the waitress came back to take my order. I was not too rushed for time but I was slightly annoyed as I had already drank 2 mugs of hot tea and still the gal had not taken my order. Finally she came back and I told her I wanted to try the Yakigyouza. I still wasn't sure about much of the rest of the menu though. I asked her if they had any sort of Soup dishes. She showed me a larger laminated menu which was Japanese on one side and English on the other side. She pointed to several possible options. I asked her to start with the gyouza and I'll make my mind up. She took off while I was pondering the other menu. I had to play it safe somewhat as I am allergic to Shellfish. I saw a lot of items that listed Shrimp and I did not want to chance a trip to the ER especially since I was out to eat solo. I ended up ordering something called Tori Zosui - rice & chicken simmered in a fish stock/broth with a fried egg. It sounded Soup like and seemed safe enough. The gyouza came along about the time I was drinking my 4th cup of tea. It was essentially 5 pan fried dumplings. Seemed pretty expensive in my opinion to pay $6 for 5 dumplings. But Oh well... they were very delicious however... I could of eaten 10 more but wasn't willing to pay more. The "Soup" arrived shortly thereafter. At $7.50 it was a bit much IMHO for a bland broth with plain rice, bland chicken, and a fried egg. It was nothing that I expected. It was in a Hot mini kettle and I was given a little bowl with a ladle to serve it out. One thing I noticed was even though it was Chicken I think they had every part of the chicken minus the cluck. I spooned out several pieces that looked questionable. Overall the Stuff was Bland. It reminded me of Hot Porridge more than anything. More like something one would eat for breakfast. I was happy they had S&B chili pepper there, I think I used half the bottle to try and give it some kick. I was remembering what Moose told me about Sirachi(?) sauce and I really could of used some for that. I realize the style of food is not up my alley. It was about $15 in total which was a little more than I would normally pay for just 2 items. I was not full but I was satisfied... Its clearly not the type of place I would visit regularly. I would much prefer to go there with friends, preferably with fellow Yelpers who know what to order. I do have to say though that the workers there were ultra nice and patient and I loved the decor and the ambiance. read more

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A very nice find near our house . I have not been to an authentic Japanese restaurant but I believe this one might be real close . It's a small place with booths to sit for groups and also bar tables . Food was excellent . We ordered a curry naba for 2 and some tempuras . Will go back when we get a chance again . I would recommend this place to anyone living near novi Farmington area read more

The best restaurant outing I've had a while. Since my trip to Japan I've spent a good amount good amount of time looking for a Japanese izakaya in metro Detroit. You can look up a technical definition of an izakaya restaurant on wikipedia, but to me the key is the combination of high quality a la carte dishes, cheap drinks, and an ultra casual atmosphere. So far Kitchen Hanzo is the only place in the area that has come even close; the only differences being that the seating is not private and they're only open until midnight. We hung out for a little over two hours and thoroughly enjoyed the atmosphere in the dining area and kitchen (arriving after and leaving before several groups). During that time we tried their salmon onigiri, tonpeiyaki, yakiniku salad, agedashi tofu, and takosu all while knocking back nama (draft) Sapparos. Everything was fantastic, but the tonpeiyaki and agedashi tofu were the standouts. Kitchen Hanzo comes at my highest recommendation for those who've been to Japan and miss izakayas, but also to anyone looking for a top-notch, authentic Japanese dining experience. read more

Izakaya Hanzo - Izakaya Near Me - West Bloomfield, Michigan

Kitchen Hanzo is an Izakaya (Japanese pub) with many options for small plates to share... or keep to yourself :) There is something (or several things) for everyone here, whether you're picky or adventurous. If your willpower is strong enough to stay away from the (perfectly) fried food, you can have a really light and healthy meal. If you can't, there are plenty of salty or fried things to complement your draft Sapporo or sake. All the people who work there are dedicated and super friendly! You can tell that Yasuo and Ken and all the other chefs care a great deal about the quality of food they prepare for you. The presentation is very detailed, and it's fun to sit at the bar and watch them plate things with their tweezer-like chopsticks. They're great to talk to and always have good suggestions for your next dish. This is a great place to get together with a small group of friends and spend a few hours eating, drinking, and having a good time. This is hands down our favorite restaurant. read more

As authentic as it gets, Japanese run izakaya, run by the same people as Sharaku a few stores down. Menu is full of items you'd have a very hard time finding anywhere else, and it provides a very nice diversion from sushi dominated places in the area. Service is attentive and casual, and prices very reasonable. Perhaps there is no better endorsement of this place other than the fact that a majority of their customers are Japanese. read more

Izakaya Hanzo - Izakaya Near Me - West Bloomfield, Michigan

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Absolutely amazing Izakaya, Kitchen Hanzo is my favorite place in the world for serious Japanese food. I recommend the Negiyaki and the Shishamo. The chefs are incredible, and I've never had a single bad experience. The restaurant doesn't have a ton of seating, but to me that's part of the appeal. I've never had to wait for a seat, and the worst thing that happens is you grab a seat at the bar. Do yourself a favor and stop in for some seriously authentic food prepared by fantastic chefs! read more

Hanzo is my absolute favorite restaurant in Michigan. The 5 stars are unequivocal and indisputable. There is just no better place to have a meal. The restaurant features various incredible small plates, prepared right in front of your eyes. The gentlemen behind the counter are craftsmen, and to watch them create your meal is inspiring. There is a permanent menu, a specials menu, and sometimes they have off-menu specials which you should inquire about. The servers are usually very helpful with recommendations, especially with off-menu items. It is the kind of place where you should get at least 6 plates for 2 people, or more. I usually get one tofu dish, a veggie dish, and maybe some udon, but there are countless ways you can fill yourself here. And, no exaggeration, I've never had anything here that I didn't at least really like. And there's a very impressive sake, liquor, an beer selection. Expect a good meal for 2 to run around $60-70, though it's actually invaluable. This is one of the few places that I will drive 30 minutes - 1 hour for. The ambiance is private and casual, with 5 or so booths, and and long bar which is a great place for sitting if you want to see the chefs/artists at work. I still remember the old days when it used to be all smokey, and today it's 1000 times better (if it's possible). With Sharaku a few yards down the strip, this is Japanese stripmall heaven. read more

PLACE IS ILL just came outta my food coma from gripping some major birthday plates... got some EEL SOUP, SMELT, some kind of YAKI, TEMPURA UDON, FRIED OYSTERS, and this super succulent TERIYAKI BURGER. the teriyaki sauce was mixed with mayo and something else... came with an egg on top - really cool food. go with money... you'll need to order a couple things each probs. watched the head chef stare very seriously at the television for a long time... there was a half hour program on japanese american television about a little japanese girl playing with a horse... kind of surreal but that's the way i like it. also - god damn is west bloomfield ugly. just a buncha restaurants and pharmacies. it's all built on wetlands and they totally fucked the water table over the years... M5 is bleak as fuck. on one hand it's a good thing this restaurant is so far away from my house because i would tempted to go too often. on the other hand... SAPPORO on TAP A+ GIMME A JOB read more

A rare Japanese version of western food, Fami-resu, which features Hamburg steak, corokke, and guratan rice. Some of this food is an acquired taste, so if you did not grow up eating Japanese food, you may not like this kind of place. If you want regular Japanese food, go to Cherry Blossom (http://www.yelp.com/biz/s5bXm-GoPjfJkJ0sr4teTg) instead. read more

This traditional Japanese Izakaya restaraunt is an absolute hidden gem. This is the type of place you hesitate to review because you want to keep it all for yourself. The plates here are fresh, creative and a explosion of flavor. They have a rotating selection as well as a fixed menu. The pricing is more than reasonable and the service is amazing. This is more than just a meal, its an experience. I alwayys look forward to coming here and trying something new. This place will not disapppoint!! read more

Update to my original review: I LOVE this place. Last night husband and I went here for dinner. we were craving it so bad and we had to bring the 6 month old. He cried the whole time as we tried so hard to gobble our food as fast as we could so we could get our of there. The staff was so nice and pleasant and didnt seem to care at all, it didnt even phase them. They love seeing our little boy, crying or not. I was happy it wasnt busy though, it normally is packed. The food is so incredible. Its our favorite place to eat. when we walk inside we feel like we are actually in Japan eating authentic cuisine. Its too bad that when we leave, we see a strip mall across from us in west bloomfield. LOL Everything on this menu is fabulous. Went here last night with a friend. I really like this place. It is small and casual. The wait staff and chef's are very friendly and well informed about the menu. The waitress recommended a few things for us and they were all great. We had the fried oysters which were really good. I disagree with the other reviewers on price. I really do not think its overpriced (certainly not cheap but not overly priced) The only weird thing about this place was that they had these old looking weird cloth like things hanging from the front door as you walk in. Its like a curtain. I felt like that scene in the Wizard of Oz when Oz is revealed by toto as an ordinary man behind the curtain. Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain! read more

I lived in Hikone, Japan and my husband used to live near Tokyo during our college years, so we are constantly searching for that one Japanese place that makes us feel like we are back (call us sentimental). Kitchen Hanzo's intimate atmosphere, loud greetings, Japanese speaking staff, wacky Japanese television shows, and cooks behind the counter made us feel like we were walking into a soup shop back in Japan. There were even a couple Japanese businessmen when we walked in, which boded very well for the foods authenticity! The only thing missing were the little plastic examples of all the food!! We ordered edamame, yakisoba, tempura, and fish/tofu cakes in broth. All the food was authentic and I enjoyed my time there. They even had Kirin Ichiban on draft, which is so much better than bottled Kirin. I was very happy with my experience here and will return when I am feeling sick for my second home. On a side note: Just be aware when you visit that it is authentic Japanese fare, so be comfortable with it. There are not a lot of Americanized alternatives and no sushi. read more

Along with its sushi-focused sister restaurant, Sharaku (located in the same non-descript strip mall in West Bloomfield), this is simply the best and most-authentic Japanese restaurant in Southeast Michigan. Factoring in the cozy, bar-like ambiance, the quick service, the frequently changing specials, and the huge variation in the menu, it's probably one of my top 5 favorite places to eat in the state of Michigan. A quick note: Even though the clientele is almost exclusively Japanese, the waitresses speak good English, and the specials are all printed in English, too. The first time I went, we weren't sure if we might be missing out on something without a native Japanese speaker, so we brought one (we're lucky enough to have a friend from Kyoto), but it turns out that everything's very easy for us 'mercan talkers. As for the food, I'd recommend trying as wide an array of dishes as possible, which is one of the reasons I think it makes sense to bring a group of 5 or 6 (more would be unwieldy, since the place isn't big at all) - to be able to try more stuff. Almost everything is small and shareable. Things that have been particularly memorable: - Udon noodle w/Tempura Shrimp - Yakisoba noodles with japanese sausage (awesome) - Agedashi tofu (fried tofu in broth) - Soup gyoza - Ebimayo (fried shrimp coated with Japanese mayo - surprisingly rich for this type of cuisine) - Pork Tonpeiyaki (similar to okonomiyaki, it's a pancake filled with sliced pork, covered with bonito flakes and all kinds of saucy goodness - our favorite dish, and one of the best things I've had in a while) This is really the only place in the area to get this kind of casual, every-day Japanese cuisine. And thankfully, there's so much on the menu I've yet to try, not to mention the specials that are always changing. Lastly, since the place is essentially designed as an izakaya, it has a full range of Japanese beers and sake's, both in bottles and on tap. Please go and support this awesome local business. read more

Kitchen Hanzo is definitely one of my favorites. The experience is great from the moment you open the door and are greeted by loud hellos from the chefs behind the bar. The service is incredibly friendly and prompt; other people have said that the service was bad and I have no idea what they're talking about. As this is a businessman bar/ late-night joint, the menu is made up of small plates. The food is a little bit pricey, but absolutely worth it. The chefs at Hanzo work some serious magic; a humble block of tofu becomes a crispy, melty, square of heaven. Mung bean sprouts take on new flavors. The ingredients are super fresh and the dishes are executed perfectly, making for amazing late-night snacks that leave you feeling awesome. My only complaint is that the tempura shrimp in my udon bowl had gone soggy by the time I got it, but it was still delicious anyway. I highly recommend trying any tofu dish, the kimchi pancake, the yaki onigiri (they char-grill it so it takes on a lovely smoky flavor. and it comes with house-made kampyo) The sake selection is so huge that it verges on intimidating, which is probably why I have yet to order any. I'm sure your friendly server could point you in the right direction if you ask (next time!). They also offer a variety of Japanese beer and have extra cold Sapporo on draft. read more

Upon walking in, loved the interior, style, feeling of authenticity. Ordered beer and sake, was enjoying everything and scouring over the menu to see what we were going to try. Superbly disappointed with the food. I know it's supposed to be casual Japanese izakaya pub fare, but it doesn't taste cared for at all. It was just very sad, the taste and quality. Tasted bland and thrown together. Meat quality was sub par. It may have something to do with the expectation of a very tasty menu bc of the high rating and raves I've heard, but the food really turned me off, sorry to say. Price point is fine, service was good. I doubt I will come back when I'm hungry but I'd come back for drinks simply bc I still like that it exists. Makes me nostalgic. read more

Dining at this restaurant gave us a peek into the type of place so often frequented by the Japanese "salaryman." Not a fancy, Tokyo Sushi Iwa-type place (was in Woodhaven - now, of blessed memory). Just a good, basic spot for truly authentic Japanese cuisine. Mark of authenticity: many, if not most, of the other patrons matched the nationality of the cuisine. Seems they know something... Prices are quite reasonable, portions generous, service friendly and efficient. One co-diner's order took a bit too long to arrive - that was the only serious misstep in an otherwise very pleasant experience. read more