We went there for dinner tonight because I wanted high class sushi for my Christmas gift. Made the reservation a week ago and were there on time. I didn't notice there was an authentic Japanese sushi restaurant in Orinda even I passed by there many times. From my experience, good restaurants are always hidden somewhere. The restaurant was incredibly clean, neat and cozy, it makes you comfortable. The chef greeted us and then started to prepare the 12-piece sushi omasake menu. The sushis were all fresh, delicious, authentic and devine! After the 12 piece sushi from the omasake menu, we ordered 8 more pieces. Each of us had altogether 3 pieces of uni sushis, 3 pieces of fluke fish sushi and 2 pieces of pike fish sushi. As someone who have been to Japan 7 times and have always had the finest sushi in Hongkong, I can tell Hanazen is one of the best in the East Bay. My taste buds were pampered and satisfied. Last but not least, I will recommend the sampler sake meun which comes with 3 different types of Japanese sake. The sake was presented nicely in 3 delicate glasses. I'm looking forward to dine at Hanazen once again! *Won't leave this review on Yelp because Yelp is extorting business owners who do not buy for an ad space. Yelp does not deserve a review from me.*

A small restaurant but good quality sushi. Very authentic Japanese Nigiri with fresh fish shipped from Japan everyday. The price was about 70-80 dollars for the 12 piece Omakase. Very quiet and nice environment. Also make sure you arrive on time and they only accept reservation through call. I would say compared to the Michelin restaurants in SF they are not so outstanding, but the price makes sense.

One of the top quality sushi places in the US. It serves Edomae sushi which is more traditional sushi than that served in the usual Japanese restaurants. Fish is seasonal and is chosen by chef Kenji. The seafood is very fresh. He seasons it to perfection to highlight the uniqueness of each sushi. There is no need for any additional soy sauce or wasabi. The typical 12-piece sushi is heavenly. If you have that with drink, you should budget about $110 per person (including tax and gratuity) for a sushi quality that is rare to find elsewhere. It is a small family restaurant run by a Japanese couple. They have been serving top-notch sushi in Orinda for 15 years. There is no walk-in. Reservation by phone well in advance is a must. I had to book my place about 4 weeks ahead. It you come on a weekday, you still should book at least 2 weeks ahead. I can tell from their expression that they are serious about making world class sushi and providing a dining experience that you can’t find elsewhere.

The food is good. However, the hostess has NO people skills. We've been there three times. First time: Hostess seated us and complained, unprompted, about no-show customers who'd flaked on reservations. Her rant was as relentless as it was inappropriate. Second time: Hostess remarked that I used too much soy sauce. (?) I laughed it off, but she seemed genuinely offended. OK, whatever. Third time: After seating us, and before our food arrived, hostess abruptly began pulling a table away that had been pushed against ours, with no warning or explanation. It was beyond inappropriate. We had to grab our water and dishes to keep them from hitting the floor. I don't care how good the food is. The person waiting on tables ruined our experience each time.

Cozy and relaxed restaurant where the food takes center stage. We enjoyed our 18-piece omakase experience. The variety was very diverse. Aji, Tai, Tako, Ikura, Bonito, White Tuna, Amberjack, Scallop, and Uni to name a few. The quality of the ingredients really shined. My wife and I used very little soy sauce. In fact, we only used a small amount when instructed by our wonderful hostess, Coco. The flavors were clean and subtle. Not overpowering at all. Also, the service was outstanding. Coco walked us through each piece and told us how Chef Kenji prepared the dish. I highly recommend giving Hanazen a try if you enjoy omakase. However, this is not the place for you if you're looking for rolls, anything seared, or sushi covered in heavy sauce.

Kenji and Koko are sole owners of this sushi restaurant and serve fish flown in from Japan, served in traditional Edomae style. All of the fish were delicious and they're so sweet. Kenji works the sushi bar while Koko is a sake sommelier and can recommend you the right bottle based on your taste. We had an amazing meal and they were so generous and served us extra sake. Please support this small business and go when you can!

One of the most unique and personalized experiences in my lifetime. Phenomenal sushi (nothing more and nothing less). Singular focus which pays off for those experiencing the fish. Can't recommend it more highly.

If you want truly authentic Sushi, this is the place to go! I am so happy Hanazen is so close to us. This restaurant is truly a gem of Orinda. I hope they stay in business for a long long time haha We went recently for my husband's birthday and we had a blast. Each sushi was delicate and delicious, and the chef and his wife made sure to explain all the dishes to us in detail (what kind of fish it is, what kind of sauce/salt is used, etc.) It was quite a pleasant experience overall and we will definitely going back often. They are a bit pricey but I feel like that's expected with high quality Omakazes. There is a parking lot in the plaza but also a lot of street parking. It's walking distance from Safeway too so parking shouldn't be a problem. Just make sure to MAKE RESERVATIONS. It is a very small shop, run by the chef and his wife only. They only accept people under reservations.

Chef's choice omakase sushi. Rare and unusual fish. Great attention to detail in the preparation and service. My favorite sushi restaurant in the Bay Area.

Best sushi ever! Such a hidden gem in Orinda. Since we moved to the area last year we've been searching for our go-to sushi place. We tried walking in once and were told to make a reservation. A year later we finally made a reservation and did the omikase, chef's choice tasting menu. OMG, was it delicious. It's a small two-person operation - literally just the sushi chef and the hostess. It's too pricey to come weekly, so I used my friends' birthdays to come back and they both loved it as well. All the fish is so fresh, delicious, and imported from Japan. You will not be getting California rolls and unagi here! All types of nigiri of fish I've never had before and not a single one that any of us disliked. Even the sushi rice is extra delicious.

A delightful artisan sushi experience. Prepared with passion. Utterly delicious. Very relaxing atmosphere.

One of the best quiet places to have edo mae sushi. This is not an Americanize sushi restaurant and most people will be confused when they come here if they have not experienced sushi in this traditional form. It is art. You watch the chef prepare pieces that will delight your taste buds. It is a beautiful dance bouncing from taste bud to taste bud. Sit at the bar if you can, don't sit at the table. You're going to be paying this much money, get the full experience.

My wife and I had a wonderful experience for our dinner. It's a very quiet and cozy place where you can enjoy the food. We did the chefs choice 18 pieces. I liked all of them, and loved quite a few of them. It was obvious that the chef knows what he is doing and how much seasoning to apply to each piece. It was great trying several fish I haven't had before. Thank you Hanazen for a very nice evening.