Hachiroku Shokudo & Sake Bar

Excellent Japanese restaurant with a variety of small and large plates with teishoku options with the larger plates. There are so many delicious items to try from the menu, it's my favorite place to go with friends for sharing plates. The okonomi brussel sprouts are a must if you're looking for options. Other favorites: black cod, agedashi tofu, and the pork short ribs. It's impossible to go wrong with anything. The staff are always super friendly and can give plenty of sake or Japanese whiskey recommendations. If you can't decide they have flight options for both as well, which is a great way to try something new.

If you are look for incredible tasting food, fresh fish, Intricate and artistic flavours and most importantly passion from the chefs and staff this is the best place to come. The food was AMAZING , the people who worked there were just as good! Kind, passionate, excited and super fun! You will not be disappointed, if I wasn’t so full I would have ordered even more!! Highly recommend. It’s not cheap, but worth every penny ultimately when the food is impeccable and the staff are incredible! FYI: Charles is a real hoot and extremely knowledgeable. Thanks!! Will come back soon.

Took a gamble and tried a new place, absolutely blown away! The food was incredibly delicious with fresh and unique flavor, the scallops, black cod , and Brussels sprouts were out favorites but all the food was amazing (vegetable agedashi and clams). We did the premium sake flight which was also so good, the yuzu one was the best I've ever had. The service was also incredible, our server (Dang Thanh) was so friendly and had the best recommendations. 100% recommend this place!

Excellent dinner at Hachiroku, we got the vegetables for starter, beef curry rice, and black cod. Delicious!!

The food was served hot and the server was nice. That's about it. Ate here with some friends who were hyping it up to me. The prices are absolutely laughable. The selection are set at what I'd expect to pay in Midtown NYC or in Greenwich. Very much out of step with New Haven and it's demographics. I chose menu items from the "to share" part of their menu and literally got a meal served to me on dessert-sized plates. I figure the other menu items are served on toothpicks. They didn't even include rice with my dish, of course. It's well-known that Japanese people NEVER eat rice with their meals. What a mess. Visit this place if Panda Express is all you know about Asian food and you wanna feel fancy by dropping $20 on a bowl of arugula you can eat with chopsticks. I won't be back.

Decided to try a new place to us. Our server was outstanding. She let us sample a few different Sake before we decided on a great one. Dinner was understated and simple but good. We had a spectacular Plum Scotch and tried an Apple soda also.

Absolutely incredible food, both for warm dishes and sashimi. Excellent selection of sake and Japanese whiskey. I will absolutely have to come back as there were so many amazing things to try. Very friendly and extremely knowledgeable staff. Great atmosphere.

Awesome place with a Brooklyn vibe. It's small but it's not hard to get a table/seating at the bar there. We got seating at the bar for Friday night on Thursday, the tables were already booked. The atmosphere was great, friendly staff, amazing food! I'm picky about food, and this was delicious! The portions weren't big but we were full after ordering an appetizer and a dinner dish. Their mushroom appetizer was soooo good! Salmon with ikura was great too. Even the house salad was amazing! I don't know what they put in the dressing but I need the recipe 😍 I didn't try any of the sake or whiskey but they had MANY options. Will definitely come back and try more stuff.

This place is incredible! Best Japanese food that I've had. Definitely need to make reservations as this place has limited table seating. There's bar seating, a few 2 seater tables and a few 4 top tables upstairs . Service was excellent. We wanted to try everything and so ordered family style so that we can sample many of their dishes. A few stand out dishes: A5waygu just melted in our mouths, the uni and salmon roe rice bowl had such a nice amount of uni and everything tasted so fresh, the scallop and octopus crudo was bright and fresh, black cod was well seasoned and grilled. They also served the dishes with fresh wasabi, not that cheap paste. We also ordered the mushrooms, fresh tofu, fried chicken and spare ribs. Those were good but not standout as the ones that I mentioned.

Food is soooooo delicious Ordered the brussel sprouts, pork katsu, fried chicken, octopus salad, braised pork, and agedashi tofu. Everything is well seasoned and most came with a refreshing side of veggies that make each dish a perfect balance of tastes. Vibe is dark, moody ambiance perfect for date night or a group of friends. I look forward to coming here every time I'm in New Haven

Honesty the food here is delicious, but pricey for what it is. I especially loved the uni, and the wagyu curry. The sashimi platter was also some of the best I've had. The tofu and seaweed I wouldn't order again. Our waiter was fast and super friendly! We really loved hearing his recommendations. The vibe was also very comfortable and cozy, great for date nights.

Finally tried Hachiroku after having it on my list for some time. The ambiance was lovely inside with high ceilings, and a ton of greenery. We decided to sit at the bar. They had an incredible whiskey and sake selection. I highly recommend doing a flight to try some out. Everyone was very knowledgeable about the menu and helped us make our selections. We had the scallops, the clams, and a wagyu rice bowl. All of our dishes were fresh and flavorful! There are an overwhelming amount of options in New Haven, but this one deserves to be on your list!

When I posted content on IG concerning my recent first visit to Hachiroku, some prominent CT Foodies reached out to express their love for Hachiroku. Some even called it one of their favorite restaurants in CT. Wow! High praise! You know what's a baller move for a restaurant? No sign. The Beatles White Album. Hachiroku feels a bit like a Yale Secret Society. I was able to match the Orange Street address number on their Yelp page to the 261 on the outside of the restaurant, but Hachiroku's Instagram page also refers to a 966 State Street address. That would seem to put a second location near Jordan's Hot Dogs & Mac and across from Tavern on State. In any event, I visited the red brick building at 261 Orange Street. There are two parts to Hachiroku's name. One is Sake Bar. I am a novice Sske Drinker. Hachiroku, I suspect, is one of the better area places for Sake experts. Hachiroku has an extensive Sake menu that would rival the wine list at a French restaurant. They serve by the glass and bottle. they also offer premium sake flights. I ordered a glass of Matsu no Tsukasa 'Azol 50'. It definitely felt like one of the best sakes I've ever had. Notes of tropical fruits. But as I said, I'm not experienced with Sake. The second part of Hachiroku's name is "Shokudo", which means "diner" in Japanese. You should suspend your normal mental pictures of what diners look like, because Hachiroku has more of a Manhattan restaurant vibe and a menu full of elegant food. Tuna sashimi flights. Black Cod. Wagyu Beef Rice Curry. You know, typical diner fare. LOL I ordered the Signature Jako Anchovy Salad, with fried dried anchovy, arugula, mixed radishes, a poached egg. Bonita Flakes, Nori and a signature onion soy dressing. It was full of interesting shapes, and contrasting flavors and textures. A very cool and elegant salad. I also ordered the Mini Miso Haruso Salmon Don, which was grilled salmon belly pieces, salmon roe, pickles and garnishes atop white sticky rice. With a scallion dotted orange salmon roe skyline, it arrived as a beauty in a matte black bowl. My favorite part of the dish was the bursts of salty juices from the salmon roe. Service was friendly and efficient. I felt like my orders each came out more quickly than I expected. In a good way. I just scratched the surface of what Hochiroku is and does. With so many knowledgeable people expressing admiration for Hochiroku, you should think about visiting. Five Stars

The place was very clean, nice interior, fast service. This is my ranking: 1. Unagi gohan: the best thing I ordered. The eel was soft and flaky. The sauce was sweet and coated the eel nicely. I could have eaten 3 bowls! 2. Kakuni pork belly: the pork belly was cooked amazingly. it was so soft and pulled apart like pulled pork. The sauce was mildly sweet, and this dish would paired very well with a bowl of rice. 3. Bluefin tuna tekkadon: do not order this. The regular tuna was mid, did not taste fresh. The otoro was horribly chewy... which should not be the case. The fish was just piled on top of plain rice... so not the greatest. Especially for the price point, the dish should be a lot better.

Glory be! What an amazing experience we recently had at Hachiroku. We learned about this place from another foodie friend and really didn't know what to expect other than potentially getting some fresh sashimi or sushi. This was not that, this was so much more! This was more of an Omakase style experience, but not exactly Omakase.. I love that there is a sake tasting experience and a variety of sake, which is one of my favorite spirits. Every single dish is delicately and richly prepared. Come to find out that every single item on the dish is edible including the florals and garnishes. We thoroughly enjoyed the mixed mushroom plate - the sauce it was in was out of this world. My favorite has to be, well everything! The octopus, tuna tartar, chicken karage, sea bass and oddly the little peaches and fruit on each plate! Never had anything like it. Also, don't forget to order dessert, their Matcha Panna cotta was amazing as well. We hear they are moving to a new location and we cannot wait because we are so excited to visit again. Follow on IG: ps_onemore4theroad?

Creative, well executed, and a nice place for hanging out. A standout meal in New Haven. Every small plate we tried on a whim was good. - several options for sake flights. I had one for $35, featuring four mid-tier sakes, ranging from dry to yuzu-flavored. - octopus kale salad: the octopus had a delicate texture and clear flavor and it paired great with the warm white miso sauce. The kale had a similar nice texture. - homemade Tofu, on which I added uni! - mini salmon/ikura bowl, an elevated version of a humble dish.

Our server/Bartender (Alex) was amazing. It was my wife and I's first time visiting and he was not only incredibly pleasant, but also very knowledgeable about the menu and steered us toward some super tasty choices. The food and service was 10/10!

I enjoyed my dining experience at Hachiroku. They have a great atmosphere and great vibes. The interior is designed very elegantly. So it's a great spot for a date night. However, make sure to get a reservation if you can because sometimes the waiting in the line might be a bit long if you happen to go during a busy time of the week/year. The food is good. But the portions are small. So, a fine dining experience if you may. Make sure to not go there too hungry if you are going to be on a budget because the small plates to fill you up can add up to a hefty price. The drinks are great as well. I would go back and recommend going there.

Came here for a birthday celebration. Beautiful interior and great vibe. Started with 3 appetizers. The Tenderloin Tonkatsu was lightly breaded, lean mean, and juicy. Used to having a thicker breading on tonkatsu, so this was a pleasant surprise, we really enjoyed the lighter taste. The Kakuni Pork Belly was incredibly delicious. Juicy, fatty, and soaked in this flavorful sauce. The people I was with were huge fans of the Shishito and Gobo Fritter, I especially liked the shishito fritters. It also comes with a Japanese mayo sauce. For entrees, there's an option to choose soup or salad for a few extra bucks, so I went ahead and got the miso soup. I felt that it lacked flavor, and was not worth the extra dollars. For my entree, I got the Unagi Gohan. The meat was quite lean, used to a more fatty unagi. It was a great portion size though -- the unagi was satisfying and cooked well. I also thought the rice that accompanied it was delicious. The service felt overly attentive, but that might have been because it was slow that night.

A phenomenal and memorable experience. Every single dish was unique and full of flavor--the tuna sashimi, hijiki salad and vegetables in broth appetizer. Wonderful recommendations by our servers.

The food here is gooddd. For the appetizers the brussel sprouts are a must get. So savory and delicious and unique. The veggie agedashi was also super good. Anchovy potato stood out least but def wasnt bad. I ordered a tofu beet salad bc i wasnt feeling too hungry. I think it's alright but more of a share type item as the flavor isn't super strong ! I think id also have enjoyed more if the base was another green instead of arugula The drinks ... ik its a sake bar and maybe i just wasnt feeling good that day butttt i wasnt keen at all of my highball (just tasted like watery whisky) My friend got the matcha sake tho which was good and not too intense

From my previous time at Yale I had no expectations coming into this, but the food ended up being amazing even with low expectations. The dishes we ordered were mainly vegetable forward and they were prepared expertly. There was a variety of textures and flavors to every dish that really added excitement to the meal. The portion sizes were also about double what I expected for an izakaya. Finally, the price was lower than I expected. It was very affordable for our group compared to the quality we got. Everyone agreed that they would return in the future

I had a wonderful meal tonight at this branch of Hachiroku, which is first and foremost a bar, although there is limited table seating on the edges of the restaurant. We sat at the bar tonight, and service was absolutely excellent. For appetizers, we tried the Agedashi with the shishito peppers and eggplant and corn, which was beautifully balanced, as well as the Kakuni pork belly which was incredibly soft and flavorful. Then, we went for the Teishoku Black Cod, which did not disappoint. I've had this dish at numerous good Japanese restaurants and Hachiroku's was on point. The skin of the fish was charred well, and the meat flaky and delicious. I would have liked the grated daikon plain without seasoning, although the pickles and fresh plums were fantastic. The Matcha Basque Cheesecake for dessert is impressive, but be warned it is quite heavy. I'm glad we split it. We also had the Yuzu Sake, which is lovely for dessert, if you enjoy citrus-y drinks. I also like citrus-y beers myself, so this was perfect. My only complaint is that despite their massive selection of sake, they only have chilled varieties. If there's something that I really want in an Izakaya-like experience, it's HOT SAKE. Please add this to your menu!!

We took a seat at the bar, scanned the menu, and everything jumped at once -- Sakura Duroc pork jowl in yuzu and koji, Tsumire duck meatballs in soy and dashi broth, smoked ocean trout sashimi. For anyone hungry for authentic Japanese-inspired food, the enticing specials are an instant mood enhancer. The word "shokudo" in its name roughly means "diner" in Japanese, but that sells short Hachiroku's curated selection of soups and snacks and comforting, filling entrées featuring creative approaches to fish, beef, and chicken. Dozens of fine sakés and whisky are also fine complements that you can find here. The atmosphere is a relaxed and informal space leading with a view of an expansive bar, and tables offsetting from the action can be chosen along its exposed brick walls. It's a fitting spot for a quick after-work bite with drinks or a sit-down night out, which is what we did. For drinks, we ordered: - Kurayoshi 12-Year-Old World Blended Malt Whisky. 8.5/10. - Nikka Miyagikyo 12-Year-Old Single Malt Whisky. 10/10. - A highball. 8/10. All were excellent, but the Nikka Miyagikyo was our favorite: complex and fragrant with a slightly nutty character and strong malt taste--a harmonious whisky with vanilla, sultanas, and very faint smoke. For food, we ordered: - House Made Fresh Tofu (fresh made tofu, soy sauce, Hawaiian black salt, yuzu). It was good, but I don't know if I would order again. I appreciate it being offered on the menu, but I couldn't necessarily distinguish from the tofus I've had elsewhere. 6/10. - Uni & Ikura (Maine sea urchin and house-cured salmon roe). Nothing to nitpick about. 10/10. - Kakuni Pork Belly (simmered pork belly with soy sauce, dashi, scallion). Very similar notes to a Korean galbi-jjim/갈비찜. I recommend you order a side of fresh white rice and take full advantage of the amount of sauce they provide you! 10/10. - American Wagyu Beef Curry Rice (house-blended curry spices, American wagyu beef soup stock over steamed rice, topped with roasted beef). Wagyu was refined, the rice was not too dried, and the sauce was delectable; however, it needed to be more authentic than the ones I've had in Japan. If you ever had store-bought curry, it tastes very similar. The wagyu was the justification for the price. 8/10. Overall, I highly recommend you give Hachiroku a try. Despite the restaurant being fully booked and packed, there were no delays in our order being plated. The employees here were also extremely attentive, fast-paced, and kind. Especially Tim!

Excellent food. Superior service. Pricey, but you absolutely get what you pay for. We sat at the bar so the ambiance there is different than at a table, but we thoroughly enjoyed the ambiance at the bar too. (We even made a friend with the person sitting next to us.) we can't wait to go back! Fantastic selection of sake and Japanese whiskeys too. My only suggestion to them would be to develop some specialty cocktails featuring these Japanese whiskeys. We have had some amazing and unusual cocktails made with Japanese whiskeys and (sakes!) when traveling to other cities and we really wish there was some place in New Haven that offered them.

I accidentally walked past this restaurant when I was trying to find it because the sign isn't very big, but the interior definitely blew me away. The mood lighting goes well with the wooden surroundings. It's very spacious and the bar is beautiful. My group and I ordered a bunch of different dishes but my favorites were the Unagi Gohan (grilled eel over mixed rice), Grilled Live Scallops (scallops with mushroom), and Yaki Kinoko Mushroom (a bunch of different mushrooms sautéed together) -- all in the pictures attached. All of these dishes were incredibly flavorful and delicious. For those who are dining on a budget, the prices here are a bit on the higher end. If you're not willing to spend this much money on a daily basis, I would say come for special occasions or if someone else is treating you! This place is really nice for date night and the food is definitely worth trying.

Great spot for Japanese food and drinks. Cocktails are great and the sake and whiskey selections offer a wide range of selections from Japan. Food is a great mix of traditional fare to some contemporary twists on old standards. Service is always great and the atmosphere is nice. Usually pretty chill vibe but they do some collabs and events to spice it up.

Talk about a hidden gem. Everything was delectable. Top dishes Fried chicken Striped tail Duck breast Waygu A tad pricey but totally a you get what you pay for experience Save room for the strawberries for dessert!

Saw great reviews on reddit and decided to try out for a date night. Hubby was a little worried about making the long drive from Andover just for dinner, but by the time he took his first bite his concerns were out the door. We tried many items on the menu like the ceviche, short rib, anchovy potatoes, Brussels sprouts. All of it delicious. One of our favorite meals of the year. Topped off with great ambiance, great service, and a fun drink menu!

The service, staff, ambience and food was absolutely incredible. The knowledge of the waitstaff including Lilli was 5 stars. Highly recommend.

The food is great but the late night food can be a bit salty and the service needs to be better...

I can not speak highly enough about this place! One of the best restaurants I have ever been to. Everything is incredible-- each dish is a unique blend of flavors, pulled to gather from very high quality ingredients. Only note is that the plates are small and expensive, so either come not too hungry just for the taste and experience, or be prepared to spend some money... but, the high prices come with delicious ingredients, so it is worth it!

A welcomed change to the landscape of available Asian cuisines. This style of cuisine reminds me of college and initial professional years of comfort food with better ingredients. Does it command the high price point?! Idk what the public will decide. Not sure the culinary training or background of the people in charge of execution but (definitely) lacking with public comparison and expectation/hype. The owners have a direct connection to a regional Japanese grocery store. So many ingredients are leveraged by the existing relationships. This may or not be a positive attribute. Are they extraordinarily...no. Is it better than what's is currently available...yes. The restaurant delivers on offering something different in the area but should be taken in stride. My thoughts were good but given hype and price point not worthy as a destination spot.

When you are seated in this dining sanctuary, you will notice that the menu hits on roughly 15 Japanese "tapas" items and 20 Temaki (handrolls). Tapas include the salad that made my "Top Eats 2022" list, the Jako Salad, featuring spicy arugula, radish, poached egg, crispy baby anchovy, bonito flakes, nori and a house onion dressing. It's a full umami bomb situation, and a must order. Trust me. Sure, they have a beautifully executed Black Cod in Yuku (a la Nobu), and melt in your mouth A5 Wagyu Sushi, but guests will also find deeper cuts including: "Two Bites" (pressed cured Yuzu salmon or Saba Mackerel sushi with kelp wrap), a Snow Crab & Ikura Chawanmushi (a silky smooth steamed egg custard topped with snow crab and Ikura) which is just a straight up wonderful, and the delicate Abalone Ni Awabi (simmered abalone in soy sauce and ginger broth). Straight from the water sashimi is always available based on what's fresh. If you're lucky, you'll sometimes find it house smoked or cured based on Chef's whims. And by no means leave without trying the Bluefin Tuna Prosciutto-translation: house smoked and dried tuna serves in the style of prosciutto. Just damn. It's a menu for those who enjoy dining as an exploration, and it showcases completely unique preparations of traditional Japanese ingredients. On the other side of the menu guests will find the Temaki, and this is where you will really want to spend some time. In two visits I was able to make a relatively large dent in the list, and no roll in this roundup should be ignored, both for unique flavor profiles and the care given to each order (cue the tweezers.) I've never met a Miso cured fish I didn't like so I started wit the Miso Salmon Oyako, a wonderful combination of miso salmon and cured salmon roe. Let me reiterate that the freshness of the fish procured at Hachiroku ranks as high as some of the Michelin starred sushi spots I've frequented. For Uni fans, the Uni & Salmon Roe temaki should not be missed. I went back for seconds on the Soy Cured Yellowtail with Scallion as well as the Madai (red snapper with the very distinctive hint of Shiso). The use of Shiso in several of these handrolls was both surprising and delightful. And make no mistake...there is no soy sauce at the table. Chef seasons each hand roll so there is no need to mess with perfection. My last roll was the Lobster Roll, a nod to a New England favorite, with succulent buttery chunks of lobster, lemon, say sauce and Butterhead lettuce. Good stuff.

Food and ambience amazing. Portions were small for the price (eg Black Cod). Service was friendly and amiable but super slow. Maybe because we sat at the bar?

Been here a few times now, and each time the food has gotten better. Hachiroku is still new. And they still definitely have some service kinks to work out. But the owner is great, and cares, and is trying. So it deserves a full 5 stars. Because the food is phenomenal. Seriously, last time-A+ all around. The fluke, duck, and pork belly were incredible. Presentation, and taste. We will be back.

Walked in on a Thursday night and this place was slammed for a week day. We did not have reservations so we sat at the bar, apparently reservations are recommended if you prefer a table, there did not seem to be many tables. The food menu is very minimal but everything tasted fresh and delicious, although a tad on the pricey side, worth it. The sashimi was cut and plated in front of us. The Saki menu was a full double sided menu so much to choose from. Both salmon dishes were good too.

Was so excited about this place but it was a big letdown. A friend and I went for dinner and sat at the bar. The space is totally great! We sat waiting and waiting and waiting probably for a good 15-20 minutes for someone to take our drink order. It was also beyond freezing inside which made the wait unbearable. We decided to put our food order in as soon as someone took our drink order to minimize any additional waiting. We both enjoyed our wine once it came. We ordered the daikon salad, wanted the potato salad but they were out so settled on the kale and shared the black cod and fried chicken. The daikon salad was the star of the experience. Delicious. Kale was underwhelming, cod lacked flavor and fried chicken also needed something else very flavorless and was strangely greasy. Not sure we will be back.

Hm, maybe I just ordered wrong because my friends all rave about it! I'll try to find an opportunity to go try again. But here's a review on my visit. Service was wonderful and the bar seating is really fun. They have a lot of fun plants inside, which made me really happy :) Food also came out really fast and seemed to be good quality for the price. However, the execution just wasn't there for me. The salmon was very dry and was such a small portion. The chicken was also dry and hard to bite into. Dessert portions were big but underwhelming. (In fact I would have preferred a smaller portion with a more refined execution if that makes sense).

When you walk by it looks like an old converted pub but this place is a hidden gem. With the standards (and close to prices) of a NYC fancy restaurant, this place brings great food and drinks to new haven (finally!!). Hands down a perfectly quaint and delicious meal. It will set you back around 40 pp if you do drinks but well worth it for the quality of food.

Went during their soft launch. Good food but small portion sizes. I feel like it's a good spot for a snack, but don't expect to get super full. The staff was nice and friendly, and the furniture was quirky. I'm interested in what this place will become when it's officially open and more full!

Great food and great ambiance - very happy to finally have more authentic Japanese restaurant options in New Haven! We came as a party of 3 and tried different dishes such as the popular grilled black cod and curry tonkatsu. Loved the sake taster as well, a great way to try out different sake! Will be back for more.

We had a great experience at Hachiroku. The food was excellent - highly recommend the Agedashi appetizers and the seaweed salad was very fresh tasting and delicious. My Sake knowledge was limited but the selection seemed extensive. I would definitely return.

Absolutely loved Hachiroku - very cool vibe, menu different than anything else in New Haven, just feels like a classy adult restaurant in a town occasionally lacking those. Saw some people on Yelp complaining about the service but we had an absolutely wonderful server named Michelle - we took all of her recommendations and were not led astray. * Monkfish liver - neither of us have had this before; Michelle said it's prepared differently here than other places anyway. Really tasty, apparently the "foie gras of the sea" - texture a bit like hard boiled egg whites with a pleasant fishy aftertaste * Uni and salmon roe - great, just what you'd expect from these * Red snapper (?) sashimi - again great, high quality, fresh tasting fish * Agedashi tofu - another Michelle recommendation - tasty fried tofu and some exceptional eggplant * Black cod - grilled black cod with miso, flaky, tasty, exactly what we wanted Can't wait to go back - their specials menu was huge and I got the sense that things turned over with some frequency. We sat in the backyard, which is heated, but hope to sit at the bar (with a reservation) in the future.

I am absolutely obsessed with this place! You absolutely cannot go wrong. Every single dish we tried was better than the last. As you can see from the pictures, these are mainly all smaller portions that you'd be getting but the quality and ingredients here are amazing. Everything is made with such care and cohesion. Service was very good, friendly, professional, and enthusiastic. I would give them 6 stars if I could honestly.

solid for New Haven. The service is great and the sake flight was good. The environs is nice as well. We ordered a bunch of stuff to be shared family style... this is my run down - yellow tail: it was fine; not amazing, but good for New Haven - seaweed salad: good, but really small portion - flatted seaweed in a beautiful bowl/plate - fried chicken: hmmm, tender, but I think it was brined a little too long, had a bit of a over tenderized rubberish texture - wagyu curry rice: tasted like S&B curry with wagyu on top... curry not great, though the rice quality was great - banana dessert was good - mochi was not - pork belly was good but would be better with rice - black cod was disappointing This doesn't hold a candle to Japanese restaurants in NY or SF (not even close), but for New Haven, it's one of the better ones...

First off the food is incredible everything we had was great.... when we eventually got it. We sat at an uncomfortable upstairs table for about 25 minutes before anyone came up to take our order or give us water on a very hot day. Not okay. One of our party doesn't drink and I get it, its a sake bar but no other options for beverages besides Japanese soda - cool..... but not really, give the man a coke. For the price the service was absurd and totally not worth it, we left loving the food but it was TOTALLY tarnished by the service and price. If you're gonna charge top dollar treat your customers like it. Likely wont return.

Good food and wine but a little priced I think. I got the cod which was a bit salty. It is served with rice so that helps to cut down some of the salty flavor. Cute outdoor back patio that they keep nice and warm

Finally a legit Japanese place in New Haven. The food was great, the sake selection is wide, the atmosphere is phenomenal. We found our new monthly date night place. Tip: make a reservation

Can not say enough about this place. Fresh fish, delicious and intriguing pickles, decent quality wagyu. Get the wagyu curry if you go for anything not fish related!

Walked past this place during their soft open and had to try it! My party of 5 tried quite a few of the menu items and loved them all! Fish was very fresh and expertly prepared. Careful attention to detail was obvious. Got to try some new flavors on Japanese classics. Our favorite surprise were the small green peaches on the side of some of the dishes! A little spendy and smaller portions, so not an every weekend place for us but a nice place for a special night. Vibes on point - think sophisticated NYC loft for date night, but more chill cuz we're in New Haven. Can't wait to try them when they fully open (with liquor license)!

Boyfriend stumbled upon this restaurant when out for a walk and we needed to try it. There's nothing else like it in New Haven. The atmosphere was sophisticated but cozy. It was small, so it felt intimate. It's a good place to go for a special occasion or date night. A bit pricey, so probably not a first date! We sat at the high top tables and they had hooks on the wall for jackets or bags. The staff were very nice and the restaurant itself was very clean. We ordered sake to pair with our meals and it was good. The cherry blossom sake was sweet and not too strong. My boyfriend ordered a good beginner sake that had strong notes of apple. Both were very smooth but we didn't notice a huge difference when paired with the food (thought it might bring out the flavors of the fish). The food was standout. We started with their soba tofu. They make their own tofu and it's so much better than the store-bought blocks. The texture was unlike anything I've ever had. It was so silky and creamy-- almost like crème brûlée. Paired with the uni (sea urchin), the tofu was outstanding. Very high quality ingredients and so simple. This was one of our favorite dishes of the night. The miso soup was delicious. It had a rich smoky flavor. It was the best miso soup I've ever had. For our meals we ordered the Black Cod and Harasu Don. The Harasu Don was good, but it wasn't stand out. It tasted like a dish I've had before. The Black Cod was my favorite of the night. I never knew cod could taste that good. It was so flavorful and flakey. The fish skin was delicious. The rice was fluffy and perfect with the fish. The pickles were also standout. Not too sour but complimented the meal so well. We really enjoyed everything. Overall, we thoroughly enjoyed our experience at Hachi Roku. Because it's on the pricier side, we likely wouldn't go frequently, but it's a great spot to celebrate a special occasion or go for a nice meal. The dishes are meant to be shared, so the portions are a bit small for the price. We ended up spending about $80 for two glasses of sake, two meals and a shared appetizer. If you like refined, thoughtful Japanese food, I recommend trying their food. You won't regret it! (When we went, the octopus three ways was sold out so we'll definitely be back to try that!)

I'm struggling to find the words to describe how amazing the food was at Hachiroku! I stopped in for dinner around 7:30 PM on a Friday and got a seat easily. As the night went on it got more crowded, so you might want to make a reservation for more than two people later in the evening. We got the katsuo bonito tataki special, the black cod, the pork belly, and the premium sake flight. The black cod changed my life!! As part of the premium sake flight you get to try $130 sake (Dewazakura "Yukimamman"), so not a bad deal for a $22 flight! I hope to be back soon to try the rest of their delicious food.

We love it here. Amazing service and food. We itch to go back. Nice sake list. Try new things. You'll be satisfied!

Great place, there for the soft opening, their food is very high quality and detail oriented. They are still waiting for their liquor license so didn't sample their sake yet, but the fish you can tell is top tier. Great place for a nice dinner.

Great place, all the apps and larger plates were fantastic. Great drink menu. Ambiance was nice, but stools had no backs (we don't come to moderately-priced restaurants to work out our core muscles, do we folks?). We thought the deconstructed mochi dessert was very bland and had unpleasant textures. And the service was one of those free-for-all situations. But, overall, the apps and entrees made up for the downsides, so still giving them 5 stars.

Such a nice little sake bar in the heart of new haven. Their liquor license wasn't ready when I visited (now is, so can order drinks now), but the food itself earned a great review. The staff was excellent as well. Highly recommend and will be back for the full experience!