Hana Tsubaki Restaurant

I love their nigiri. Fish is fresh and thick. Rice is perfect texture, not too soft, not too hard. Wishing more vinegar in the rice but maybe it’s my personal taste.Thank you for keep making quality nigiri! Thank you for not serving horrible wasabi! I will keep coming back.

We got there shortly after they reopened for dinner service at 5pm. Started with an order of unagi that was the worst I've ever had. It actually looked and tasted like it had been left over from the lunch service. For the entree we ordered the special dinner for 2. It was all pretty good. I used to eat here all the time when I lived in Sac years ago. It was always top notch. This time it was just so-so.

I don’t tend to post negative reviews but the overall experience was quite underwhelming for the price of the food. I found the food to be extremely dry and flavorless, for tonkatsu. Our server did not attend to us at all excluding bringing out our food that he kept mixing up our orders upon delivery although we corrected him a few times. Sometimes restaurants may have off nights but I just would like to bring this to the attention of potential customers and restaurant staff.

It took me too long to try this place, I drove by it for close to 20yrs, always curious. Well today I finally did. I wanted to slap myself for waiting so long. Hana Tsubaki is excellent, do not sleep on this place like I did. I will probably be back this week.. haha!

First visit for take-out since they recently reopened after more than a year closed due to a fire. Definitely worth the wait. Food is as good as it was before the closure. Service is fast and efficient. My order of teriyaki chicken and sesame chicken was expertly prepared and was 100%. Accurate. Portions were just as generous as before. I am so grateful this establishment is back open so I can resume getting the best Japanese cuisine in town. My family has been eating here for over 20 years.

Oh, it's so good to have you back, Hana Tsubaki. The chirashi was sublime excellence and the miso soup is just as I remembered it. So happy

We had not been here for years and recently read an article giving it very high marks, so we decided to try it yesterday and were not impressed with the food or prices. Sorry to say it, but Sac has too many established and new Japanese restaurants that we like better for food & prices. The service was very good, but the kitchen is very slow in getting the food out. The place has a following and does get full, except that we came early before the crowd. Overall, one of those where you just have to try out for yourself .

My boys love to eat here...these photos are from our most recent visit. A nice family place to gather and talk. The food is amazing, fresh, and creative.

Everything about this place is very good. I would give it 5 stars. I've been going here for years. I've tried other Japanese restaurants. This is our family's favorite.

i miss you guys, can't wait for re-opening day! it's looking good outside adding characters. i need more butteryaki in my life.

When they reopen I hope they don't close so weird during the day. Trying to figure the schedule is very very difficult.

Friendly family run restaurant with tasty, down to earth offerings. Can't wait for the reopening and wish the family well during this unfortunate hiatus!

Excellent food. Fast service. Friendly efficient staff. A mainstay for decades now. Excellent food. Fast service. Friendly efficient staff. A mainstay for decades now.

Amazing local Japanese restaurant. I've been driving past it for literally years. We finally made the reservation and enjoyed every bite of each dish. I have a new favorite, Butteryaki. Already looking forward to our next visit.

There isn't anything like it in Sacramento. Japanese American food at its best. Delicious real food made by a family who cares. The shoji screens around the restaurant make for beautiful surroundings. Love this place.

Always hits the spot. Sesame chicken with butteryaki sauce on the side is the go to order. Not sure if it will reopen soon but man I do sure miss this place.

Food is so much more than your taste buds expected! Service is impeccable! Ambience is peaceful great for a night out with friends! My husband is a critic when it comes to restaurants he's been in the food service for so long. He gives it an A+

Salmon and mix tempura bento my favorite they have the best tempura's -so far compare to other Japanese restaurants

Perfect! The lines are big b/c: great service, great food, fair prices, beautiful ambiance. Family friendly but nice for adults. A bar is on site but even with all the people the noise wasn't crazy and it was a really nice place to have a conversation with your meal. A friend and I finally made it here for dinner after having this East Sac gem on our list and it was everything we'd hoped. I gravitate to the Asian aesthetic, and I particularly loved the shoji screens with plants in the dining area. Everything was cooked to perfection and was nourishing- flavorful, not greasy or heavy. I got the teriyaki chicken skewers with veg and my friend got something else- I think it was two meats. I can't remember all the details - plus a pot of green tea. $34 not including tip. The meal comes with miso soup and a delicious pickled cucumber salad- my fave- and white rice. I recommend the pot of green tea. Plenty of food- I brought my leftovers for lunch the next day and it was good cold. We got there early right before opening, but note the lines start right then so get there early! We were able to spend an hour plus enjoying dinner and were politely shooed off when it was clear we were just lingering and not eating or drinking anymore (b/c yes they need the table)- done in such a polite way I had no problem. Parking in lot is free, may have to street park later on. They have a security guard in the lot, a nice touch. An East Sac classic.

Good specials and classics like teriyaki. Not for sushi lovers; guessing they don't sell a lot as it's usually mediocre. More traditional Japanese food than a sushi restaurant.

This may just be the best Japanese restaurant in Sacramento. The fish is very high quality and the portions are always generous. My go-to is the chirashi because when at a real Japanese restaurant, what else would I realistically order? The saba shioyaki is also delicious and the beef udon was good, even when getting it to-go. The staff is incredibly friendly (and actually Japanese). It was refreshing to hear my phone order repeated back to me with the correct pronunciation of Japanese words. We ordered pickup due to COVID-19 and they were very mindful of various safety protocols. They will bring the food directly to your car and process your payment on the spot. They wear both masks and gloves. I highly recommend Hana Tsubaki for fresh, authentic Japanese food in Sacramento. Nowhere close by can compare.

I came here with my gf for our anniversary after seeing the Yelp reviews. We ordered three rolls and ended up waiting over 45 minutes to get our first roll. We asked the waiter if this was normal, and whether ordering more would take just as long. She said that it was just busy but that additional orders would take about 10 minutes. They took another 30+ minutes for two more rolls. We spent over two hours there with about 15 minutes of actual eating. On top of all that, the portion sizes were small for the price. The only saving grace was that the food tasted good, but it wasn't good enough to ever come back.

Mom and pop shop, fresh and delish. Very small next to a tiny bar. Parking is tiny as well. The owners are awesome! Walking around helping bus tables and hand out food. Total of two sushi chefs when I went. Miso soup and tempura here tastes different than all other sushi restaurants I have been to. Super tasty. Sashimi was very fresh and of good quality. Plain and simple, selfish and all sashimi lovers shall try here!!!

Still my favorite Japanese food after all these years! Just the best shrimp tempura, miso soup, chicken teriyaki , yum! It's so consistently great. I can't say enough. Yum! Eating in the restaurant is missed as it has a nice ambiance , but I have to comment on something that they have mastered above ALL other takeout: packaging appropriately. it's getting hot tempura and grilled chicken home perfectly, because they poke just the right amount of holes in the container, chicken on foil, all was just perfect and delicious! Thank you!

Love this spot. When my son asked me "hey pop where do you want to go for your birthday?" I told him "sushi" he said "awesome I will take you to my work at Mikunis" I told him no. He said well it's Mikunis and it will be amazing! I repeated "no" and that I would like to go to Hana Tsubaki instead. He reluctantly agreed. At dinner his eyes lit up and said "pop! This is the finest quality sushi I have ever had even better than Mikunis! I replied with "Duh"!

Food is always fresh and delicious! My husband and I have been eating here for special occasions for years, get there early it's a popular spot for great Japanese food!

Love this restaurant have been going for over 30 years with family and friends in Sacramento, very authentic Japanese cuisine. Really nice Sukiyaki, and Yosenabe, and other dishes that you don't find at most Japanese restuarants, The sushi is fresh and on point! I love the sesame chicken, kara-age. Fabulous! It is small and fills up fast. Right now, of course, they are only open for take out, but I am thrilled that they are still open! Thanks! Keep up the Great Work we LOVE you!!!

Not even 530pm and this place is packed! I tried the uni, sake and the zuwaii snow crab. It was amazing! Taste fresh. If you are a nigiri person, you would love this place. Tip: come early.

Finally tried some sushi in Sacramento! Hana Tsubaki did not disappoint. I ordered for pickup, the food was ready quickly and they bring it right out to your car. My BF and I just moved to the area almost a year ago and because of COVID we have not tried many local places. I have been craving Japanese for months and this seriously hit the spot. We had a California Deluxe Roll which had a nice amount of Snow Crab. We also had Sake Nigiri which was excellent and a Godzilla roll which might have been my favorite it was Crunchy and Spicy, and the yellowtail tasted nice and fresh! We also ordered the special combination dinner which was a really nice assortment containing Tempura, Goyza, Chicken Yakitori (which had really good seasoning and perfect Char), Beef Teriyaki and some kind of really good crunchy chicken. We were so happy with everything it was all delicious and beautifully prepared. Highly Recommend.

If you're a sushi person and that's what you are looking to eat, this may not be the spot for you. Quite ordinary rolls and nirguri. On the upside, the service was very good , and the cooked items on the menu looked very good. I think if you want some good traditional Japanese food with a little traditional sushi on the side, you'll love it here.

We came in during dinner time, and while the place was reasonably full, it didn't warrant waiting 2 hours. Sushi was fresh, but small portion size and expensive. Not sure why there's so many five star reviews given our service and the quality for the price.

This restaurant has been around since 1978 at the same location; plus it is still owned and ran by the same founding family. That says a lot especially in the finicky dining world of Sacramento, longevity is not an easy accomplishment. The 12 piece sashimi ($20) was good, it had a nice serving size. The salmon, tuna, and yellowtail was fresh tasting and neatly presented with garnishes of shredded radish. Another note is that they fry the gyoza, it is not pan fried. So if you like the crispy crunch texture, go for it. The filling was flavorful. But the shrimp in the tempura were dried out, not moist at all. The tempura batter was fried perfectly though. I'll chalk it up to an anomaly and not the norm. The menu is extensive, a lot of choices. There is a sushi bar and dining area. But there were no windows, so if you are claustrophobic, this may not be the place for you. Another noticeable thing was the noise level, it was mildly loud. We sat in the middle, possibly the acoustics are better towards the walls. We could not even hear each other across the table. The wait staff here are all wonderful and attentive. Another note is that they have a security guard in the parking lot at night. Towards the back of the lot, there is no lighting and part of the lot is gravel.

Hana Tsubaki is still as great as ever! I ordered the Goten Sashimi, which contains a bit more than just the average fish/shellfish, and it was amazing! James even added in a few pieces of nigiri on the house! Thank you, James!!! Please support your local restaurants, especially during these next few months as most have been really struggling!

Great quality Japanese food and sushi. I really enjoyed everything I ate. I dined in and I love the look of the restaurant, it's very peaceful. The staff was so nice and helpful.

I've been a loyal customer of this sushi restaurant for almost a year now. I generally love the food, but I have to say that the freshness of the fish has been fluctuating. Sometimes it's super fresh but sometimes pretty bad. Today I ordered some sushi rolls and poke salad, the sashimi in the poke salad is BAD! I literally cannot finish it. This is my favorite restaurant in Sacramento, I sincerely hope the owner can recognize the issue and bring back the quality. I'll keep visiting.

It's just take out now but East Sac residents rely on Hana Tsubaki. It's an institution of great sushi. The service is always spot on! We order at least once a week in our house.

I've always loved this restaurant and was really pleased to get take out. I called ahead to place my order, and was able to pay over the phone. I called when I arrived, and someone wearing a mask and gloves came and put my order in my trunk. As always, the food was great, but what I really appreciated was the packaging. My order included tempura, and they had poked holes in the container so that it didn't steam and remained crispy. Looking forward to my next visit.

Very satisfied with my meal here last night, I was seated promptly and at table I preferred (I asked not to be seated near the door). I like the big center piece in the middle of restaurant because it breaks it up and makes it less intimidating. I enjoyed the gyoza appetizer, chef's choice nigiri sushi, spider roll (very big cuts), and spicy sammy roll. Everything was delicious and the nigiri was so fresh. The staff is attentive to getting you refills and making sure to clear your plates asap. The little old lady who works there kinda put me off when she ignored her staff calling out "behind" to warn her so she didn't drop the food. Other than that the parking lot has it's own security to watch your ride as you dine!

Call to order! Very convenient. Took about 30-40 min to prepare food for pick up for party of 4. You can call them once you get to the parking lot, and they'll deliver food to your car. Friendly service and very fresh sashimi. Definitely will come back to visit. Stay safe!

Super food . It's all good. My favorites are the butter yaki, the beef sukiyaki and the sumatoma. Prices are reasonable in today's market.

Finally. Finally, we came to dine at Hana Tsubaki. For many years, we'd drive by on the weekend and wonder if this place is ever open. Of course, it is just not when we drive by. So we came for dinner one night with a friend who is also a first timer. I love the cozy comfortable space. It is small, but it's not pretentious. A place with very friendly easy going feel. We got the dinner chirasi and a couple of teriyakis. The server told me the kinds of fish on my chirasi, but I forgot it right away. I can say that it was delicious. The beef was grilled just right with a not too sweet teriyaki sauce. I will definitely have to get that on another visit. We are so glad to have finally dined here and we look forward to more dinners at the cozy little place.

Only takeout now, but this place serves really solid Japanese food with a nice menu. The food tastes super fresh. I'd give 5 stars but they use styrofoam packaging, which is disappointing, especially since all of their business is takeout. I really hope they'll reconsider to reduce their impact on the planet.

Hana Tsubaki is right off J Street in between 50 and 51st street. It looks pretty small from the outside and their private lot almost looks like an alley. Just slow down when you get nearby and you shouldn't miss it. When I go out to eat, I'm not one to really hold back on spending as long as it's money well spent. I have to say I was a little disappointed when I ordered a Tiger Roll and saw it for all its tiny glory. I knew instantly that I would need to order at least two more rolls. What kinda cracked me up was that the server told me it was a pretty good size. The biggest PROs to this place would be the serene atmosphere and kind customer service. Personally, I would only go back here if I just wanted to sit back and relax with a tasty snack in the form of sushi.

The food is always excellent, I have never had a bad meal from there. Spicy Tempura Roll is Great!

My family has been enjoying Japanese food at this restaurant for literally 20 years (maybe more?!) and I have yet to write a review! It's about high time for me to do so! This little, quaint authentic Japanese spot in East Sacramento is outstanding. Parking is limited but free, otherwise you are stuck parking on the street (also free). Some of the staff has been there for YEARS, and they are friendly and kind. I come here specifically for the chicken tempura entree and the sunomono salad. It is to die for! Hands down, the best tempura in all of Sacramento. If it a little bit of a wait for food, so best to order an appetizer or, like I mentioned above, the sunomono salad or miso soup to snack on while you wait for the main dishes. Everything is made fresh to order and delicious. I have never had any bad experiences here. I will continue to enjoy tempura here and recommend you do too!

A very forgettable Japanese restaurant in East Sacramento, the positive points were just the peaceful atmosphere and good service. While my fiance and I enjoyed the beef sukiyaki, the nigiri was terribly average in terms of fish freshness and rice preparation/quality. Combined with the usual prices for sushi, the cost-to-quality ratio was not great by any means.

Read many of the reviews from 5 stars to 1 star, complaining about cheapest disposal wooden chopsticks (for realz??) and price too costly. Had to try for myself and I have to say, it is one of the best Japanese restaurants in Sacramento that I've tried thus far. The fish was fresh, price was CHEAP!, service was not slow at all and the place was almost full (I came on a Saturday a little after 6 pm). I had their omakase sashimi and was surprised how many pieces I got, and all for $38! (costly? Not!!) Hubs had their sesame chicken karaage with tempura, good portion size and for only $14 which came with soup, cucumber salad and rice (costly? Not!!). We downed our dinner with a bottle of Murphy-Goode Sauvignon Blanc ($24, costly? Not!!) and ended with coffee and mango mochi. I love that it is Japanese owned and run. It's a very cute and quaint restaurant! I think this is going to be my "go to" Japanese restaurant whenever I'm in town.

The most authentic Japanese restaurant in Sacramento. There Japanese food and sushi is always so tasty. We are lucky to live right around the corner and order from Hana and order once a week. They're friendly staff and customer service is always top notch. Keep up the good work guys!

Sesame Chicken Lunch Specials on Wednesdays and Thursdays (aka Karaage) Simply the best in Sacramento! Super CRUNCHY batter on the enormous portion of chicken with a well balanced Sweet/Salty Teriyaki Sauce. /wipedrooloffface May be the last Japanese owned Japanese Restaurant in Sacramento. Been coming here for over 30 years. Old school vibe with bamboo silhouettes on Japanese screens. Every server speaks japanese, as either a first or second language Call me a creature of habit as I always order the KARAAGE, aka Sesame Chicken. Either a combination of Karaage/Karaage or during lunch I'll order two Karaage lunches. You may specify "white meat" only for $1.00 extra, or just order two like me and you are most likely get one with breast meat (very large) and one with thigh meat (dark meat) for a great all around combo.

Since the pandemic, my wife and I have had nothing but barely edible take out from establishments we've frequented. Recently we were in Sacramento and stopped to have our car washed at Scrub Boys and decided to stop by Hana Tsubaki, a Sacramento institution for over 30 years and one of our favorite places. We placed our order and parked by the park. We walked over to pick up our order and walked back to the park to eat. It was a pleasant evening and it was good to see people enjoying the day with masks and social distancing. To the point: our dinners were exactly what we had missed; chicken and beef teriyaki Tempura combo just the way Hana Tsubaki always prepared it, excellent! Thank you HT for maintaining your standard. We'l l be back this week.BTW, we live in Meadow Vista.

Hands down, best nigiri sushi! Def recommend the salmon teri with tempura too if you're not into the raw stuff.

Hana Tsubaki is always a favorite of mine. I've never had the sushi but they make the best by far chicken teriyaki and tempura. I also love their teriyaki salmon. Any time I go and order these entrees I'm never disappointed and they turn out the same each time - gotta love consistency. Waitstaff are good and the atmosphere is small but nice.

Hana Tsubaki serves some of my favorite Japanese eats in Sacramento. The sushi quality (fish) is top notch so don't hesitate to order anything from the menu. The udon and tempura are my favorite go to dishes. Tempura (veggies and shrimp) are lightly breaded and fried to crunchy perfection. The flavorful udon soup broth distinguishes this as a standout dish. The clean and cozy location and has a old school feel but for me that adds to the restaurants charm.

It's a beautifully decorated place and the beef bowl (Gyudon) we had was delicious. Will definitely go back.

I think all of us are more forgiving of the food we order when the price matches the quantity and/or quality but Hana Tsubaki overcharges and under delivers. Overpriced and overrated quite frankly. I got good service service which helps a neighborhood restaurant go farther, BUT you're going to be paying for it and I for one didn't go for service. The tempura was pretty awful. The batter was thick and not light like its suppose to be. Portions are small vs the price they charge you. Disappointing overall

I've been coming here for many years. Absolutely love their vegetable tempura and teriyaki beef bento boxes. Service is always great. They have a cute little set up inside. If your looking for solid Japanese food, this is a great place to try.

The old fashion style Japanese house drew my attention and I instantly knew they would be a traditional sushi restaurant. Upon entering their parking lot, I was surprised to see a Security Guard there who kindly assisted us to park in the last spot available. The restaurant was busy for dinner but there was enough space for everyone and we didn't feel like sardines. The employees felt genuinely friendly. If you're expecting fast service, this place isn't for you. It took us awhile to receive our tea. Thankfully Miso soup was included in the meal and it was delivered shortly after ordering. There was so much selection that we wanted to try everything but our darn stomachs does not hold enough space! We decided on Saba (Mackerel) - Charcoal broiled fish Shioyaki and Sushi Deluxe Nigiri. The sushi was noticeably fresh but I tasted wasabi in one of my rolls even though it wasn't close to the wasabi. I don't like wasabi. The Saba was crispy and salty. Just the way I like it. The plate had two large pieces and I was happy to receive my money's worth. Unfortunately, I did have to take out many - many bones from my mouth regardless of my careful pickings prior to the Saba chunky landing in my eager mouth. This led to more chews to assure there were no bones missed rather than enjoying the taste of the food. This left me full but not satisfied. I might be back to give them another chance when I'm in the area next.

Overall this is another 3.5 star restaurant. Ordered Chicken Salad, Soft Shell Crab, and Lunch Special: Chicken Teriyaki, Tonkatsu and California Roll bento box (lol. Sorry, hungry Tare has already taken a bite of the Chicken Teriyaki before this pic is taken) ;-P Environment looks pretty Japanese with the traditional Japanese style frame. Food is pretty fresh and tastes good overall. It's a popular place for many Japanese, hence, the food is as authentic as you can get around that area besides homecooking.