Hanale by Islander Sake Brewery

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1. g

   gtkyl72

   Hawaii

   160 reviews

   vip
   4.0

   160 reviews

   Dined on November 30, 2022

   overall4food5service5ambience4

   Three of my co-workers took me to Hanale by Islander Sake to celebrate my 70th birthday. This was the first time at Hanale for all of us even though the restaurant is right next door to where we work. The omakase dinner is served one course at a time over a period of 90 minutes. There are 19 courses plus a very delicious tea served at the conclusion of your meal. We started with a bottle of Islander Sake, which is unpasteurized (and delicious!). Kampai! The first 4 courses included a small dish of Hokkigai (red clam), followed by 2 pieces of egg omelet (which the chef was making when we were seated), a dish of minced Kanpachi, topped with some kind of roe, followed by a dish with 2 pieces of grilled swordfish. Next was a course of nigiri sushi: Hamachi or some type of white fish, Kaibashira (raw scallop) topped with mullet roe, Herring and Saba (mackerel). Then came 4 types of ahi: Chutoro, Otoro, Seared Toro, and Toro mixed with Daikon wrapped in nori. The break in the nigiri sushi came in the form of Okinawan seaweed topped by a piece of crabmeat. To me it was like a dish of glass noodles in a savory sauce. The 2nd grouping of nigiri sushi came next: Ama Ebi (raw, sweet shrimp), Akamutsu (Rosy Seabass), Hokkaido Uni (darker in color but so creamy!) and the star of the evening (to me), a rolled Anago sushi. The chef took an 8-inch piece of Anago and rolled it up around rice and coated it with Tsume. The final course was a miso soup with the head from the Ama Ebi and a clam. It was perfectly seasoned. Dessert was a glass of fermented rice (it looked like Dragon fruit), topped with a green sauce, and served with fresh fruit. That, and the delicious cup of o-cha completed what was a delicious journey to Japan. The owner and the staff of Hanale are personable and informative. I loved this stop on my world food tour sans my more interesting dining partner. Wish you could have been there!

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2. S

   Sekky

   Hawaii

   1 review

   5.0

   1 review

   Dined on November 24, 2022

   overall5food5service5ambience5

   働いてる皆さんの笑顔と大将のまじめさがとっても良い

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3. R

   Robo

   Hawaii

   50 reviews

   vip
   5.0

   50 reviews

   Dined on November 19, 2022

   overall5food5service5ambience5

   Aloha, great venue for sushi and BYOB! Approximately 18 mouth watering dishes. Your taste buds will be happy and your tummy pleasantly full. Islander Sake has recently moved their brewery to the Big Island. Can’t wait to visit there as well. If you love sushi make your way to Hanale. Enjoy.

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4. JA

   JAREDN

   Hawaii

   4 reviews

   5.0

   4 reviews

   Dined on November 13, 2022

   overall5food4service5ambience5

   Great experience. The entrance and dining area provided a clean and calm and serene atmosphere compared to the chaos on the road. We parked at Mauna Kea parking lot on Smith and it was a quick walk over. No street parking really in front. We were greeted at the door and shown to our seats once the first set of guests (we booked 7pm) had left and they set the platings. Its not really mentioned but dress here is fairly casual. I wouldnt recommend a tshirt but I did see people in shorts with a polo or aloha shirt. Ask the staff when they confirm your reservation, but you don't have to dress up if you don't want to here. Reserved counter seating so we could experience the sushi prep. Loved talking to the staff about their sake development. Friendly staff but behind the counter is mostly Japanese-speaking so don't feel offended if you don't have an endearing English conversation (just language barrier) -- that said, they do speak a good amount. Owner speaks English and tends to walk around to talk to guests so get your info there if you and the chef are lost in translation. Still BYOB so we went earlier to the Sake Shop Hawaii and had some fine selections walking in the door. Sake Shop Hawaii has a good relationship with them and has specific pairings based on their menu. Sushi is your standard faire, so don't expect much gastronomy. But everything was fresh and prepared well. Depending on your appetite, get the custom select omakase to get input on the last few dishes as they try to cater to your preferences. The first 2-3 dishes will be appetizers of sorts where they could be a salad, fish-based amuse bouche, shrimp miso soup, etc. Then you'll move on to the sushi menu. Your standard desirables like Otoro/Chutoro/Uni were all on the menu. Nothing super extravagant. My ankimo wasnt there, but I'm sure it all varies from week to week. Overall recommended.

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5. AS

   AprilS

   1 review

   5.0

   1 review

   Dined on November 11, 2022

   overall5food5service5ambience5

   Food was fresh and delicious. Great picks at sake shop to go with food.

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6. DJ

   DJalad

   San Francisco

   3 reviews

   vip
   5.0

   3 reviews

   Dined on October 23, 2022

   overall5food5service5ambience5

   Easily the best restaurant I’ve been to on Oahu.

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7. n

   nihonshudake

   Hawaii

   42 reviews

   5.0

   42 reviews

   Dined on October 22, 2022

   overall5food5service5ambience5

   Excellent experience. Was curious how they would use the sake kasu (sake lees) to season and flavor dishes. Every dish was a different taste experience for me. BYOB, and if you bring your own sake the owner will pair the sake with the drinking vessel shape he deems the most suitable for the type of sake you have brought. A thoroughly enjoyable evening.

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8. B

   Bolerama

   Hawaii

   15 reviews

   5.0

   15 reviews

   Dined on October 9, 2022

   overall5food4service5ambience5

   Sushi nite

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9. AW

   AngelW

   Cincinnati

   1 review

   5.0

   1 review

   Dined on October 5, 2022

   overall5food5service5ambience5

   A special experience with excellent service that made us feel as though we were welcomed in to someone's home. The quality of the meal was outstanding.

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10. S

    Sabrine

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on September 27, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    Phenomenal food, excellent service, perfect jazz, and an owner who was friendly and helpful. We can't wait to return.

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11. OT

    OpenTable Diner

    San Francisco

    1 review

    vip
    3.0

    1 review

    Dined on September 27, 2022

    overall3food1service3ambience3

    Felt as if the sushi chef was in a rush to pump the nigiris out instead of taking his time to prep. Everything was premade and felt cold. Service was good otherwise

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12. M

    Michelle

    Hawaii

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on September 20, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    Such a lovely place! We sat at the bar and was served quite quickly. The pace was perfect, the food was exquisite, and both chef/host was such a joy to be around. Highly recommend! Will definitely be booking another reservation here.

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13. OT

    OpenTable Diner

    Hawaii

    2 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on September 14, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    Absolutely delicious. Hanale is hands down my go to omakase spot. I've visited them once and I found myself going back 4 more times thus far and they've only been around since Jan 2022 (at this location). It's difficult to find a place that provides excellent quality omakase, a calm and comfortable dining area, genuinely good and consistent service, and easy parking. I will definitely be going back again and I recommend Hanale to anyone who's looking for omakase.

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14. CH

    CharlesH

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on September 13, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    As you step into the restaurant you get that warmth welcome your always looking for at a sushi restaurant. The staff greeted me and my wife as soon as we stepped and explained to us on how they received their fish from Japan. Honestly, I wasn't expecting a big difference, but for the price point of 120 dollars per person the quality was on par with some higher end priced omakase. I would totally try this place out before it gets impossible to make reservations!

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15. M

    Manoaboy73

    Hawaii

    5 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on September 13, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    Excellent, traditional omakase sushi. If you like mayonnaise and avocado in your sushi, this is not the place for you. Currently BYOB(sake and beer), so a bargain.

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16. CB

    CourtnayB

    Hawaii

    10 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    10 reviews

    Dined on September 9, 2022

    overall4food5service4ambience3

    Very traditional but delicious food. Problems with service, they don’t sell alcohol but we were notified. Also, lots of discussion about the seating arrangement, very awkward to just stand there and wait for them to figure out where we should sit.

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17. J

    Jojo

    Hawaii

    20 reviews

    5.0

    20 reviews

    Dined on September 3, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience4

    - An incredible journey of flavors, textures, and aromas. - Service was amazing. - Yao San prepared some amazing pieces of sushi. - My only note is regarding the lighting. It was a little bright.

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18. OT

    OpenTable Diner

    Orlando

    4 reviews

    4.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on September 2, 2022

    overall4food4service5ambience4

    This was a fun experience.. we did the 18 course W/ Sake pairing.. The staff was very knowledgeable about the sake, learned some cool things about our sake.. Nothing was “WOW” but overall I recommend the experience! Sushi was fresh and tasted great..Staff was very friendly and accommodating! I would definitely recommend!

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19. OT

    OpenTable Diner

    Hawaii

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on August 23, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    Had a great time at Hanale by Islander Sake. The staff was so nice and welcoming and even took the time to tell us about the sake we chose. The sushi was delicious and the side dishes the bring throughout the meal were also really yummy and different. Would definitely recommend!

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20. CK

    CliftonK

    Hawaii

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on August 10, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    Sake, sushi, staff was excellent. We will be going back again.

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21. GT

    GrahamT

    Hawaii

    13 reviews

    5.0

    13 reviews

    Dined on August 9, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    Always good sushi.

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22. Z

    Zzzz

    Hawaii

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on August 7, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    Fantastic omakase sushi experience. Sat at the bar, sushi chef was friendly and every dish was thoroughly explained. BYOB drinks, must be pre purchased as they do not sell any alcohol at the restaurant. Have been here a couple times now and amazing experience and food every time.

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23. Z

    Zaimojin

    Hawaii

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on August 6, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    Very attentive staff and value for price!

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24. GT

    GrahamT

    Hawaii

    13 reviews

    5.0

    13 reviews

    Dined on August 4, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    Delicious sushi and sashimi.

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25. L

    Lynnie1

    San Francisco

    31 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    31 reviews

    Dined on July 28, 2022

    overall4food4service4ambience4

    The service was very satisfying until it was time to leave. It was very difficult to get our server’s attention and get the check. We waited for an unusually long time.

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26. CF

    ChrisF

    Denver

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on July 26, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    Amazing experience - one of the best paired food experiences of my life.

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27. BB

    BBaker808

    Hawaii

    3 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on July 24, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    Excellent experience. Intimate and warm ambiance. Highly recommend

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28. SN

    ShayneN

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on July 21, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    Great environment, friendly staff, and most of all delicious food!

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29. GT

    GrahamT

    Hawaii

    13 reviews

    5.0

    13 reviews

    Dined on July 21, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    Good chef and sushi.

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30. OT

    OpenTable Diner

    Hawaii

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on July 1, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    From the outside you would never think such an experience waited inside. Subtle but beautiful ambiance. Very intimate experience with just a few tables and a sushi bar which seats around 8. Very clean and lit inside. The food was very high quality and prepared beautifully. The service was very prompt and friendly. I will definitely be eating here again. Awesome job Hanale by islander sake!

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31. R

    Roman

    New York Area

    6 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    6 reviews

    Dined on June 26, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    We really enjoyed our visit! Food is great, service is awesome! Will definitely come back!

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32. OT

    OpenTable Diner

    Los Angeles

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on June 24, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    Yao San provided us with the best sushi I’ve ever had. Thank you so much to all the staff.

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33. OT

    OpenTable Diner

    Central Texas

    1 review

    vip
    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on June 22, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    Best Omakase experience.

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34. OT

    OpenTable Diner

    San Francisco

    16 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    16 reviews

    Dined on June 21, 2022

    overall5food5service4ambience4

    Amazing! Great value, fresh ingredients. We will definitely come back! A hidden gem for sure!

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35. OT

    OpenTable Diner

    Hawaii

    11 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    11 reviews

    Dined on June 21, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    Fresh and tasty! So much flavor and detail in the smallest of bites. Knowledgeable chefs and staff re the food and sake. Enjoyed our 18 course meal and will be back again.

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36. OT

    OpenTable Diner

    Orange County

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on June 17, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    Had a great time. The servers had a great amount of knowledge for wine.

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37. DG

    DeeGee

    Hawaii

    7 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    7 reviews

    Dined on June 14, 2022

    overall4food4service5ambience3

    Very good experience, food and service were excellent.

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38. o

    oleg

    San Francisco

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on June 8, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    A lovely and warm atmosphere and delicious sushi...the chef was very warm, kind and above all excellent...we shall be back, thank you!

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39. WH

    WeHeartHawaii

    Hawaii

    10 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    10 reviews

    Dined on June 5, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    The new dining room in Downtown provided my friends and I an excellent experience. The food and service was great, the only downside was there was another party there that was extremely loud especially as they kept drinking. One particular gentlemen was so loud our entire group was already sarcastically mocking him and trying to talk over him in order to hear each other.

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40. OT

    OpenTable Diner

    Hawaii

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on June 5, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    Kaiseke/Omakase dinner. From the different beautiful serving dishes and sake glasses, to the beautifully and delicately prepared food and the service, this place was outstanding. We would most definitely return. Everything was prepared with such care including the presentation. We tried their @islandersake that we picked up at the @sakeshop beforehand and it paired perfectly. The restaurant was quaint and atmosphere authentic. Definitely recommend as a don’t miss.

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