Hana Japan - Berkeley

It was a good experience minus the chef throwing a piece of shrimp drenched in butter and grease on my $300 pair of jeans.. The owner gave me $25 off on a $400... read more It was a good experience minus the chef throwing a piece of shrimp drenched in butter and grease on my $300 pair of jeans.. The owner gave me $25 off on a $400 dollar meal.. Should of paid me for my Jeans!!

The food was delicious, and it was so much that had to take a box to go for a meal the next day. Enjoyed our dining experience celebrating my husband’s birthday... read more The food was delicious, and it was so much that had to take a box to go for a meal the next day. Enjoyed our dining experience celebrating my husband’s birthday.

I missed the bean sprouts in the vegetable mix Wasn’t too thrilled w/the carrots read more I missed the bean sprouts in the vegetable mix Wasn’t too thrilled w/the carrots

I understand that chefs can have different personalities, but ours felt almost robotic. Things took a strange turn when my friend got excited to see a chef she... read more I understand that chefs can have different personalities, but ours felt almost robotic. Things took a strange turn when my friend got excited to see a chef she recognized from a previous visit. In response, our chef awkwardly asked if she wanted him to let the other chef cook our meal. It was an incredibly awkward moment for the nine of us at the table, which included four pairs of diners and our chef. He hastily added "just kidding" after his comment, but honestly, there hadn't been any real humor from him up to that point. I tried to give him the benefit of the doubt, thinking it might have been his first night. In fact, when he suggested we let the other chef take over, I almost said yes. Later, the manager assured us that the chef didn’t mean it in a bad way, but that didn’t really help. Additionally, our table had two birthdays and two first-timers (I was one of them), and even though they asked us twice about the birthdays, it was never acknowledged afterward—not a single word. It felt like they were just checking to see if we were trying to qualify for a free meal (which neither party was). In contrast, the other chef was engaging with his guests, even referring to their celebrant as the "birthday girl" throughout the night. We encountered other issues, too. One birthday party ordered an appetizer that was mistakenly given to the table next to us, which was only seated later, and they didn’t get it until well into their meal. Overall, the experience was lackluster; our food grew cold while we waited, and we felt both bored and disrespected, at best poorly served. I felt really bad for my friend who was excited to show me her favorite spot for celebrations. Given the cost of the meal, I wouldn’t want to risk trying this place again.

I will not be returning to this restaurant. The chef overcooked the rice, and while the photo may not fully capture it, there were several burnt spots throughou... read more I will not be returning to this restaurant. The chef overcooked the rice, and while the photo may not fully capture it, there were several burnt spots throughout. The worst part was that the chef was aware of the issue but still chose to serve it. We felt awkward saying anything to him directly, despite the high price we paid (over $150). Unfortunately, the food lacked flavor, and we found ourselves needing a lot of soy sauce and salt to make it edible. On the positive side, the chef was friendly. However, given all the positive reviews, I expected at least decent food.