Social Profile: 
✔️Brunch ✔️Lunch ✔️Dinner ✔️Dine in
… View more
Welcome to Hakkai Nigiri Bar & Tapas! It is a Japanese Restaurant located at 1070 Holly St, San Carlos, CA 94070. We are dedicated to delivering authentic Japanese culinary experiences, focusing on fresh, high-quality ingredients and meticulous craftsmanship to highlight the pure flavors of Japanese cuisine. Our signature dishes are Hamachi Carpaccio and Iwana Tataki—two exquisite Japanese specialties crafted with precision to showcase the delicate taste and quality of fresh seafood. We invite you to visit Hakkai Nigiri Bar & Tapas, savor our carefully prepared signature dishes, and immerse yourself in the authentic and refined Japanese dining experience!
Hours
| Saturday | 11:30 AM–2:30 PM, 5–9:30 PM |
| Sunday | 11:30 AM–2:30 PM, 5–9 PM |
| Monday | 11:30 AM–2:30 PM, 5–9 PM |
| Tuesday | 11:30 AM–2:30 PM, 5–9 PM |
| Wednesday | 11:30 AM–2:30 PM, 5–9 PM |
| Thursday | 11:30 AM–2:30 PM, 5–9 PM |
| Friday | 11:30 AM–2:30 PM, 5–9:30 PM |
Address and Contact Information
Address: 1070 Holly St, San Carlos, CA 94070
Phone: (650) 264-8049
Website: http://www.hakkainigiribar.com/
Menu Photos
Order and Reservations
Reservations: opentable.com
Related Web Results
Hakkai Nigiri Bar & Tapas – Japanese Restaurant | Online Order …
Welcome to Hakkai Nigiri Bar & Tapas! It is a Japanese Restaurant located at 1070 Holly St, San Carlos, CA 94070. We are dedicated to delivering authentic …
Hakkai Nigiri Bar & Tapas Restaurant – San Carlos, CA | OpenTable
Hakkai Nigiri Bar & Tapas offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (650) 264-8049. How is Hakkai Nigiri Bar & Tapas …
Hakkai Nigiri Bar & Tapas (@hakkai1070) – Instagram
We specialize in sushi & fusion tapas! 650-264-8049 ✨ Open 7 days weekly, ready to serve you delicious bites!
Last Updates
Reviews
QUYEN LUU
Great sushi & tapas spot with excellent value for money. The nigiri combo is absolutely unbeatable — 7 pieces of nigiri plus chef’s choice maki rolls for just $25. The fish is very fresh and well-seasoned, which really makes each bite shine.
Highly recommend the sake clams and scallop dishes — both were flavorful and well executed. The sizzling beef plate was tasty too, though slightly on the salty side for my personal preference.
Overall, a fantastic place for quality sushi at a competitive price. Definitely coming back!
… moreHighly recommend the sake clams and scallop dishes — both were flavorful and well executed. The sizzling beef plate was tasty too, though slightly on the salty side for my personal preference.
Overall, a fantastic place for quality sushi at a competitive price. Definitely coming back!
Kimberly Do
Found Hakkai Sushi on TikTok and decided to try it because of their affordable omakase, and I am so glad we did. Loved this spot.
It is conveniently located right next to a 7-Eleven with plenty of parking, which is always a plus. The interior has a dark, warm, cozy ambiance that feels intimate but not stuffy. We made a reservation, and it is definitely recommended since they also had a waitlist when we arrived.
The omakase was solid from start to finish. Everything tasted fresh, well balanced, and thoughtfully prepared. Every piece of sushi was good with no filler courses, and the pacing was just right. The sake selection was also great and paired really nicely with the meal.
Overall, this is an excellent value for omakase, especially for the quality you are getting. A great spot for a low key date night or a casual splurge without breaking the bank. Would definitely come back.
… moreIt is conveniently located right next to a 7-Eleven with plenty of parking, which is always a plus. The interior has a dark, warm, cozy ambiance that feels intimate but not stuffy. We made a reservation, and it is definitely recommended since they also had a waitlist when we arrived.
The omakase was solid from start to finish. Everything tasted fresh, well balanced, and thoughtfully prepared. Every piece of sushi was good with no filler courses, and the pacing was just right. The sake selection was also great and paired really nicely with the meal.
Overall, this is an excellent value for omakase, especially for the quality you are getting. A great spot for a low key date night or a casual splurge without breaking the bank. Would definitely come back.
Wook Chung
Hakkai is a weird place. The concept and the ideas are great, almost formed with a success equation for the Bay Area. Innovative Japanese tapas, sushi at a great price, a jolly bar-like dark atmosphere with cozy local vibes. I mean what could possible be wrong? And most of the reviews mention this but I want to be very specific here.
If it wasn’t for the cheaper price (although not that cheap), I would’ve given Hakkai 2.5 stars at max. So what’s wrong?
If you ever wondered how big sushis would be if it was made by hobbits, you have come to the right place. The sushis are like 60% size of regular sushis. It was almost comical to see this and I couldn’t believe my eyes. I wasn’t sure whether they were going for the cute look. But again, the portions were tiny. I guess it is their way of keeping the price a bit low?
Same goes for other dishes. The tapas were priced $15+ yet all the portions were ridiculously tiny. I really thought it was a playset for American Girl. Not sure what is going on here. The flavors were decent. But boy they are small. And the fried shrimp (that comes with the amaebi tapa) was cold. Clearly they pre-fried it in batch. Just not acceptable.
And we had this pan fried udon. Decent flavor but again, the udon was so dry. It was absolutely clear they had pre-cooked this and let it sit.
I’m all about value. But I feel Hakkai has cut too many corners to make the numbers work. I won’t be returning. It’s just not worth my time. For the budget conscious, you may want to give it a try. Not for me.
… moreIf it wasn’t for the cheaper price (although not that cheap), I would’ve given Hakkai 2.5 stars at max. So what’s wrong?
If you ever wondered how big sushis would be if it was made by hobbits, you have come to the right place. The sushis are like 60% size of regular sushis. It was almost comical to see this and I couldn’t believe my eyes. I wasn’t sure whether they were going for the cute look. But again, the portions were tiny. I guess it is their way of keeping the price a bit low?
Same goes for other dishes. The tapas were priced $15+ yet all the portions were ridiculously tiny. I really thought it was a playset for American Girl. Not sure what is going on here. The flavors were decent. But boy they are small. And the fried shrimp (that comes with the amaebi tapa) was cold. Clearly they pre-fried it in batch. Just not acceptable.
And we had this pan fried udon. Decent flavor but again, the udon was so dry. It was absolutely clear they had pre-cooked this and let it sit.
I’m all about value. But I feel Hakkai has cut too many corners to make the numbers work. I won’t be returning. It’s just not worth my time. For the budget conscious, you may want to give it a try. Not for me.
Willie Chea
Good food. Note: they have a nigiri platter that can be choice of 7 pcs or omakase along with a roll. The portions are half the size of typical nigiri.
Chicken karage is very good, has good seasoning in the batter
Seafood ceviche was mainly shrimp.
… moreChicken karage is very good, has good seasoning in the batter
Seafood ceviche was mainly shrimp.
Mark Liu
11/2/2025 update:
Came here again last night. This time we tried more tapas. Since I came with friends, I didn’t know the name of the dishes they ordered.
The steak skewer and it was very well flavored. Black pepper flavored and the special sauce they made was excellent but very spicy. Only thing I would improve is the kind of meat they used. It’s not the most tender and it’d be a bigger impression with more tender meat.
The salad was good, a little spicy.
Mussels was awesome. Go great with rice! The sauce was scrumptious!! Love they add beacons and heightened the flavor.
We had the duck breast again and it was so flavorful and tender.
This is my second time here and I was still impressed. Some of these tapas dishes are fusion. Some may came from French (the mussels), some may be western (beef on skillet), they put a lot of thought in creating there dishes and they are quite unique. And they tasted good.
Previous:
This place is legit. I most appreciate is the freshness of the fishes. The sashimi and the nigiri was excellent. We tried some special stuff they recommend and it was delicious!
The place also has a separate room that can host private party. With TVs which play sports. Pretty interesting set up.
The duck breast was a surprised. Didn’t think of having a delectable dish to go with sake and beer. The flavor was excellent but it was so tender and was perfectly cooked.
If this place is in my neighborhood, it’ll be my go to Japanese restaurant.
If you like beer, you definitely should come here. They have beer from Japan that I’ve never seen. And I don’t like to drink beer and I actually enjoyed it! The only reason why I tried the beer was because Thursday night football, they have a promo of BOGO.
The salmon bowl I had was superb. I almost think that was salmon belly cause it was so fatty and flavorful. Definitely taste the freshness.
The only one thing didn’t meet my expectation was the fried shrimp head of amaebe. It was not crunchy enough. Probably need to try it a little bit longer. I can tell because I usually are the whole thing but with this one, some shells were not crunchy.
Service wise, Gaslie the manager was very courteous and friendly, he recommended dishes that we weren’t planning to order and turned out really good.
… moreCame here again last night. This time we tried more tapas. Since I came with friends, I didn’t know the name of the dishes they ordered.
The steak skewer and it was very well flavored. Black pepper flavored and the special sauce they made was excellent but very spicy. Only thing I would improve is the kind of meat they used. It’s not the most tender and it’d be a bigger impression with more tender meat.
The salad was good, a little spicy.
Mussels was awesome. Go great with rice! The sauce was scrumptious!! Love they add beacons and heightened the flavor.
We had the duck breast again and it was so flavorful and tender.
This is my second time here and I was still impressed. Some of these tapas dishes are fusion. Some may came from French (the mussels), some may be western (beef on skillet), they put a lot of thought in creating there dishes and they are quite unique. And they tasted good.
Previous:
This place is legit. I most appreciate is the freshness of the fishes. The sashimi and the nigiri was excellent. We tried some special stuff they recommend and it was delicious!
The place also has a separate room that can host private party. With TVs which play sports. Pretty interesting set up.
The duck breast was a surprised. Didn’t think of having a delectable dish to go with sake and beer. The flavor was excellent but it was so tender and was perfectly cooked.
If this place is in my neighborhood, it’ll be my go to Japanese restaurant.
If you like beer, you definitely should come here. They have beer from Japan that I’ve never seen. And I don’t like to drink beer and I actually enjoyed it! The only reason why I tried the beer was because Thursday night football, they have a promo of BOGO.
The salmon bowl I had was superb. I almost think that was salmon belly cause it was so fatty and flavorful. Definitely taste the freshness.
The only one thing didn’t meet my expectation was the fried shrimp head of amaebe. It was not crunchy enough. Probably need to try it a little bit longer. I can tell because I usually are the whole thing but with this one, some shells were not crunchy.
Service wise, Gaslie the manager was very courteous and friendly, he recommended dishes that we weren’t planning to order and turned out really good.
Zoe
Came here with friends for a birthday party and had such a fun time! The owner Ji is super friendly and really made us feel at home.
The sake here is great — especially loved the Dassai Blue. The food was fresh and tasty — the fish was really good, and we especially enjoyed the mussels and duck breast.
The chef even surprised us with a special hand roll, which was such a nice touch. Overall, we all left happy and full — definitely a spot we’d come back to!
… moreThe sake here is great — especially loved the Dassai Blue. The food was fresh and tasty — the fish was really good, and we especially enjoyed the mussels and duck breast.
The chef even surprised us with a special hand roll, which was such a nice touch. Overall, we all left happy and full — definitely a spot we’d come back to!
KB
One of rare places that serves sushi done right in the Bay area. Perhaps the only place that did not trigger my spouse’s sensitive stomach. I would get sushi over sashimi next time as their sashimi slices were on a bit thinner side to my taste. I know the server never meant any harm, but a little more friendliness would have gone a long way.
… moreR K
4.5 stars
We made reservations and our table was ready for us when we got there. It wasn’t too busy at 7PM on a Saturday night but it definitely got full around 8PM.
There were a lot of tapa options and we opted for scallops and shishito peppers. The shishito peppers had some heat and was perfectly seasoned. The scallops were also good. It was 2 scallops with a squash base and roasted beets on the side. They were both delicious.
The $25 nigiri and maki combo was a good value. We liked that you can choose your own or chefs choice. The rice was perfectly seasoned and the fish was very fresh. The options for rolls were more limited but the ones that we ordered were very flavorful and creative.
The service was very friendly but it felt like they were short staffed since there were 2 waiters for the whole restaurant. We had to flag and wait for a while for things, but they were very friendly.
The restaurant had a nice vibe with some TVs and it wasn’t too loud even when it was full.
Overall we had a delicious meal. Some of the menu items were a little pricey for what you get but I definitely recommend the nigiri combo.
… moreWe made reservations and our table was ready for us when we got there. It wasn’t too busy at 7PM on a Saturday night but it definitely got full around 8PM.
There were a lot of tapa options and we opted for scallops and shishito peppers. The shishito peppers had some heat and was perfectly seasoned. The scallops were also good. It was 2 scallops with a squash base and roasted beets on the side. They were both delicious.
The $25 nigiri and maki combo was a good value. We liked that you can choose your own or chefs choice. The rice was perfectly seasoned and the fish was very fresh. The options for rolls were more limited but the ones that we ordered were very flavorful and creative.
The service was very friendly but it felt like they were short staffed since there were 2 waiters for the whole restaurant. We had to flag and wait for a while for things, but they were very friendly.
The restaurant had a nice vibe with some TVs and it wasn’t too loud even when it was full.
Overall we had a delicious meal. Some of the menu items were a little pricey for what you get but I definitely recommend the nigiri combo.
Avis Choi
The atmosphere at the restaurant was wonderful, and everyone was super nice.
Since it’s newly opened, it was my first time dining there, and I was pleasantly surprised. One of the servers, Sandy, was especially kind.
Overall, I highly recommend it!
… moreSince it’s newly opened, it was my first time dining there, and I was pleasantly surprised. One of the servers, Sandy, was especially kind.
Overall, I highly recommend it!
Alvaro Hoyos
We have been keeping an eye on this spot since we used to come to the previous Japanese restaurant located here and it finally (soft) opened this week.
The menu is small plates and nigiri, which is different than the usual Japanese restaurant archetypes in the area. We tried several small plates and nigiri, and even though the small plates were pretty good, the nigiri stole the show. One standout small plate was the Japanese egg dish that I want to figure out how to make at home for breakfast. It was delicate and tasty and served in a little container which I also need in my life.
My only nit is I wish they would serve ramen (just one type would be fine) just so I could meet the needs of one my picky eaters. The sake and beer list are robust, if that’s your thing.
Service was great and quick to point out items that were unavailable. Everything came out fast and given we had so many small plates, they did a good job periodically clearing the table and replacing our plates.
The ambience is modern and sparse, although I imagine it will fill in more as they settle in, but no issues with it.
Overall, I would definitely come back since we didn’t get to try the donburi and I’d like to spend more time in the nigiri portion of the menu. Recommended, especially if you want a different Japanese option that is not sushi rolls or ramen (notwithstanding my previous nit).
… moreThe menu is small plates and nigiri, which is different than the usual Japanese restaurant archetypes in the area. We tried several small plates and nigiri, and even though the small plates were pretty good, the nigiri stole the show. One standout small plate was the Japanese egg dish that I want to figure out how to make at home for breakfast. It was delicate and tasty and served in a little container which I also need in my life.
My only nit is I wish they would serve ramen (just one type would be fine) just so I could meet the needs of one my picky eaters. The sake and beer list are robust, if that’s your thing.
Service was great and quick to point out items that were unavailable. Everything came out fast and given we had so many small plates, they did a good job periodically clearing the table and replacing our plates.
The ambience is modern and sparse, although I imagine it will fill in more as they settle in, but no issues with it.
Overall, I would definitely come back since we didn’t get to try the donburi and I’d like to spend more time in the nigiri portion of the menu. Recommended, especially if you want a different Japanese option that is not sushi rolls or ramen (notwithstanding my previous nit).