Haru Sushi Bar — Restaurant in Região Geográfica Imediata do Rio de Janeiro

We were 3 people and went there the 23.02 without reservation, luckily we could get in very fast. First the place and atmosphere is amazing, really well done, we are glad that we decided to eat inside and not in the tables outside. We order some starters and sushi and they were really good, well prepared and tasty Sadly they came on different times to different people, so while o e could eat the others were waiting and I think in a place like this is not something g you expect to happen. Then we order the mains mine was amazing (Bifun) but my partner ordered the Yakisoba, while I do understand everyone has different preferences we all tried her dish and it was very bland, only at the end it was more flavour (most of the sauce did not stick to the noodles and it was all the way down) Nos sadly our biggest complain is about the service, Paula in the beginning was very friendly but very fast we felt we were ignored, she was bringing the dishes with saying what it is (and as is our first time we had no idea of what was being brought and to whom it belonged) at the end she was barely helpful, she brought the bill basically dropping it at our table while passing by shouts saying anything. We waited 10 minutes and she never came to let us pay, when we put the bill very obviously for her to notice she grab it and put it down again, then my girlfriend ask if we can pay with credit card (of course we know we can, it was just for her to “maybe” notice we are waiting only her for paying) and still she didn’t came and was just walking around and looking other people. At the end we asked someone else for paying the bill. All and all the food was mostly tasty, but the service was very bad, not even for a Michelin star place, at any place I would have felt uncomfortable of a waiter...

I decided to dine at Haru Sushi Bar based on glowing recommendations, its presence in the Michelin Guide, and the promise of a high-end experience. I had recently arrived in Rio and this was my very first meal of the day. I was genuinely excited.

Unfortunately, only a few hours after eating there, I suffered a serious case of food poisoning that required a hospital stay. Blood tests confirmed a bacterial infection and the medical team told me it was caused by something I had eaten very recently in the previous hours (this meal). Possibly just one contaminated oyster or shellfish, which, as they explained, can happen even in quality establishments.

I reached out to the restaurant with the expectation that a place of this standing would take the issue seriously and offer a customer-oriented approach. The team was empathetic, and their nutritionist, who called me directly, was very kind. However, there were inconsistencies between what she said and the information I received from customer service through instagram. I was reassured multiple times that someone would get back to me, yet weeks passed without resolution, and in the end, I was not offered any form of compensation or even closure.

Despite being cooperative and sharing all the documents they asked for (medical records etc) I gradually came to realise that a refund of my meal, which I consider the bare minimum given the traumatic experience and the costs I incurred, would likely never be offered.

This review is not written out of bitterness. I understand that incidents like this can happen anywhere. But what disappointed me was the lack of a consistent and customer-oriented response. From a restaurant with this level of reputation, I expected a more reliable and responsible handling of the situation as well...

Style over substance – not authentic sushi.

Overpriced for the quality. None of the chefs working here show any understanding of Japanese sushi tradition. Instead of employing an army of service staff swarming the tables, they should invest in properly trained itamae who know their craft.

Main issues: – Dish order completely wrong. Starters and mains were mixed up and served simultaneously. Even fried tempura rolls arrived with the first bites. Any trained sushi chef knows that the sequence of dishes – from lighter sashimi or nigiri towards heavier cooked items – is absolutely key to the dining experience. – Amuse-bouche trickery. An unsolicited amuse-bouche was placed on the table and then charged for. In proper Japanese dining culture, nothing appears unrequested – this practice felt dishonest and disrespectful. especially that they tried to charge for this dish at the end – Climate control disaster. The air conditioning was freezing cold; guests were literally sitting in coats. When addressed, the staff did nothing. Comfort and ambience are just as much part of omotenashi as the food itself.

Conclusion: A lot of show, design, and swarms of staff, but very little mastery of sushi as an art form. True sushi culture is about precision, restraint, and respect for the sequence of the meal – none of which was present here. For the price charged, the experience is simply not worth it. Those who value authentic Japanese dining should...