HAMACHI-Ni - Japanese Fish Restaurant — Restaurant in Sofia City

Had a fantastic time here. Delicious food and great service. I tried a few things here and what I fell in love with and recommend is the Vegetarian tempura with shiitake (Темпура зеленчуци с гъби шийтаке) as it was phenomenal. A light and crispy batter, and perfectly seasoned vegetables, it was absolutely delicious. Even though it was fried it did not feel greasy in the slightest and did not feel heavy on the stomach at any point. A close second of my favorites was the Гьоза с говеждо Wagyu (Wagyu beef gyōza). They were so juicy, tender and flavorful. Next time I definitely need to try all of their gyozas because these were absolutely delicious. The one thing that did not particularly suit my taste was the Duck meat SousVide (Патешко бутче, приготвено на ниска температура). I just did not really like the flavor of the sauce. The duck was cooked well but since the flavor didn't suit me I will order something else next time. The Sushi menu (Суши меню) that were got to share for the whole table was also great. Overall, the food was delicious. Next time I will definitely try their ramen, and get more of the tempura and gyozas. The service was very professional. Our waitress was very knowledgeable and helped us with our wine selection. There were 2 mishaps that were handled very professionally so it did not leave a bad impression at all. The first is that our wine was forgotten when we got our other drinks. Once reminded the waitress immediately apologized and even gave us an appetizer on the house for the mistake. The 2nd was when we ordered a second serving of gyozas and they never came, it was an error in their system. Honestly it was actually lucky for us because we ordered them after just tasting the 1st ones but after eating the other food we ate we were so full we could not have finished them. The only actual thing that might need improvement is for everyones' food to be delivered at the same time as there was a bit of waiting for some...

We went to Hamachi-Ni fully aware that the prices will be steep, but the experience will probably be worth it. That’s pretty much how the evening went down. Everything we tried had great taste and was prepared very well. Our choices included a couple of different salads (one with tuna sashimi, one with shrimp and mushrooms), the ground wagyu gyoza, duck with jasmine rice, pork ramen and some drinks (sake). Portion sizes were decent, in fact, we skipped desert not to save money, but because we had enough food (and in order to avoid sugar in general). All of the food tasted great, with the only dish slightly underwhelming being the pork ramen - it should have been hotter and saltier. That being said, the saltiness is purely a matter of personal taste, so maybe you’ll be fine with it. Presentation of the dishes was fine. Nothing out of this world, totally ok. A couple of small issues - there are no salt shakers on the table, what you see is what you get. Also, the glass dividers between tables are not my cup of tea, they tend to swing a little bit and you may hit one of them by mistake while reaching for your chop sticks or cup with drink.

Regarding the service, we were treated very nicely, the servers were attentive and kind. No complaints.

With all of that being said - this is a pricy place. We spent 180 BGN for two people, fully aware that we are there to pay for an experience. This is not a place we will be going to on a weekly basis, but is worth visiting every so often as a treat.

Highly...

When I first visited this place, I was truly impressed. The beautiful tables, innovative concept, delicious cuisine, and even the high prices seemed justified by the wonderful atmosphere and exceptional food.

Unfortunately, when my wife and I returned this year for our anniversary, our experience was quite different. The only positive aspect was the kindness of the staff, particularly a blonde lady who was very attentive. However, we were disappointed to see one of the male waiters openly drinking beer during his shift, right in front of the manager and hours before the end of his workday. This was surprising and unprofessional.

The atmosphere has also taken a downturn. The bar is now cluttered and looks untidy, a stark contrast to the inviting setting we remembered. The food, once a highlight, was far from great. Having lived across Asia for many years—including Japan, Korea, and China—I was deeply let down by the quality. It no longer stands out; in fact, it tasted like generic fast-food sushi but at a much higher price.

While we left a tip out of appreciation for the kind service we received from the blonde staff member, unfortunately, one good employee can’t make up for the overall decline. In a place marketed as fine dining, I also expect the staff to wear professional attire, not casual outfits that would be more appropriate for a budget eatery.

The only silver lining was realizing that we can prepare far better Asian cuisine at home, so for now, we’ll...