HARU Omakase — Restaurant in Columbus

Might be some of the higher qualities of sashimi/sushi we've enjoyed in the U.S. For this price, it's actually not too bad. We definitely left with a full tummy and I'd like to say me with a full heart of gratitude that we have something like this in around Columbus

We came on what was the official first weekend open to the public. We had reservations, which I would encourage you to do if you plan to dine here.

Finding it wasn't difficult, but at the time, at least, Google still couldn't exactly show you where it was on the map. We knew it was from the same owners as Fukuryu Ramen, so I parked near the large Fukuryu sign but didn't know where Haru was until I saw a piece of paper taped to one of the doors. I'm sure an official sign is planned. Later, our server informed us that they wanted to open immediately but hadn't secured a location, so they decided to just convert the Polaris Fukuryu Ramen location into Haru.

The space is well adorned, with dark mood lighting and tasteful accents. The whole place likely seats around 50 people, with about 10 spots available at the bar upon prior request. It was intimate and quiet and a wonderful way to spend a night with good company.

The menu is available online to view which isn't exactly omakase in the purest form, but being in Columbus, it's likely for the best to let people opt out of the meal ahead of time.

For the basic meal (Tours), I felt the price was very reasonable for the quality and care everything received. We each added the sake pairing and then added 2 of the "premium" add-on dishes towards the end. So with tip, we were pushing $300+ out the door. It adds up fast. We'd have ordered more extra food and drinks, but the meal was already well above what we initially planned to spend. All this is to say - come prepared for a pricey meal.

Every "tour" or course was better than the last - each composed of 1-3 exquisite bites that were well constructed and offered subtle but bold and nuanced variation on the classic sushi theme. I'd have happily paid to revisit a course or two, if possible. I will note that the matcha crème brûlée was excellent but very large and heavy sitting. It didn't hamper the meal, but it definitely filled us up to the point we decided against going somewhere for more drinks after. It felt a little off-theme given how delicate every other menu item was, so I'd love to see the dessert course change over time and match the finesse of the rest of the meal.

The add-ons we tried were delicious, but it is important to note that most are around $20 for a single piece of nigiri. Worth trying, but they won't fill you up and are difficult to split if you only order one piece.

The sake pairings were done well. I'm not someone who drinks sake often, but I'm a producer and consumer of various forms of alcohol and could immediately taste the quality of the chosen sakes. Each was smooth and delicate. We made note to find a couple of them for personal consumption later.

Our service was informative and not rushed. It was obvious they were still training some of the staff, but everyone we interacted with did a wonderful job. Our meal easily took north of 2.5 hours and could have extended longer, so be aware that the experience is one meant to be savored, not rushed.

Overall, we will definitely be returning, but likely not for a while since we can not afford to eat like this often. I hope to see the menu change seasonally, if not frequently, to encourage repeat business. Highly...

Summary: great food, great quality, great drinks, great service, great experience overall. The menu changes every 6 weeks depending on what is in season.

We have been here twice now and noticed improvements. We really appreciate the attention and willingness to accept and implement feedback.

Pro: All the seafood was very fresh. A lot of thought went into each tour/menu and balancing all flavors and textures Ambiance Interaction with the Chef and staff Drinks (we tried the Shiso Mojito and Sake pairing) The price is competitive for the Midwest, but the overall amount of food is reflective of this, however, this is good for me because I’m typically forcing myself to finish the last few courses at other places and not able to enjoy the whole experience really recommend paying the extra $10/seat to sit at the bar so that you can see the technique that goes into preparing every bite as well as interacting with the chefs. Best bite of flounder I’ve ever had. The fusion of flounder with the umami from the miso along with the tart is the like was the perfect blend. Chef Yudi’s menus are excellent and unique. He introduces complex flavors and textures by combining unexpected ingredients (yuzu chipotle, yuzu miso, pickled wasabi, kimchi, ume paste, curry). Even with bold choices, every ingredient can still be appreciated and nothing will ever overpower the fish. Every combination works well and compliments each other.

Improvements: during the first time we went here, the rice texture was a bit more hard on one of the bites, sort of like it wasn’t cooked properly which was not acceptable for a restaurant of this standard. During our second time, there was a huge improvement on the rice. Every bite that has rice was consistent. The rice was warm and soft, some may say softer than normal, but I enjoyed it. The flavor was perfect. During our first time, there was one lead chef and two assistant chefs for the whole restaurant. This meant that it took a little longer between the courses/tours. And you might get seated after your reservation time if you were waiting on your table/seat to finish. For our second time, there was still one head chef, but now three assistant chefs. We really liked that the two assistant chefs from our first visit seemed like they have taken on more responsibilities. They were also training the third assistant chef. For our second visit, the courses came out at a good speed. I would like to see a different dessert course next time as they were the same when everything else on the menu has changed.

Leftover from my review of our first experience: I came after this place was only opened for 2 weeks (6 nights). I’m still giving 5/5 stars because I whole heartedly want this place to succeed, and believe the rice consistency was a fluke, and the speed will be fixed after everyone starts getting into the rhythm. It has everything it needs to be one of the top restaurants in Columbus, but just needs some...