Hana re — Restaurant in Costa Mesa

[1 Michelin Star] This is one of the best sushi experience I’ve had so far. I just recently found out this restaurant and luckily it’s not very far from my house compared to other Michelin restaurants in LA!

The restaurant is pretty hidden and only take reservations by phone or text. The service is phenomenal by giving me a text with the exterior photo of the restaurant, making it easier for me to find the place. The restaurant looks like a storage container on the exterior creating the contrast when you go in. The interior is beautiful with ropes from the ceiling, dividing the table seating with bar seating areas and creating privacy. The restaurant sign is small so the text message really help!

The omakase menu I had: Hagatsuo / White Bonito sesame dressing, Sweet onion, myoga, chive Four small bowls: Bowl 1: Sweet corn with blue shrimp, Sawagani / Fresh water crab Bowl 2: Shiro Ebi / Sweet Shrimp, caviar & cabbage purée Bowl 3: Japanese Cuttlefish with Red sea urchin shiso flower, fresh wasabi Bowl 4: Pen shell scallop and lobster with dashi Jelee Unagi, cucumber, zucchini, okura. Kegani / Hair crab, Nagaimo with Tosazu vinegar Sake Steamed Ezoawabi ( Abalone) with Hokkaido Uni, daikon radish Risotto Sashimi (4 pieces): Same karei / Flounder Shiro Shake / Ivory King Salmon Akami / Bluefin Tuna Hiramasa / Summer yellowtail Ainame / Green ling, Aosa seaweed, Asparagus Tajima Beef, A5 Black Japanese beef from Hyogo Sushi (8 pieces): Shima Aji / Striped jack Meichi Dai / Long eye snapper Toro / Fatty Tuna Shiokko / Amber jack Ji Kinme / Alfonsino Ebo Dai. / Butter fish Kinki / Thorny head Uni / Santa Barbara Sea urchin Panna cotta with Tree ripened Mango

The 10-course omakase is amazing!! I pair it with cold sake and fall in love with the pretty sake shots also! The service again is phenomenal throughout the course. I got a chance to meet with chef Atsushi Yokoyama at the end of the course. He came out to check on us a few times before a brief talk at the end. Thank you for bring such a great dining...

Hanare is one of two restaurants in Orange County that was awarded a Michelin star, and I got the chance to go for dinner today.

The booking process took a long time. There are literally only two seats at the bar, so I had to get a spot that someone canceled on.

I arrived at the Lab early, so I walked around a bit. The restaurant is fairy hidden, in the corner of a building with very little signage.

The door was closed at 5pm, and I didn’t even know if they were open. But I opened the door and got seated at the very small bar. They only have two seats available now due to covid restrictions, but they said that normally they are able to fit 10 people at the bar, which is more than I would have thought could fit. The arrangement is actually very nice. There is a water glass with a coaster, a small cloth napkin, a nice paper drink menu, and a set of chopsticks and spoon. The first way to tell that this is a nice restaurant that really cares about their presentation is their chopsticks. I have never seen these types of chopsticks before. They are length wise symmetric, but not rotationally. One side is thicker than the other, and they are rectangular in cross section, with a round taper on each end. They are pretty unique, and area already separated with no splinters.

I got seated as the only person in the restaurant right when they started dinner service, but not too long after food started coming out.

The first half was small dishes from the kitchen with a little bit of prep from the chef. Then the second half was nigiri. All of the dishes were interesting, but I preferred to focus on enjoying the experience rather than trying to write about each food and write...

Hana re is one of Orange County’s most exclusive and exceptional dining experiences. Tucked behind the LAB Anti-Mall, this Michelin-starred sushi counter offers a serene, minimalist setting with only a handful of seats, making each visit feel highly personal and immersive. Chef Atsushi Yokoyama leads a seasonal omakase journey that blends traditional Japanese technique with artistic presentation and world-class ingredients.

The multi-course tasting menu features highlights like pristine sashimi, whelk shellfish with caviar, and perfectly marbled A5 Japanese beef—each dish thoughtfully paced and presented with care. The sake pairings are refined and well-matched, and the staff provides knowledgeable, attentive service throughout the evening.

Everything here is intentional, from the atmosphere to the smallest garnish. It’s a high-end experience, both in price ($250/pp) and execution, but for sushi purists or those seeking a special culinary moment, Hana re absolutely delivers. Reservations are required, and the restaurant has a strict cancellation policy.

Hana re is probably Costa Mesa's best Japanese restaurant and is perfect for anniversaries, celebrations, or a...