Hana Matsuri Omakase Glendale — Restaurant in Glendale

It’s hard to call this a review but more of an ode to Hana Matsuri and Chef Duy Pham.

I had made a reservation Wednesday for a Saturday table ,skipping the omakase option. Every time I’ve tried an omakase service elsewhere, I always felt like it wasn’t the highlights of the menu.

After reading reviews and a few posts on social media, others raved about the omakase and personal service from Chef Duy, I wanted to give it a try. I called Saturday afternoon to see if I could switch our reservation to omakase (way after the 24 hour requirement) and Chef Duy ended up staying late to accommodate the request. The bartender took my call and asked what type of spirit we liked and have cocktail ready for us.

From the second we sat down at the sushi bar and were greeted by the chef and staff we were absolutely spoiled. Our 1st four courses were ready when we sat down. Shortly after our cocktail arrived and it was fantastic .

The meal felt like a dream, at one point I lost track of what bites we were trying! As we chatted with chef Duy he started to instinctually pick up on what fish and flavors we liked. 3 of our courses were created on the spot and wash one was exceptional. Chef Duy assured us he knew what it tasted like in his head. Each bite was better than the last.

We were give 2 different type of scallop courses and chef explained how each was different and exactly the flavor profiles and texture were going to experience . It was wild. The week before I was in coastal Mexico and the octopus course at Hana Matsuri was cooked to perfection and had tasted fresher than any piece I had on vacation .

After our final course , chef had asked how many courses that was. The chef was having just as much fun as us. Lost in fish bliss I said 6-7. It was 13. Chef asked which course we would like to try again, and gave us an encore.

I am no foodie but I do know food made with passion and exceptional service . Hana Matsuri has elevated both of these.

The value for what we were served at $150 per person was absolutely incredible . I’ve spent far more at other Denver sushi spots and never left with the smile I did after our meal .

The restaurant it’s self is beautiful and modern inside.

While we had all of the chefs undivided attention , he still kept an eye on his line and the dishes going out to other tables. It was a true art of leadership watching chef prepare our amazing experience, while making sure all the dinners were having an equal experience . All the rolls and fish we saw leave the sushi bar looked exceptional.

One of the highlights and unexpected dishes was the lobster bisque . Not what you would expect at a sushi spot but it was the best I have tried. Chef explained his background and training with a French background at the and that really brought it all together.

To top it all off , we were brought an incredible house made cake for a birthday we were celebrating .

I cannot recommend the omakase enough! Go as soon as you can before the secret is out about Hana Matsuri!!

Only regret is only getting 1 photo. Yes , that’s a qual egg on top of salmon...

The food here is amazing, but I highly recommend not ordering takeout.

I placed an order on Saturday at around 3:15 with a pickup time of 3:45. They utilize multiple services for both takeout and delivery, I ordered through the Toast app. When I arrived at 3:45 to pick up my order the hostess informed me that order had just been picked up by a Door Dash driver. I let her know that I ordered through Toast, and then between her and another host they determined that they had given my order to that driver. At that point they said they would remake the food and if I could wait 10 minutes. It would've taken much longer to do something else so I said yes.

Ten minutes go by...then another 10 minutes, and the host comes by and says it'll be 5 more minutes. No mention of the additional wait or any apology for the inconvenience. I finally get my food about an hour after I ordered it.

Nearly five hours later I get a phone call from the restaurant. The person calling asks me why I never picked up my food. I explain the situation I experienced at the restaurant and she asks if I went to the wrong location (I had already explained that they had my order, just given to someone else, but I reiterated that I ordered and picked up at Glendale) and if I spoke to the manager (not sure why this is relevant?). Just as oddly, she says she was there at the restaurant when I picked up my order (not sure how this is relevant either)? It seemed more like a fact finding mission than any attempt to correct a poor customer service experience. I'm not really sure what the point of this call was, but I also hope it wasn't to have me pick up an order of raw fish that had been sitting out for 4+ hours? She offered nothing else and just said sorry to have bothered me.

This is one of the worst service experiences I've had in some time. The food is good enough that I would come back to dine in, but will never order...

This is the best sushi in Denver.

I've been a regular here for over a year and I'm just finally writing a review(Sorry!).

I used to be a regular at Sushi Den and have enjoyed many experiences at Uchi and Matsuhisa as well, but since trying Hana Matsuri I haven't even considered returning anywhere else. The pricing is more affordable, the cuts of fish are just as expertly crafted, yet slightly more generous portions, the freshness and quality is unrivaled and the service is fantastic.

The staff and owners deserve a shoutout because they are so friendly and go above and beyond to make you feel at home while being extremely professional and knowledgeble. They are a massive reason we continue to return. Having said that, and as fantastic as they are, the sushi is the main reason we come back so often.

The food is the real star of the show and Chef Duy and the rest of the kitchen staff are at the heart of it. Chef Duy has a unique culinary background with French cuisine and Sushi being his greatest strengths. His omakase experience is the best I've ever had and the amount of courses and the quality of fish and dishes are well beyond the current value they charge ($150 pp). You get the freshest seasonal fish as well as all the best and most sought after bites/cuts, AND some expertly crafted dishes and dessert. What makes it so unique is his mastery of different cuisines and his ability to pair flavors and textures that you're likely to have never tried, but sure to love. We had some absolutely mind blowing bites at our last experience with him and I'm looking forward to the next already.

I also can't forget the bar staff who make some exceptional cocktails, and there are some amazing sake's and japanese whiskey's to check out as well.

If you like sushi, this will quickly become your new...