Haru Haru Sushi

The sushi here is good. I am a big fan of sushi. The place is clean and the waiters are quick. I ate here at lunch a few time and the food was great. I love the Hungy Man roll.

This is a great two story place. Most guests aren’t aware of the private upstairs.
I just found out that the restaurant is out of business

We went to Haru Haru and missed the special. They run in on certain days but not the one we visited.
As usual, the meal was delicious, then serivce was great. It is just a notch below Matsu but a very good destination.
It’s been a while since we’ve been here — business was slow because it was Monday. Was it good? Yes.

Why do people like this place?
The quality is decent, but the price you pay for passably-​fresh sushi is outrageous. I went because of the 30%-off anniversary sale and because Haru Haru often gets name-​dropped as the standard for reviews of other local sushi joints. But the prices, even after the 30% off promotion, were no cheaper then elsewhere, meaning that usually they are 30% more expensive than other sushi-​ya. This is just for nigiri sushi and hand rolls because I avoid crazy fusion rolls like the plague, so I have no idea how those compare in price.
The salmon, while fresh (ish), was served almost at room temperature – which completely confused my mouth – and the unagi was barely warm, almost lukewarm, kinda disappointing (they didn’t overdo it on the unagi sauce though, good thing). While I liked the mayo sauce on the baked green mussels, they weren’t the freshest I’ve had recently.
The only two items that really stood out were the tamago-​zushi, which had the balance of sweetness to shoyu just right and was perfectly yellow and not overly browned at all, and the natto hand roll. You could tell when they opened the new package of natto because its scent filled the room :) It had a good proportion of fresh natto to warm rice, with bitter greens to balance the taste. Very Japanese.
I found the service oddly lacking, even though we were 2 of only 4 customers there at lunchtime. They forgot to set out place settings, so we had to ask for trays to pour our soy sauce, and we never got individual plates for our own sushi. Also, the waiter (owner?) disappeared about halfway through and our trays started stacking up in a distracting way.
Anyway, I don’t mind pricier sushi if the quality warrants it but Haru Haru doesn’t. 3 stars.

This place is nice, I took my mother there today for lunch. I only gave it 3 stars cos I have yet to find a place that compares to Matsu Sushi in the old market in Omaha NE. I know i know Omaha NE??? is she serious? Yes i am. The jalapeño tempura roll I had was great, the spicy red dragon was not so much. It tasted very fishy and the texture was not my cuppa tea. BUT the waiter was very friendly and helpful. The outdoor seating was lovely. Over all it was a bit pricey $ 67 for 4 rolls 2 piece sashimi and a lemonade.
I would go there again.

Ah, nostalgia. One of my very first reviews three years ago. My, how time flies. I don’t think Haru has changed much in the past few years, but I do think Unilocal has caused my sushi tastes to be much snootier. Damn this site… sometimes ignorance IS bliss.
That said, Haru’s not so bad. The sushi is fresh, the prices are decent (especially with their anniversary deals right now). But there’s just not a lot of personality… that’s the only reason for the decrease. Make no mistake though, this is still some of the freshest sushi in the lbc… just not quite five star worthy.

Me and my friend came here for lunch while going on a bike ride to LB. We decided to try this sushi restaurant. The food was good. We had a some tuna sushi which was fresh and very tasty. I also had a philly roll which was ok. My friend ordered rice nuggets which where one of the chef’s specials. These where incredibly delicious. Very appetizing dish. Also ordered salmon tartare sushi which was also pretty good. But the rice nuggets where by far the best thing I had for lunch.

I don’t give too many 4 stars, in fact this place should only have gotten a 3 stars, 3 ½ if Unilocal would allow ½ stars. But here’s why it got 4. I visited long beach on weekends for a few months while my gf was down here for training. Of all the places we tried, only a couple was good. the rest were not even decent. Infact, we came here twice, a late dinner and a lunch. The lunch earned them the extra ½ star.
The dinner was just ok. Got some Nigiri, tofu, seaweed salad, Tempura Udon, the usual. Wasn’t bad, wasn’t great. The service was good though, although it was a little slow getting the food out.
The lunch, man that was great. I got chirashi bowl and my gf ordered some kind of roll with baked scallops. You know, usually, it’s a few pieces of sushi with a small amount of scallops, not here, that sucker was covered in baby scallops. I realize baby scallops are cheaper, but it’s just as yummy. I really enjoyed it, and this is coming from a guy that rarely orders any rolls. My Chirashi was good too, the fish was fresh. Not much I can ask for. again, the server was nice and attentive.
I’ve also uploaded some pictures of the food we ordered.

In my ever lasting quest to try all of the sushi places in long beach, this weekend I went to Haru Haru. At first I couldn’t find it… bad sign, until finally I turned the corner, and just passed the Trader Joe’s I finally saw that beacon of a light up blue neon sign saying SUSHI. If you’re inside the shopping plaza, it’s across from the garment store whose mannequins are modeling gold mesh tuxedos for fathers and their toddlers, yes I just typed that correctly and no I am not stoned.
I liked Haru Haru. When you walk in there is a big sushi bar and a few tables. All these tables were full, as often happens in a small sushi restaurant. But then, the hostess said, and I quote: «Would you like to be seated upstairs?» whaaaaaaa?!? This place just took it to a whole nother level, literally. We opted for the bar since both our phones were blowing up that Jonathan Sanchez was in the middle of pitching a no-​no against my beloved padres. They gladly put espn on for us at the bar too, sweet. I liked the ambiance in this place, like an asian spa with food, even though I never got the massage or the steaming hot towels I was secretly hoping for.
We got about five rolls, and some miso soup with clams. It was pretty much like a fishy miso soup with clams and tempura cruchilies in it. Good though. It took a while for the rolls to come out, but they were quality once we got them. Their selection is not super vast, and they seem to be a tad bit eel happy, but everything was very fresh, decent sized and made very well. They were also boasting some interesting specials, though none of which I tried. I would really recommend the Ninja roll (cali roll topped with albacore, onion and a drizzle of ponzu sauce), very tasty. Also, their spicy tuna has a little extra punch but I like it that way.
The service was pretty good, not overly friendly, but not rude either… what i’m saying is my water was always refilled and I never had too many tiny plates crowding my area. I would definitely come back here again… but being priced the same as Sushi Kinoya… I have to say I would have rather been at my usual spot on Stearnes last Friday.

I’m really glad I tried this place! I came here completely by chance, having seen the sign from PCH and was craving sushi at the moment. After frequenting a few sushi chains (Niko Niko, Asahi, Midori), this one is the best. I think they have locations in Brea and Chino Hills as well. It’s a bit pricier than the other chains but rightly so.
We got the small sushi boat which was perfectly sized for me and manfriend. I thought it wasn’t going to be enough but there were about 12 rolls and 12 pieces of sashimi and fish. The large boat would have been too much.
I liked that the rolls weren’t stuff with overly creamy crab mix. The fish was very fresh and soft. I don’t know what kind of warm sake we had but it paired nicely with the rolls and sashimi. To top everything off, we had tempura fried ice cream which I had never tried before! *Gleeee* It was scrumptious. Green tea ice cream encased in tempura with chocolate syrup and whipped cream. Trust me, just try it :)
The service was pleasant and friendly. I’d go back here again in a heartbeat!

Don’t be fooled by my three star rating the food here is great… BUT the waitress spilt hot udon soup all over my jeans on accident of course but the least she could’ve done was i dunno pick up the $ 12 bottle of saki or the desert. I spent like $ 80 not including tip so obviously i’m not looking for her to pick up the whole bill. Anyway the food was great and the atmosphere was pleasant. Udon smelling jeans and 3^rd degree burns not so much.

When I arrived the doors were wide open and a cook and waiter? stood outside like they were ready and waiting for customers to start their evening! Unfortunately, I got there 15 minutes before it actually opened for dinner and the cook told me that the restaurant is closed and to come back when they open. :-/
My husband and I didn’t have anything better to do, so we waited outside till they officially opened. All I really have to say about this place is that the portions are SMALL especially for the price you pay. Service is mediocre, they did what they had to do, but they weren’t very personable and friendly. Overall there wasn’t anything impressive about it. I won’t go here again. Hibachi Sushi on the other side of the street still wins me over.

Maybe not the best, but my favorite place for Sushi in Long Beach without a doubt. The food is great as it never tastes too fishy or cheap. Its reasonably priced, and there’s a great selection.
The best thing about Haru Haru though, isn’t the food, but the people who work there. Incredibly nice chefs make your sushi quickly and always enjoy a good conversation. The last time I was there the owner helped my girlfriend and I choose good Sake and so in thanks we shared a cup with him and he even took a little bit off the tab.
I haven’t enjoyed a meal, sushi or otherwise, anywhere as much as I do at Haru Haru.

Quick & Dirty:
Just alright sushi but good atmosphere. It was okay but I wasn’t impressed. The shopping center it was in was nice. For the price it was just a-​o-​k. Noting to write home about but decent.
Long & Hard:
I went here with a friend and we got edamame, miso soup, and a few different rolls. We had a Salmon Skin roll, Spider Roll, and some other kind of roll that I can’t remember. Overall it was a nice lunch. Would I keep it on my radar for next time, no.
He got plum wine which I’m kind of over with, but whatever. I had a Sapporo Special Malt Beer which was the best thing about this place, got me a nice buzz. Well that and the fact that they leave you the F alone! We sat outside on the patio in the sun where it was warm, and nice. We weren’t rushed or anything. That was probably because we were the only people there. I’m not lying. No one was there besides us. I don’t know why. I’ve never read the reviews for this place or anything. I wasn’t blown away by the service or food, just alright.
If someone takes you here: You’re okay.
Don’t suggest this place though if you’re in charge of the decisions. If you do, others might wonder.

I have found my new Sushi Nirvana. My old Nirvana was a little hole-​in-​the-​wall called Takanawa in West LA, which has since become a literal hole, since it has been closed down.
I went in on a Friday for lunch after making an obligatory stop at BevMo for some random Heffeweissens and wine. Surprisingly, I was seated immediately at the bar and greeted by some very friendly sushi chefs.
I ordered a large Sapporo, pretty much standard for me at any sushi place. Also standard, two orders of Maguro. I pretty much base a large portion of any sushi judgment on this tasty tuna, as it is generally an indication of the freshness of the fish. I was delighted. The nigiri was perfectly medium portioned, delightfully pink, and smelled just of just a hint of fish. Perfect. As an added bonus, each order had a little bit of Sashimi on the side, so that I could try the unadulterated fish.
Before I had even finished, the very kind chef asked if I liked octopus, which he said was very fresh that day. I lied, saying that I had never tried it before, just to see what would happen. To my surprise he presented me with a little plate of octopus sashimi, served with mildly spicy pepper sauce. Again, delicious. The sauce was smokey, had just enough spice to it. The one other time I had tried octopus, I had certainly been disappointed, as the experience resembled chewing on tire. Not the case this time however. Though a bit chewy (I think it probably should be), the flavors were great.
I then moved on to the Unagi, which is another favorite. Again, i was served a perfect pairing of appropriately sweet meat. Loved it.
For my last choice, and frequently due to liquor, I invited the chef to pick something for me. I like the idea of surprise, and I like to see what they will pick for me, given my previous choices.
The chef presented me with what I thought was more Maguro, but was actually Big Eye Toro, a different species of tuna. I enjoyed this quite a bit, despite its slightly tougher consistency. I don’t think I would order it over the Maguro, but it was still pleasant nonetheless.
In the end I walked away spending $ 35 after tax and tip, and then left a few dollars in the sushi tip jar. This place was a fantastic experience, and it will now be my go-​to for great fish.
Oddly, in some sort of Karmic full circle, they play almost exactly the same music at Haru Haru as they did at my old haunt: an eclectic mix of Sinatra and other old-​school tunes. I will absolutely be back. Maybe even tomorrow!

Wow… all I can say is that Service is the tops at this place. My fiancé and I love sushi, so finding a newer sushi place in long beach (which already has many) is often a challenge.
We had seen Haru Haru when we visit bevmo and trader joes and last night we decided to try it.
Atmoshpere:
Very nice… the place is small but they maximize their use of space. There is an outside patio with heat lamps, an upper dining area, and a lower dining area with tables and a sushi bar. The décor is really nice and the only thing that bothered me was the MR16 lamps on the wall behind the bar (those little tiny bright hallogen lights) but they were not so horrible as to ruin the atmosphere… just a little distracting and about on par with other restaurants.
Food:
Okay, so sushi is one thing that you want fresh… and I found that there were some items that were extremely fresh and others that I did not find as fresh. I recommend the Yellow Tail and the white tuna. Both were extremely fresh and full of flavor. I do not recommend the UNI … sea urchin is one thing that should always be the freshest, especially when you live on the west coast where there is an abundance… it was passable but not the best I have had.
Service:
EXCEPTIONAL! Wow… I have been to many sushi places and this one is among the top in service. The waitresses were really nice and the Sushi Chef was awesome. We sat at the bar and after a few portions of Yellow Tail we asked the chef what kind of drink he would like. he conferred with his other chefs and they bought an Asahi… we all drank and it was at this point that he started giving us generous portions of sushi. It was funny and nice to watch him give us some sushi on the sly and put his finger to his mouth saying «Shhhhh» wow excellent.
Once he knew that we were Yellow Tail fans he gave us a free sample of the White tuna which blew me away! I will definitely be ordering that next time. Also, he recommended the Big Eye Tuna and the fresh oyster for our next visit… I will certainly be ordering them! Though I am contemplating just going in and asking him to pick out the best dishes. He was so nice and said «you come back and I take care of you» I will definitely be back!
This is also one of only two restaurants I have been to where on the first night I have had the chef or waitress say «see you tomorrow» … I love that.
This is not the most fancy sushi place in town, but the service is amazing. The sushi was a little hit and miss but if you ask what is the freshest I do not think you’ll be disappointed
Happy Dining… «HAI!».

Average. 3.5
Service was good, since we’re the only one there.
Sushi was average.
The husband and I went there in passing. We were driving down PCH and I just spotted «Haru Haru «and I remembered that well it’s the same as the one on Imperial. Went there in search of the little restaurant and was really glad that it was even open.
Went in and we were the only customer’s there. So of course we were served right away.. We ordered the sashimi and I’m quite sad and very disappointed but that was a waste. It wasn’t as fresh and others and it just lacked the «buttery smooth» feeling. Then I got the lobster roll.. that’s not the real name but i just remember that it has lobster with it. We were still quite hungry so we ordered crunch philly roll. They don’t have that there like the Brea location but they really tried to make it so it was alright. 12 $ for that roll though.

So the first time I came here I was with family. We were given an Amuse-​bouche that was incredible. Nigiri sushi was devoured and all were happy.
Fast forward to yesterday with killer ducks and two of the funniest sistas to eat some sushi with. The seaweed/​kelp salad was good. The sashimi appetizer plate was decent and looked pretty. Yeah, I do notice such things and sometimes food aesthetics do matter. Come on, we all know that pancakes always taste better when they’re shaped like Mickey Mouse! Don’t even front like you don’t know what I’m talking about.
No Orion? Damn. Things got a little more hairy when the waitress didn’t know about the sushi checklist menu. She consulted the chef and presto… it came. We marked off our choices and handed it back.
No toro? Double Damn. Minus 1 star. «They must be f*cking with us, right?»
No crab nigiri sushi? Oh hell no. I guess we have no choice but to double up on the albacore and salmon and call it a night.
«Do wah ju seh yo…»
«Aww damn. They’re Korean,» exclaimed Hana, our resident sushi-​should-​be-​made-​by-​Japanese snob. Cid and I decided it was time to pimp Hana and have her start the ill communication with the staff in Korean.
We got some free food and MUCH better service. Things picked up a little, but the «free» dishes seemed to be smothered with mayo or thousand island and resembled the usual bullsh*t ordered by sorority girls at Wasabi.
«I sooo LOVE sushi, can I have, like, a Super Sexy Time Orange County Roll please?»
The LOWDOWN
Minus 1 star for not having toro (fatty tuna) or crab. I was in the mood for both and was ultimately never satisfied.
Minus 1 and a half stars for the way off Ama-​ebi and the overly bizarre «free» dishes. How do you mess up deep fried shrimp heads?
Plus 1 star for playing standards in the background. Nothing like Sinatra to add to your sushi experience.
Plus 1 and a half stars for the sashimi appetizer and the salmon nigiri sushi. They tasted like they were supposed to. I guess I’ll take this place over any of the Belmont Shore sushi joints. (2.5 stars)

I must admit, finding a new restaurant can be like looking for Carmen San Diego. On my latest sushi excursion with Hana K and Rodger R, I was determined to find the spot. I was going to use map quest, but from what I understand… it ain’t always right. I was not in the mood to end up Cypress or Hawaiian Gardens, so I used the latest and greatest tool possible: Google Earth! I want to see the fucking intersection from an aerial view. It works! Once I spotted the In-​and Out burger from above, I was centered. I knew where the hell I was going. Subsequently, I arrived about 20 minutes early ;p
As I waited for my fellow Unilocalers to arrive, I was seated and chatted for a moment with the waitress. The place is small, but nicely decorated. She was nice and complimented me on my green ensemble. Yeah, give that lady a tip! I spied the lovely and talented Hana K approach with a goodie bag. Presents! Yay! Then hot-​ass Rodger from the LBC walked in; my fellow hip-​hop experts with me for my weekly sushi thang.
Let’s get this party started!
Haru Haru is nice. There weren’t many patrons, but that made the dinner nice and casual. There is an outside patio with a heater and there were a few folks hanging out there. I was intrigued by the nearby pilates studio. The chicks did not look like it was working for them. Ack… who are they kidding? There’s and In N Out on the corner! You can’t pass THAT up even after pilates!
Rodger and Hana ordered from a special menu which Rodger requested. They were bringing plates out like we were the fucking Windsors. The new waitress who came on duty did not seem to understand some things. After Hana began ordering her around in her native tongue… we had no more problems! Hana even told the poor girl to bring us free shit… and she did! Not that we needed any. There was so much fish on the table that I thought we were at the fucking Aquariam! I’m not a sushi expert by no means, I can’t begin to tell you what was on all those plates, but Hana can! The free dish they brought was some sort of Chef’s special, but it looked like a science project. My dinner mates did not eat much of it and I was not about to touch the shit.
We enjoyed all the fresh sushi and shared my spider roll. I ordered a bento box and thought that it could double as a taco fixin’s type dish. Yay… Hana said that she knew where to get them. Way cool.
As we were finding our way to our cars, I noticed some ducks in the pond. Hana told me that she’d cursed out a duck upon arrival and I laughed so hard on the way home… I forgot to stop at In N Out!

Dinner with two of my favorite people (LBC Hottie Rodger + International Ghetto Superstar Cidne) — check
Looking cute in a summer outfit and flip flops — check
Almost being attacked by hungry, aggressive ducks — check *
Cute décor and chill atmosphere — check
Listening if the servers and chefs speak Korean — check
Shit. Another Korean-​owned sushi place. Let me open my bottle of Hater-​ade real quick.
Yes, I have a personal bias against Korean-​owned sushi restaurants. Yes, I’m Korean. Yes, I’m probably hyper-​critical of my own people. I’m allowed, so back off.
The dinner started out okay. We had our chilled glasses filled with Asahi and munched on a free cucumber/​seaweed salad. We ordered the Sashimi appetizer which had nice presentation according to Rodger. (I don’t care about such things.) The cuts of salmon, tuna, yellowtail, and albacore were generous but nothing special.
We asked the nice but confused waitress for the sushi checklist. She gave us the WTF look. She told the sushi chefs that we wanted the sushi ordering list, and I noticed they all spoke Korean. I relayed the info to Rodger and Cid, and they insisted that I play the Korean card. Rodger and I studied the sushi list, made our selections, and handed it over to the waitress. The waitress came back twice to tell us they were out of some stuff. Dammit. At this point, I told her to hook us up with some freebies (aka «service»). She said the chef would take care of us.
We started with a few more appetizers. The Agadashi tofu was meh. Imagine deep-​fried tofu drowning in a soy broth. Rodger liked the smoked salmon with capers. It was okay, but I’m not a big fan of mayo sauce. Capers schmapers. Cid enjoyed her spider roll, and I thought it was good enough. I tasted a bit of Cid’s bento box. The fried tempura was light and tasty. The teriyaki chicken was your average teriyaki chicken. I’m sure Daisy enjoyed the rest of it later.
On to the sushi — We ordered so much that I can’t do the play-​by-​play. Overall the fish was decent quality but nothing was spectacular. The cuts were large, but size doesn’t matter when it comes to sushi. The tuna was good not great. The salmon might have been good but came bathed in ponzu sauce. The seared albacore was more mushy/​stringy than melt-​in-​your-​mouth. I tried one sweet shrimp, and that tasted just wrong. It wasn’t bad enough to spit out, but I needed to wash the taste out of my mouth with more beer.
At the end of the meal, they brought out the «service.» Three tuna «rolls» — two tuna pieces wrapped around some spicy tuna. Again with that damn mayo sauce. They also gave us a «salad» which looked like a tuna/​lettuce explosion. My inner bitch thinks that they gathered all the tuna and fish scraps that they couldn’t sell, poured dressing over it, and added tons of sesame oil for «flavor.» I had one bite, and that was enough. It was a nice gesture. Well, I asked for the freebies but it was still nice.
I hate to pass judgment on a restaurant based on one visit. However, I believe that first impressions are everything. It’s a cute place, but I won’t be back anytime soon. Food ranged from decent to meh. Service was inconsistent but very nice. Prices were reasonable. Considering the damage, the bill wasn’t too bad.
Overall Haru Haru gets 2.5 stars. An evening with my favorite people is 5 gold stars.
* Note: when I walked into the plaza, I saw a sign that said «Don’t feed the ducks.» Then I saw a trio of ducks near me. Cute. I paused to get something out of my purse, and that’s when they started quacking and waddling towards me. They probably thought I had food in my purse. I waved my arms and said, «I got nothing. Go away.» They waddled closer and quacked even louder. The big one was dangerously close to my uncovered toes. Is Hana going to have to choke a duck? I cussed them out and jetted out of there. Whew. That was a close call.