Hanako Japanese Restaurant in Watford

Quick and friendly service, small. Varied menu, good food, not cosy.

Dropped in for lunch - its a fairly low key cafe style place - had a bento box and was hugely impressed. Sushi, gyoza, chicken katsu, all just really top quality. Recommended

Very good food with generous portions. The ramen was really good. We were served by a very friendly lady. Thank you, we will definitely visit again.

As a Hongkonger, I have to say this eatery offers the best and the most authentic Japanese food I’ve ever tried in the area, and the service is excellent (not the slightest trace of racism as suggested by a reviewer whatsoever!) Don’t be put off by the dim light - it’s very neat and clean inside, and the origami and the Japanese scrolls instantly transports us to somewhere in Japan. All dishes are exceptional :- The tempura is perfect - crispy, crunchy but light. The dip - just the right flavour, not too salty. Udon and ramen are cooked to perfection. The variety of vegetables with the noodles is impressive. The sushi is heavenly. Nigiri has really fresh raw fish. The cucumber maki is so well made with cucumber finely sliced, and the futo-maki, according to my daughter, is delicious too. The food is not in the cheap range, but every detail in the dish and the decor just make it worth it. Highly recommend!

Great food. Need to get their lights fixed as half were off. Good good and good service.

some of the food is nice but some really are not, like the seafood pancake, I would not recommend it. The food is a bit overpriced, besides I have bad feelings from the lady owner, I saw she is very kind and polite to other local British people, but very impatient to us (Asian face?) She gave everyone candy when they paid the bills but not us, even when I tried to ask her did she forget to give us? She says no, is not for us, what shameful for not giving customers just a piece of candy. I really hope that is not a discrimination.

Excellent Japanese cafe/restaurant. Everything freshly made, lunchtime specials a delight 😊

Incredible service. Only place to eat sushi in Watford

Best authentic sushi place ive been to ever. Service was top notch. Kindly showing us the traditional way to eat the different dishes. Food was delicious, fresh fish that just falls apart in the mouth. I sincerely hope to come back one day to have the wonderful experience again. Hanako you are the best !! ❤️

The hidden gem of watford. Don't tell your friends, it's the best kept secret. The best food you've ever eaten.

What a fantastic hidden gem. Warm, welcoming and authentic. Thank you for having us

One of the best and most authentic Japanese restaurants that I’ve been to! I’ve had some sushi for starters and the prawn yakisoba noodles. They also served a special Valentines dessert, which was also really nice! I will definitely return soon! 😊

Very authentic Japanese cuisine and atmosphere. The food was clearly prepared with love and attention. Thank you!

Delicious traditional Japanese food in a cosy restaurant. The owners are really lovely. The udon hot pot and the fried noodles were scrumptious.

Our son wanted to have his birthday meal here and I'm glad he chose to eat at Hanako! We had a warm welcome by the host/owner, who was attentive & friendly. The menu has a lot of choice & covers a wide range of Japanese dishes. We had a selection of sushi, and an okonomiyaki for staters, and for mains different ramens and plated dishes. The food was delicious and the portions were generous. Our son had a complimentary birthday drink to top off a great evening. Highly recommended if you want some authentic Japanese cuisine! Thank you Hanako!

One of the best places to eat in Watford

Loved this place. Went for dinner today and the food was incredible. The lady was such a lovely person. Definitely returning!

Lovely sushi with very fresh fish, fatty tuna and the eel unagi nigiris were amazing, I also had the miso soup with mussels and it came with 3 huge mussels, very nice. Great chef, Manageress was lovely and welcoming as well. Would totally recommend 👍🏻

The food is the best and most authentic Japanese food I’ve had in UK so far. The chicken hot pot with udon is very tasty and well suited in the freezing weather! The atmosphere is very friendly and quiet therefore we definitely enjoy our dinner a lot! It’s well worth and we’ll return for sure!

I love this place, it's ran by a lovely Japanese woman, food is very tasty and the service is excellent. She gave us an origami crane at the end of the meal for good luck over Christmas. I hadn't been here in a while but after my trip to Japan, I came back and craved Japanese food so i had to come here again for some authentic Japanese. Never disappointed.

Such amazing food. Great, friendly service and again, amazing food. Highly recommend the spicy hand rolls! The wonderful owner made me a paper crane for Christmas! First time here, but definitely not the last.

Personnel très agréable. Commandes servies rapidement. Le ramen était délicieux! Je recommande :D Merci beaucoup pour l’accueil! Arigato gozaimasu!

Tasty food and great sushi in very authentic old school restaurant. Well recommended even though it is quite expensive...

Fantastic sushi. Well worth your time and money.

Lovely family run Japanese small restaurant, very homely vibe. Been a couple of times in the past couple of months, and both times, food was great. Chicken katsu curry was lovely. I tried my fellow diners' food and can say it was all delicious. The food was also very satisfying for one of the slightly fussy vegetarian amongst us. It's a small place, so expect a bit of wait if they are busy with takeout orders. The lady at the front of the house is very attentive despite how busy she gets. Would definitely recommend this place, and come back regularly to get my fix of Japanese food in Watford.

Lovely place! welcoming people and delicious food! Watford look after this independent family resteraunt will see you again!

Really Lovely place with a fantastic formidable owner who makes the experience spot on. Best Gyoza's this side of Tokyo. Menu is really simple, quality over quantity. The Sake is something else. Go there....

Been there many times and have friends from Japan who come to visit and they always say how traditional hanako is. And the owners are very friendly and professional. Will always be my favourite Japanese restaurant

authentic Japanese food run by a Japanese family. they take pride in their ingredients and dishes.

Delicious food and really attentive service

Lunch here was great. We probably had more than we should have had, but it all tasted great. The decor looks a little tired inside, but the food more than enough makes up for it.

Brilliant service from the staff. Delicious food!

Great menu choice. Lovely food served quickly. Service outstanding. Very friendly, family run, made us feel very welcome. Highly recommend.

One of the best sushi I've had, really friendly owners, will definitely be visiting soon

This is hands down the best Japanese food I’ve eaten in my LIFE. It all tasted so good and fresh and the host was such a lovely person. She showed us how to open the ramune bottles, chatted with us, she even made me a little origami flower🥰 the food was so delicious!! They were out of sushi the day we were there so I look forward to try the sushi in a few weeks when I’m back in Watford😇

Wonderful restaurant with delicious and authentic Japanese food. The sushi was fresh as it comes and absolutely fabulous. The staff are so nice and friendly and made me the cutest origami flower. Highly recommend and will be coming here regularly :)

This is the best Japanese restaurant in watford. Food is delicious. Prices are ok for the high quality and the owner is so caring and wonderful

These people know how to cook!! We had a fantastic meal here tonight. No fancy tables and frills but who needs that when the food is so amazing . Presentation also great.Lovely friendly family run business made us feel welcome and were very attentive . Thoroughly recommend , we’ll definitely be going back.

Food was fresh!!! However small portions for the price. Most sushi rolls are only 4 pieces for the price of 6pieces or 8pieces in london. Also the Japanese lady was rude. Soft shell crab was obviously frozen and not fresh as there was no taste of the crab only salt and pepper taste!!

Had Saturday lunch here multiple times and it never let us down. Our regular main course is Sushi and sashimi sharing platter. An absolute delight for fish and seafood lovers! Beautifully presented and the food quality is outstanding. The cleanliness of the restaurant is 5* The staff is very friendly and welcoming. It’s a small place but so well located. They’ve been here for 20+ years, so this must say something about the quality. Probably the best Japanese restaurant in Watford.

Food was expensive, and the wait staff was not very helpful and unable to answer simple questions about the portion size and what variety of sashimi. Best part, they made things worse by trying to make us feel bad for not paying any additional for the overpriced food

I’ve come here twice now and both times have been great. Had the large board of sushi, it was beautiful presented and tasted really fresh, a great selection range to pick at and share with the family. We all had a bowl of ramen to finish our meal which was very filling. Would definitely recommend to anyone looking for a Japanese place to eat on the high street!

The food are amazing and it is real Japanese food. Wonderful!

Amazing authentic Japanese food

What a genuinely marvellous eatery. Meals are prepared to an excellent standard and the ingredients are of a superior quality. This is a family restaurant, so it is best to book ahead. Capacity is limited and it gets busy.

Very nice hotpot and friendly staff. Really nice little restaurant. Will definitely be visiting again. Took me a while to try it but one of my friends took me here and it was a nice surprise.

One of my favourite place to have dinner in Watford. It's calm and the food is amazing.

We visited the cutest family run Japanese restaurant in Watford, “Hanako”. The front of house is run by an elderly efficient Japanese lady who was very attentive and welcoming. The cuisine was amazing, taste authentic and it was clear that the chef in a very tiny kitchen is a true expert of his craft. Ever since our first visit we have gone back many times. Our favourites are the agadashi tofu and the avocado sushi. This gem is certainly worth a visit - you will not be disappointed!!

Love the food here and the wonderful owners.

A small gem in the heart of Watford, manage by a japanese family, it really feels like being in Japan. Food is incredibly good, service is warm and nice and price is reasonable to the quality. A must!

Authentic and high quality Japanese food and experience. First of all, if you're considering this place, if you went to Japan to eat local (Japanese) food you wouldn't find it all glitzy and glamorous when you eat out, or even like a Wagamama or the local L'Artista Italian in Watford. You go to the place with the best food and functional attentive service. And that is what you get with Hanako and we loved it. It's functional, has seats, is comfortable, service is attentive, quick and polite, you order, and you get. And what you get is excellent.. we had excellent salmon nigiri and salmon & avocado rolls. We had the Japanese style steak (not a drop of any steak or accompaniments left on the griddle!), and green tea ice cream. I had a Kirin beer on tap as well as a shou-chu both authentic and excellent like in Japan. As others have said, a hidden gem for sure, if you like and appreciate Japanese cuisine and the complete no fuss and functional experience.

My wife found this restaurant knowing I love sushi but also Japanese food and culture, and I am glad she did. First of all, if you're considering this place, if you went to Japan to eat local (Japanese) food you wouldn't find it all glitzy and glamorous when you eat out, or even like a Wagamama or the local L'Artista Italian in Watford. You go to the place with the best food and functional attentive service. And that is what you get with Hanako and we loved it. It's functional, has seats, is comfortable, service is attentive, quick and polite, you order, and you get. And what you get is excellent.. we had excellent salmon nigiri and salmon & avocado rolls. We had the Japanese style steak (not a drop of any steak or accompaniments left on the griddle!), and green tea ice cream. I had a Kirin beer on tap as well as a shou-chu both authentic and excellent like in Japan... it is definitely not cheap but you would pay 50% more in London but what for? Definitely going back and honestly I am shocked there is such an authentic feeling Japanese restaurant in our locality. As others have said, a hidden gem for sure, if you like and appreciate Japanese cuisine and the complete no fuss and functional experience.

Food was okay but overpriced, cost us £50 for 2xTea, 1xMiso Soup, 1xYakisoba, 1xRamen.

Heard that the food is good thus took bus to there alone. The staff refused to serve me as I was only 1 person. There’s a table for 4 but the staff didn’t let me take the seat. Very disappointed. I’m not sure whether the food is good however if you are alone you should reconsider whether you wanna try your luck.

Obviously, not deserve for this price Poor old lady services with very common food. You can eat at downtown or much better quality restaurants with their asking price .

Bad service from the old Japanese lady , she even ask for tips after the over price meal . Totally Over price for service , poor environment & common Japanese food ! You can definitely can go somewhere for much better quality for this price !

Totally over price for common food and poor environment. Bad service for the Japanese old lady and over price common Food . You can eat much better Japanese food somewhere in London .

The place is really cozy and quiet and the ramen was really delicious. This family run restaurant is a must visit for authentic Japanese food. The restaurant had a good vegetarian option as well really loved it.

Food quality was decent, but expensive and they skimped on the rice for the roll ends. The service whilst friendly was lacking. When asked what the difference in portion size and offerings of the deluxe sashimi platter and the sushi & sashimi combo the response was the deluxe sashimi platter was just sashimi and the sushi & sashimi combo was...you guessed it sashimi and sushi. No comment on what kinds of fish you would get or portion size or any meaningful information. Then when we asked what they recommended or what was popular they just said depends on what you liked. Later on they advised that the additional rainbow roll we ordered would be awhile and tried to upsell us on other items, after we had already had a fair bit to eat. The most confusing part was their insistence on letting us know there was no service charge included. As if not helping with our order, bringing the food out and clearing our plates unlocked a service excellence award.

This is a great little authentic Japanese restaurant. I would highly recommend the salmon and eel nigiri! All the fish was super fresh and tasty!

Nice cosy restaurant with a great choice of dishes on the menu. Plesent atmosphere and frendly polite service.

Terrible place ,rude staff wouldn’t even give me a napkin unless I was a customer !!!! Sorry for needing to blow my nose hanako I didn’t realise napkins were so pricey these days ,I can’t believe people like this ! Don’t give these people your money as they give people nothing ! Not even a napkin

Very overpriced, we asked to order more food and got told that we can’t as they don’t have time to cook for all people. 7 pounds almost for 3 gyozas - from the frozen pack that cost 6-7. Spring rolls cutted in halfs to make it look like 4 springrolls but in reality is 2. Matcha tea was done with not even half amout of powder that it should be. Sushis taste is ok, nothing to say, but portions of wasabi and soya sauce are tiny. In the Ramen there was not even egg and can’t say it’s proper Ramen, tasted as if it was water mixed with soya sauce and no sign of Miso paste that is supposed to be there. Very dissapointed

Great little sushi restaurant in this quaint town. Very good fish and the sushi rice was acceptable. Super nice family owns and operates and provides quick and attentive service. We would eat here again!

The food here is very good, you shouldn’t be visiting one of the Japanese chains, this place is far superior.

That's Japanese Japanese restaurant not western Japanese restaurant. Everything taste at least for me like in Japan. Recommending

Super yummy food and a lovely service. I will absolutely be back for more!!!

Delicious authentic Japanese food ran by a family who obviously put a lot of effort into each dish! Would definitely return and get the spicy beef noodles along with the sushi selection!

Always delicious food, and great for vegan and vegetarian choices as well as Omni. We love it here ☺️

This is not a real Japanese food !!! Also the staff will force you to pay a tips !!! Don’t waste your money in here 😭

Good Japanese restaurant with nice food and services. It's worth to come again.

Delicious, properly good sushi, fast service, very friendly staff. One of the best places I’ve ever eaten

The taste of food and the service are great. But it is so expensive and the portion of food is too little. I would rather go to other Japanese restaurant in Watford.

Ospitalità molto bassa . Non ci hanno lasciato il tempo di leggere il menù, visto anche la difficoltà nel tradurlo, ci hanno messo fretta nella scelta dei pasti per paura che il locale si riempisse troppo. Abbiamo preso il curry giapponese, tutto sommato era buono, anche se molto piccante, avendo specificato di non esagerare. Comunque il sushi mangiato era buono

Lovely meal, and really nice staff

Great food in an authentic family run Japanese restaurant. There are many fake Japanese restaurants around l, but this is the real thing. Good food, always freshly cooked but quick. I've been here many times and always enjoyed it.

Best sushi yet! Awesome family ran restaurant. This is the closest you can get from the tastes from Japan. However it is a bit expensive but trust me.. Its worth every penny

This is such an amazing restaurant with traditional decor, run by a lovely couple and the food is outstanding. We have never been disappointed with a single dish from the menu and the dishes are good portions and full of flavour. Hands down I would choose to go to Hanako's over to yo sushi or wasabi everytime.

Hanako may not have the shiny lights of Yo Sushi but the food is far far better and the friendly family running Hanako make every visit special

Outstanding family owned authentic cafe style Japanese restaurant. * Sashimi melts in the mouth like butter * Warm and naturally earthy tasting Same * Best Tempura I've tasted, best Katsu Curry

Coming here feels like joining a family. The service is always walm and welcome everytime. The food on the other hand. Quite possibly the best Japanese outside of London. There's really not a bad word to speak about Hanako.

We had a really good time here. We were here with kids after a long morning and were immediately made comfortable. It had a very home like cozy feeling like we were eating at someone's home. The food was fresh and delicious. The owner and her family serve the patrons with all their heart and soul. This is a great place to have lunch after shopping at High Street.

Hands Down probably one of the best meals I have eaten ever!!!!!!!!! Went on Saturday 20th November for a birthday meal with about 14 people in our group. A very unassuming place, looks like a cafe from the outside. Definitely a no frills restaurant. We all sat and were served quickly, when food arrived it came in fits and starts with some of us having eaten our meal before others had even got theirs but we appreciated that this was because the husband and wife team were cooking every dish from scratch and we were a large group. When my chicken katsu curry arrived I was not disappointed. The meal was better than I had hoped for and I noticed every plate on the table was clean, no one left a crumb! Unbelievably tasty and filling. Simply beautiful. If I had to criticise I would say the seating area is not hugely comfy if you have back issues and it is a little pricey. I will definitely be returning!!!!!!

I was actually quite excited to have some japanese food. I saw their teriyaki dishes. My girlfriend and I had chicken teriyaki and salmon teriyaki both served with rice, salad and potatoes. Little did I know that the salad wasn't even fresh, the 'potatoes' were literally frozen french fries mixed into the salad and the rice was heated with a microwave because we heard microwave 'ding' sound just before we got our food. Worst of all, the teriyaki sauce. It was just too salty! Teriyaki sauce isnt like that! The owner/manager really defended the teriyaki sauce that its a special sauce with broth and what not. There was no flavour of mirin or a hint of sweetness to the sauce. I am almost certain it was just soy sauce. Despite my complaint to the manager/owner early on during my meal and only had a bite of our food after concluding it was too salty, the manager/owner only said 'oh I'm so sorry' and walked away. She didnt even offer to replace our food if we want something else or even a refund. We had to grin and bear it as we hadn't eaten all night and was just happy to see that open. I was so disappointed especially because I was so excited to eat japanese food.

Good service, food was great, and the lady who served our food was very helpful and attentive to our needs. Its our first time here and we’ll surely come back!

Usually go to central London for good Japanese food, but this small and cosy restaurant run by amazing staff just topped all my previous experiences. Lovely and so so tasty.

What a little gem. Food was fantastic, had the rice noodle soup with seafood, wooww. Atmosphere was great and the service was second to none. Will definitely be returning.

Some of the best Japanese food I've eaten. Sashimi was super fresh. Mixed seafood stew was flavorful and I loved the udon noodles. So much better than the wagammama dish I've had before. And the staff are so sweet and friendly. Had a great experience.

Such a lovely, cosy restaurant. Authentic Japanese food that tasted amazing. The Okonomiyaki was just as, if not better than I've had in Japan. Definitely will visit again

Cosy atmosphere, very friendly staff, felt like I was eating authentic Japanese home cooked meals. Food was incredible, will definitely be making regular visits!

The food is amazing, the staff were so kind and helpful. We visited last night for a birthday meal, due to the incredible reviews we had heard. The staff were so friendly from the moment we walked in, and every dish that came out was incredibly presented and tasted amazing! Can’t recommend enough!

Friendly service and delicious food.

Went on Tuesday during a staycation in the area. Amazing food, friendly staff, very fast service. Would definitely recommend to anyone!

Went here on the off chance as Wagama's was full. It looks like a rather stark cafe (hence the rating) but the food is to die for. Genuinely good Japanese food and I think that was confirmed by the number of Japanese guests. Can't wait to bring my family of Japanese 'aphiles' to sample the delights.

Oh my goodness! This place is worth every single penny! Delicious food and outstanding service. I cannot recommend them enough!

Undoubtedly the best and most authentic Japanese food I've had in Britain, would give 6 stars if I could!

Good choice of very genuine Japanese cuisine. Friendly welcome and very efficient service. Will be going back

Absolutely delicious meal with really friendly staff. Perfect!

First visit tonight for our wedding anniversary based on great reviews below. The reviews are right! A little gem! Wonderful friendly customer service and extraordinary food. We will *definitely* be going back.

Watford's little gem. Authentic Japanese food made fresh and served with love. The owners are an absolute delight, and in all the times I've been I have never had anything less than a perfect meal. I'd give it 6 stars if I could.