Hanako

A lovely little family-run Japanese restaurant, clearly run with a lot of heart. You can really taste the thought and care put into the ingredients and how the dishes are paired – nothing flashy, just simple, well-prepared food that feels genuine. Prices are very reasonable too. If I had to pick on one thing, the toilets could do with a bit of an update, but it doesn’t take away from the overall great experience.

Hanako Brings Japan to Watford When I was looking for authentic Japanese food nearby, a few restaurants came up. But Hanako immediately caught my attention. Just from the Google review photos of their sushi and sashimi, I could see the craftsmanship. The presentation looked simple and neat, not overly decorated, but refined in a way that reminded me of true Japanese style. My Japanese friend and I were so excited that we arrived before the restaurant opened. The owner kindly let us in early, which was already such a warm welcome. Inside, the atmosphere was cozy and felt just like a small restaurant in Japan. The menu was easy to understand with clear English, and allergy information was clearly shown. On top of that, the owner kindly explained some of the dishes to us as well. I ordered the nabe udon and a sashimi sushi set. My friend had the shoyu ramen. The portion sizes were quite big for us, but because everything tasted so good, we finished it all. The flavors were very authentic but also easy to enjoy for people who may not be familiar with Japanese food. If I had to describe it in Japanese, I would say it has a 優しい味, meaning a gentle and comforting taste. We had a lovely chat with the owner. She told us that the tuna sashimi is 本マグロ, which is bluefin tuna imported from Japan. That truly impressed us, and you could taste the quality. Everything felt so fresh and nourishing. What surprised me even more is that Hanako has been open for 23 years. That’s nearly the same age as me. It made me think about how Japanese food wasn’t very common in the UK back then. I can only imagine how much this restaurant has gone through over the years to continue sharing this kind of food with the community. I wrote this review to share my appreciation for the food and people at Hanako. If you’re reading the menu outside and not sure whether to go in, I really recommend you try it. This place is a hidden gem.

Authentic experience Lovely owners, Supercaring The food is very very good Seems to be in Japan whilst in Watford😄 Highly recommended We had california rooms with real crab meat... delicious And a tofu veggie hot pot

Came for dinner with a friend, 10/10! the pork gyoza and duck soup were definitely the highlights! will definitely be coming again :)

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😇

Hidden gem. Great authentic Japanese food , ramen was amazing and flavourful, would definitely come back and recommend.

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!