Hanamizuki Japanese Restaurant

This is a down to earth, super traditional Japanese restaurant that does not disappoint for anyone who is looking for one of those restaurants that Japanese people actually eat at.
My typical go to menu items here are Chawanmushi (steamed egg custard), karagge (Japanese style fried chicken) agedashi tofu (fried tofu with bonito flakes in sauce) and of course sushi. This time I strayed and got the grilled and chilled eggplant with ginger sauce and the octopus with nuta miso. It was superb.

The atmosphere and the service is good, but the pricing and the food quality is high and not very fresh. (If you just order some basic rice, it is fine) When I ordered the Uni Don the market price is 47, so i thought is would be a don covered with at least 4-5 pieces even for the highest level. You can see the picture for how little it is. Only one piece. Then for the flavor, the uni is not sweet, and it has those “fishy” taste even though the texture is fine.

If you don’t order this don since it is pricey for $47 dollars, if you try udon, it is plain only salty. For the 寿喜锅the Japanese hotpot, it is very sweet. We added two cups of water but didn’t help.

If you order the Japanese fried chicken, it is as small as you can see.

Overall, we had expectations for the restaurant, and it turned out pricey and not fresh. I think I have a stomachache after the uni. I understand the market price is not determined by me, but the taste doesn’t meet its high level either.

What a fantastic experience. Authentic Japanese cuisine and fresh. Never had I been so close to Japan.

AUTHENTIC JAPANESE. So glad we found this place. After traveling Japan I can assure you this is true JAPANESE food. Every time we come everybody is extremely kind. The katsu curry is my favorite ! This place will not disappoint ˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶

Located near the end of a standard tourist strip mall on International Drive, lies a small, unassuming traditional Japanese restaurant. The decor is calming and welcoming, with the feeling that you are eating in a homes courtyard. The menu is packed with Japanese classics, Soba, Udon, Hot Pots, Sushi and more. They often have seasonal offerings as well. This time of year it’s mushrooms. The staff is welcoming and helpful with suggestions. We booked this with group of friends as a planning for an upcoming trip to Japan, and loved it. Don’t miss out on the selection of Saki either . The parking situation is a little odd with most of the spaces in the area taken up by reserved spots only. You may have to park and well a bit to get there.

This is one of the most authentic and traditional Japanese restaurants in Orlando. The architecture and furniture were very similar to traditional-style restaurants in Japan, and the food was excellent. I came to Hanamizuki because it was the only restaurant in Orlando that I could find which served Japanese Katsu Curry. The curry was amazing and tasted exactly like the curry that I had in Japan. The Gyoza was also very flavorful, which made it some of the best Gyoza I’ve ever had. In addition, I ordered the Grilled Salmon Onigiri, which was perfect. The flavors of the salmon, rice and seaweed go together incredibly well, so I would definitely recommend it. The traditional style of the restaurant made the atmosphere enjoyable and brought back memories from eating out in Japan.

This restaurant deserves an average score above 4.5 considering Orlando has been a desert of delicious cuisine.
- It’s a more authentic Asian restaurant vibe. Quiet, peaceful, waitress being more invisible but still providing caring service. (No too annoying “how’s everything”)
- wide range of food available. Sashimi is good. For people who are not super familiar with Japanese food, please note, they offer more than just sushi and really worthy a try.
- yes they limit customers for quality service. So you would better make a reservation ahead and be prepared for the scarce parking spots.

Def will visit again if I would ever visit Orlando.