For sushi that’s more affordable than other Japanese restaurants in Austin, while still remaining top-quality and creative, Hanabi is a great place to go. Everything is yummy, kids are welcome, and the service is great.

Great Happy Hour Menu

If you love happy hours (who doesn’t?), then you’ll love the happy hour at Hanabi. Happy hour here is Sunday through Monday from 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM. The happy hour menu has sushi options, like the chili escolar; kitchen options, like homemade seafood spring rolls; and roll options, such as the spicy salmon roll, dynamite tempura roll, crunchy roll, or salmon and avocado roll. Everything is pretty well priced during the happy hour, and rolls range from $3.50 to $8.00. Of course, alcohol is also included during happy hour, and if you like wine, you’ll be thrilled about the $3.50 glasses of house red or white.

Bento Box Heaven

The bento boxes here are amazing, and all come with miso soup, salad, spring rolls, a California roll, and dessert. That being said, you can choose from bento boxes such as salmon teriyaki, shrimp tempura, beef bulgogi, filet mignon, crispy flounder, and more. All of the bento boxes are great, and you won’t be disappointed regardless of what you choose. Boxes are available Monday through Sunday, 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM.

Sushi Aside, Entrees in Focus

If you want something in addition to your sushi or aren’t eating sushi at all, the entrees are all pretty good here, too. The filet mignon for $19.99 is mouthwatering, and the hirame tempura spaghetti with crispy flounder, green onions, and sweet ponzu sauce is a huge crowd pleaser. All of the udon noodle dishes are great, especially the Kimchi dumpling noodle soup.

Satisfying Your Need for Something Sweet

If you need something sweet after all of that protein, the chocolate mousse with strawberry is very satisfying, and the mocha ice cream is both delicious and beautifully presented. If you’re feeling like having something more filling, try the crepe cake, which is a rich combination of crepes, green tea cream cheese filling, and red bean chocolate sauce.

Casual and Classy

Finding laid-back sushi restaurants where you can dress down can be hard to find, but at Hanabi, feel free to go in jeans and a t-shirt. The atmosphere is pretty relaxed, and yet the setting is still nice enough to take a date. While you’ll see plenty of families here, and while children are welcome, the ambiance is still romantic and intimate. This is also a fun place for groups to go, and if you have a large party and want to do something special, call ahead and request the Omakase menu, which is a chef’s special menu that’s reserved for private parties, special occasions, couples, and more.