Hamachi Grill & Sushi House

My girlfriend was a huge supporter of this place and while I’m not a sushi guy I decided to go there anyway. I had a steak and she had a multitude of different sushi meals. The steak I had made me very sick and apparently the sushi wasn’t prepared properly for her either. I’m not sure if they were short staffed that day but the waitress also took forever to serve us. I’m always ready to give a second chance but our first visit definitely wasn’t enjoyable.

Prior to this weekend, teppenyaki was an unfamiliar experience for me — I’d heard good things but had yet to witness it. I think Hamachi House was a great introduction.
I’d visited the HH’s downtown locations years ago and had positive memories of both, yet after all these years in Dartmouth I’d never given the Portland Street location a try. It’s a clean, well-​spaced restaurant — at least on the right-​hand side, where all the teppenyaki tables are located. Lots of sushi to choose from on the menu, but I went straight for the teppenyaki. Service wasn’t fantastic — our waitress didn’t really seem to want to be there and it took a long time to get refills — but our chef, Joseph, was most grand. He put on quite an entertaining little show and the food was excellent. I recommend the tori teppenyaki — though the NY striploin looked pretty decent too — and I must say that the Dragon Sushi Roll was pretty tight. No complaints in the food department.
I think HH is a bit out of my price range for an average dinner date, but it’s a superb place for a special event with good friends. As an added bonus, teppenyaki is free on the eve of your birthday!

Call me crazy, but a sushi place should have a good stock of fish. While the standard shrimp, tuna and salmon based sushi here are A-​OK, the menu promises a nice assortment of other fish. Alas, off the bat the waitress didn’t think there was any toro (my favorite) left. She came back and confirmed. We ordered the sea bass instead, but she returned later and said there wasn’t any. Hmm, flounder it is then.
A few minutes later she returns and says there isn’t any. At this point I was quite incredulous, because last time I checked the restaurant is located by the Atlantic ocean, which is teeming with flounder. Clearly this place has a supplier problem, or a stocking problem (we were there on Saturday night). I asked which fish they DID have, and her eyes darted furtively but so sound came out of her mouth. Finally, I asked for the namesake hamachi (yellow tail tuna), and it eventually came out. Or maybe it was something else and they were afraid to let us know they were out of hamachi? In any case, if you look at the picture the sashimi was not a nice thick clean slice, but a somewhat dishevelled pile of thin fish slivers.
I’m guessing Hamachi House banks on a less adventurous clientele and uses the menu as theatre. As sushi fish generally come in frozen from the supplier (even at the venerable Tsukiji market in Tokyo), there really isn’t any excuse for them to be out of so many. It must be like shooting fish in a barrel if people expect so little from a sushi restaurant… maybe go to the teppanyaki side of the restaurant if you are a sushi aficionado, to avoid disappointment. The free wi-​fi probably saved them from a lower rating.

I’ll preface this by saying that we have been to Teppanyaki tables all over the place; Benihana’s in Dubai, Vegas, Orlando. others in Hawaii, Vancouver… oh I can’t even remember I’m that old!
So to say that the fun we had here, and the show put on by Chef Jay was one of the best, if not THE best, I’ve ever seen, is saying something!
If you are going to just eat, don’t bother. Although the food is plentiful and scrumptious, it’s the atmosphere, getting to know everyone at the table and the fun you have while the meal is being flared and prepared in front of you that’s the thing here. It’s an art. It’s the only time I’ve ever seen the Chef get everyone up at the grill to try tricks. I gave Jay credit for not doing the predictable mushroom flip down the cleavage trick (oh, yes, aiming for my mouth, sure)
I was hesitant to go to the Dartmouth location, thinking that the atmosphere wouldn’t be as lively as downtown. Even though it was a snowstorm, and the table wasn’t full, it seems to be that fun people always choose to sit at the teppan table so it was still great. Our family all chose the sirloin, and my son says it’s the best steak he’s had in recent memory. Teppan meals come with soup, salad, vegetables and entrée meat/​fish choice.
My only comment is that when (not if) we go again, I’ll ask them to go easy on the salt, not because it didn’t taste good at the time, but what a salt hangover we had (when you’re not used to it!)

I’m a huge Sushi fan, I came to it late in life… shameful secret the first Sushi I ever had was from Sobeys. Since then I’ve learned what good Sushi is, and it’s what you get at Hamachi House. The fish always seems to be fresh, the rice is always done just right. My wife is not a Sushi fan and she really enjoys the other options on the menu. I have yet to try the Teppanyaki, but I’m thinking my 40^th birthday may provide a perfect excuse to gather a group to go and enjoy that. I generally get take out and never worry about wrong orders or something missing. They are my Sushi of choice in metro and will continue to be.

The first visit I ordered a combo for lunch and sushi to take home. The shrimp was dry and flavorless — like something out of a frozen shrimp ring which I expected as they serve a similar tasting shrimp skewer at the Hamachi House. Not even the teriyaki sauce could hydrate it. The salad looked awful –brown edged lettuce. I vowed never to go back even though I live a stone’s throw from the restaurant. The sushi was okay. I forgave the first meal and tried a second time. When I opened my meal and saw the old lettuce again it was just disappointing. There won’t ever be a third time.

Once or twice a year we like to do teppanyaki for a special occasion. In the past we’ve gone to the waterfront location in Halifax but since they are now doing teppanyaki here and it’s much closer to home, we decided to give this location a try for a university graduation celebration. We shared our table with three others celebrating a birthday. Currently, those celebrating birthdays eat free from a selected menu.
The waterfront location has a far better view out the window but once you get into the meal presentation you’re not spending much time looking out of the window. This location is much more spacious and nicely decorated. Our sever let us know the menus were pretty much the same with the exception of a couple of items and the salad dressing. To be honest, I didn’t care too much for the salad dressing, a little too much wasabi for my taste.
Three of us had the teppanyaki, the fourth had the delux vegetarian sushi combo and the fruit fusion maki. Our server was great, friendly and around when we needed him. Our chef, while sometimes a little difficult to understand was great fun and put on a good show. Everyone who wanted to participate got a chance.
The food was good, fresh and done to our specifications. They are quite good about food allergies, especially seafood, cooking seafood last so there is no cross contamination. With miso soup, salad, Japanese fried rice and mixed grill veg, I was full before we even got to them main part of the meal.
Everyone was pleased with their meal and with the great show it was good value for the price. We’ll be back for our next special occasion.

When you combine my love of sushi and my proximity to this location of the Hamachi House, you can only imagine how often I end up noshing on nigiri. If you can’t imagine, it’s somewhere around two to three times a month from this spot alone and I only wish they were able to keep living up to my original review.
Dining in, I’m going to assume that you won’t be disappointed. Once you’re inside, staff are professional, attentive and friendly. Plus, if anything goes awry, you’re right there and can have it taken care of. Where things continue to go south for me is when you order delivery or takeout which typically is how I roll.
Typically pick-​up times have been pretty on par although it’s worth mentioning that once I had to wait an extra 35 minutes past the ETA for pick-​up at the restaurant because they forgot to make half the meal. By the time this was ready, the sushi had been sitting for just as long and was far from ideal.
More common than that, they will simply overlook some of the details of the order which to me is actually a far bigger deal –rolls not made spicy, salads and soups not included in the bag, etc. Once I get the order home, there’s not a whole lot to be done unless I drive back, wait another thirty minutes, and delay dinner for their mistake. Or, I call, let them know it happened, and hope for the best the next time.
Instead, I write a Unilocal review and keep my fingers crossed for change.

I love sushi and normally I do like this place thou its more expensive then it should be. I went there for lunch and I order some salmon roe pieces and a few rolls, and the roe was warm and tasted a bit off, the rolls I got honestly all tasted the same. They were also on the small side and I could and have rolled better, they were falling apart, so the guy must have had an off day as it took about 30 mins for me to get them.
The one saving grace was I had a glass of plum wine, something I never had before and it was amazing, the name was kinsen plum wine at 8 bucks a glass and I loved it.
After I went looking for it and you can get it bishops cellar in Halifax for around 15 a bottle 750ml I got a case and now it’s a great joy of mine to sit later in the evening and enjoy a glass of this amazing nectar.

Really enjoy it here. The family loves the teppanaki (sp?) side — very entertaining and yummy. It can be cold on the sushi side but that is my only complaint… so, bring a sweater and you’ll be fine:-)

In the HRM, the Hamachi chain of Japanese restaurants are sort of the standard by which others are compared. That isn’t to say that they are the best — but the original location on Morris St. in Halifax is one of the older sushi restaurants in town and is the spot where many locals my age would have sampled their first maki roll. Other spots may be newer and offer somewhat more exotic choices, but you can not go wrong with Hamachi.
If you work in downtown Dartmouth as I do, there are a limited number of spots that you can drive to and eat within an hour. If you keep it simple and order from the lunch menu (the bento boxes are great!) you can definitely squeeze a little mid-​day sashimi into your life. The servers are always quick, attentive and pleasant. Highly recommended as a lunch option!
Unfortunately, I have yet to try their newer half of the restaurant which offers Teppanyaki. However, if it is anything like their location at Bishop’s landings, it is sure to be an entertaining and delicious experience.

Hamachi is where everyone in Halifax will tell you to go for Japanese. And generally speaking, it’s not bad advice.
My first Hamachi experience was my birthday, because I saw on Twitter that they offer a free teppanyaki dinner for birthdays. Who doesn’t like free? And Teppanyaki is just great as it is. Hamachi Grill offers a good, diverse menu, and we had a lot of fun with a more interactive teppanyaki show than I’ve seen before. We were a small group, but left quite happy, and quite full. That’s the idea, right?
One tip for Teppanyaki — pay the extra freight for the fried rice. It’s worth it.
My second experience was a Twushi meetup. Despite a large group, the service was friendly and fast, and the food was pretty tasty. Most of us stuck to sushi, and there’s an almost overwhelming array of options. The fish was fresh, well-​presented, delicious. And the service was great. They gave the group a 10% discount but I think they wound up with great tips just for doing so good a job of handling the group.
Worth the trip to Dartmouth? Yeah, Id have to say so.

I have been to this location quite a few times now and the sushi is always amazing. Today I decided to try the Vegetarian Deluxe combination and I am very happy I did. House salad, prego roll, sweet potato roll, and an avocado roll. Delicious!

I love me some sushi. LOVE it. Like, eat it everyday if I could, it’s by far my fav meal going. And Hamachi’s Dartmouth location is a welcome addition to my eating routine.
I have to say, it’s not my favourite sushi in town. There are places out there that in my opinion, have better rolls, fresher fish and better prices. That being said, their sushi is consistent and pretty tasty. Don’t love how they slice their sashimi (very thick and I like a thin slice myself), but the specialty rolls I’ve had have all been very yummy, and there’s a ton of selection.
What really stands out for me is the teppanyaki tables. OH MY GOD, so much fun!!! The fried rice they make right in front of you is delicious, the chefs I’ve had have been fun (though when they tried to flip food into my mouth from afar, I was filled with unreasonable anxiety) and the whole experience is just great. It’s on the pricier end of things, but it’s an experience and it’s perfect for groups.
I’m still holding out for a sushi joint in downtown Dartmouth (mostly because I’m lazy), but Hamachi is a good option for those of us on the Dark Side.

Hamachi does it right. I’m a fan of all their establishments, but this one is by far my favorite.
You want to go out for dinner with your pals, but a couple don’t like Sushi, you have a vegan in the group and perhaps someone with a food allergy. No problem. This place caters to EVERYONE. You can have Sushi, Thai, Steak, Soup, Salads, the list goes on. I personally like their burger made from freshly ground sirloin. Mmmmm.
The décor is all Japanese. From the swords in the show case to the trickling fountain in the back of the restaurant. It’s quite beautiful. During the day you have an abundance of natural light and for the evenings it’s perfectly lit. If you have a light sensitivity it’s the place for you.
Music is often Japanese themed as well but is strictly background. Hardly noticeable unless you listen, just the way restaurant music should be.
The staff have always been excellent and very conscious about food sensitivities and allergies. They can custom make anything for you.
You know what… no TV! A pet peeve of mine when going to a nice place to dine and have a TV screen screaming at me.
Completely wheelchair accessible, no wi-​fi.

This restaurant is easily my favourite restaurant in Dartmouth these days. The food is consistently delicious, the service has always been great, the prices are fair and the new tappanyaki grill adds even more fun to an already enjoyable night out.
The Beef Sashimi is fantastic, a personal favourite but not for everyone (some people get turned off by raw meat). The dumplings (Gyoza) are great and the all the sushi I’ve tried has been terrific. For those who aren’t adventurous or don’t like sushi, there are other options, including soup, noodles, teriyaki, steak and a selection of Thai options. My wife loves the teriyaki. I also have to give a quick plug for the ice cream — unique flavours that are surprisingly delicious.
I have to give kudos for the décor. You quickly forget you are in a Dartmouth strip mall (and former Pizza Hut location). Family dinner… 2 appetizers +Japanese beer + glass of wine + chocolate milk + 3 orders o f dumplings + sushi + chicken teriyaki + shared ice cream + tip = $ 93