East Hana Japanese Restaurant

Stopped by with a friend for dinner on Friday night. At first I couldn’t find the restaurant for a few seconds as it is somewhat hiding under the massive Hong Kong Food Market sign. The restaurant is technically within the market so I guess they had to take their sign off?
Anyways– we ordered Sushi and Sashimi combination with 3 rolls: Sushi Lover, Diamond, and a roll of which I can’t rememeber the name of. For rather a small spot, waitress was attentive and courteous, and food was pretty good. Sushi and Sashimi combo came out on a cute little boat! (That was unexpected and pretty cool.) At the end, for so much food for two it was very inexpensive. I would visit again if I am near the area again.

I have been coming here for over ten years. It is to the point that they know my order without me saying it. I have also catered large trays from them for several occasions. The sushi is always fresh and consistent. They have the best ginger dressing around. There is no better bang for your buck with regard to the lunch specials. I remember the days when they were $ 5.50. All in all a great little place with fresh fish and great prices.

Really like the Hana Special and Summer Roll, better than the rolls we ordered last time. The Unagi don is still delicious, hope there is more salad inside and a litlle more juicy. Recommended.

Great sushi and the BEST udon noodle soup of my life, and I eat a lot of udon. They don’t have their own entrance. You have to walk in through the Asian food market.

My favorite restaurant ever! My family has been going to East Hana for years and I love the food, service, and everything about it!!!

This is def a hidden pearl of Japanese cuisine in central jersey. I’m sure many people were first bought to the restaurant by a friend because it’s very easy to miss even when you shop at the Chinese supermarket next door all the time. In addition, I have to say the restaurant sign really doesn’t catch your attention or interests at first sight.
But the food is legit and good. I have only tried the eel over rice (unadon), miso salmon, and soba soup but they are all pretty good. I have to especially emphasize how good the unadon is. Unlike most unadon served at the other restaurants, this one is not as saucey. It’s more dry so i think it contains the flavors a little better and less overpowering than the typical saucier ones. The miso salmon is a gigantic portion for the price you are paying. The flavored is nicely seasoned and great for sharing! The soup soba I got recently is more mediocre but pretty healthy kinda lol. I would try their bento box next time i go.
The space inside is a little small so it can get a little crowded but lunch time during weekdays is usually not too bad (and you can order lunch specials lol).
Price wise this place beats Jo Sho (and without cutting the quality).

This is by far my FAVORITE SUSHI PLACE EVER!
Although the location is bit unfavorable being that it is inside the Hong Kong Supermarket, but that doesn’t phase me when I get the freshest sushi in town. Absolutely recommend!!!

My friend and I went here due to the glowing reviews we had seen on Unilocal.Though the restaurant being situated in a Hong Kong supermarket seemed odd, we decided to give it a shot. (Some of the Japanese restaurants I’ve been to have also been situated in Japanese supermarkets, such as Mitsura in Northern NJ and another in Chicago.)
Unfortunately, nothing particularly stood out nor had much hint of great flavor. I had ordered a tempura udon and Alaskan roll, both of which left more to be desired. The udon broth was bland and the noodles didn’t do many favors for flavor either. The Alaskan roll also was on the lower end of the spectrum as far as Alaskan rolls go. My friend did not seem adequately impressed with her sushi bento box either. The bright side, though, was the food portions were more than enough.
Overall, if you’re looking for a place to get some reasonably priced, average tasting Japanese food with good service, this place gets the job done. Otherwise, I would be wary of the other reviews and reduce your expectations on arrival.

This is the best Japanese restaurant in central nj. The waitresses are always very attentive and friendly. It’s a BYOB (grab yourself a Sapporo to pair with ur food).
I’ve been coming here for 7 years. The food is SO fresh, on account of them being attached to the Hong Kong Supermarket. I have probably had half of the items on their entire menu and never, ever have I been disappointed. Their chicken and beef teriyaki is a go-​to favorite of mine, as well as the shrimp tempura which contain enormous shrimp. Their beef negimaki is incredible as an appetizer or entrée.
If you’ve never been here before, I recommend getting a bento box so you can try lots of everything. Their ginger salad dressing is always something I look forward to when I come here, as well as their miso soup. Honestly, whatever you order, you cannot go wrong!
TIP: Make sure you browse the aisles of the Hong Kong supermarket afterwards. They’ve got some of the freshest meats, fish and produce at great prices. Their tea isle is a work of art in itself. And pick yourself up some Japanese candies while you’re there! :)

The HK Supermarket and buffet next door leave much to be desired but at least the sushi is decent here. If you can’t get your sushi fix in NYC or any other nearby town then this is the go to place. We have even ordered the large trays for in home parties.
Not sure about the cooked food as we’ve never tried it. It is a typical Japanese place run by Chinese so that’s how I’d set my expectations for cooked food.

This is by far one of my favorite sushi places. When I used to live around the area, I would come here for their lunch specials every day off I had. Now it’s just a treat when I’m passing through.
I am always greeted warmly at the door by Mandy who takes the time to know her regular clients by name and catch up when she hasn’t seen you in a while.
Let me be clear, there are no bells and whistles here… you aren’t coming for the ambiance and décor. This is a tiny little gem situated just outside of the doors to the Hong Kong supermarket. This low key location is what helps them to keep the prices low and the ingredients fresh.
I have yet to find a sushi restaurant that can match the quality, taste and price trifecta that east Hana effortlessly delivers.

The mocha and miso soup were served first and were both excellent! Sashimi was fresh, great quality for the price.

I was really looking forward to eating here due to all the great reviews. The restaurant is located inside a asian supermarket near the entrance. Instead of fancy rolls we ordered the spicy tuna, salmon, yellowtail, and chicken katsu don for dinner. Unfortunately I didn’t find any of the rolls that great, since the fish didn’t taste all that fresh. The chicken katsu don however was really delicious. It was very light and crispy, just the way it should be. I would’ve given this restaurant two stars if it weren’t for the chicken.

Mediocre at best. The food is basically a Chinese-​inspired take on Japanese cuisine.
We ordered spring rolls, the katsu donburi, and the yaki soba. The spring rolls were crunchy on the outside, but pasty on the inside, which was very weird. The yaki soba was actually lo mein. With imitation crab. The katsu donburi was also off somehow. Also with imitation crab.
Good for a quick and semi-​desperate bite.

Went in here with high hopes after reading all the rave reviews but we were sorely disappointed.
The location leaves a lot to be desired (inside the Asian market). We were seated next to the window overlooking the exit to the Asian market (which kept opening and slamming closed the entire meal). The restaurant is small and kind of dingy looking.
Service was ok nothing terrible but nothing notable.
The sushi… people really need to leave EB if this qualifies as ‘the best sushi of my life’. The spicy tuna in my roll was mashed beyond recognition. Everything else was just ok.
On a positive note me and my friend didn’t get sick. If you really need a sushi fix this is a somewhat ok option but just don’t expect the best sushi or ambience.

The best sushi i have tasted in a long time! Been trying to find a sushi place i can count on for good quality sushi and this is the place! It melts in your mouth and the prices are very reasonable.

I’ve been coming here for, oh my goodness, over 10 years now. I mostly buy their takeout and that’s actually what I like best. I sat down for dinner recently and I thought the portions were tiny. I ordered rolls I usually buy «to go» and they were like, half the size as usual. I was really disappointed.
NOW — back to the fact that I think this place is a great sushi joint! The «to go» sushi is fresh, constantly replenished, not too expensive and it’s delicious. I like this place a lot. I wish they had some sort of «buy 2 get 1 half off» deal or something. A girl on a budget, who loves sushi — bad combination.
I want to reiterate what others said about the location. Don’t let the location spook you. It’s in a big ol’ smelly Asian market. Another reason to take your sushi to go! You won’t regret it.

I absolutely LOVE this place. I’ve been a loyal consumer for about 7 years now — that alone should say a lot! the service is impeccable and the cuisine is always cooked to perfection. it’s a shame that it’s hidden and small, the work and LOVE these guys put into their stuff is phenomenal!

You would never expect to find a place like this inside a market. No, seriously, this place is inside an Asian Market! The restaurant doesn’t have its own entry so you have to go through the exit of the supermarket and navigate yourself to get to the restaurant. The interior is simple and small with space for about 10 tables.
As soon as we walked in, we were courteously greeted and seated. Our waitress brought out complimentary green tea. It was ok, nothing special. Everything on the menu is generously priced. I ordered the miso soup and a specialty roll. Surprisingly, the miso soup had a lot of seaweed and tofu, much more than other places I’ve been. The roll I ordered was really good. It was presented beautifully. The roll wasn’t falling apart. Most importantly, it was fresh and flavorful.
I will definitely be back soon to try out their other dishes.

East Hana is a great restaurant because the sushi is so well made.
My friend ordered Dragon sushi which I believe had some crab, avocado, cucumber, and more ingredients. My dish, the Green Dragon, was mainly composed of eel and avocado. It tasted wonderful and I believe I have found the right sushi place for me.
Although I’ve tasted better green tea, it was offered for free as a part of the meal. The restaurant is fairly priced and I’m sure I will visit again. If you live within the East Brunswick area and have visited the Hong Kong supermarket there, I suggest you give East Hana a shot! The appearance, as others have said, is decieving but the food is flavorful and fantastic!