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Hapa Izakaya
Categories: Restaurants Japanese Restaurants Tapas Bars Japanese, Tapas Bars [Edit]
1479 Robson StVancouver, BC V6G 1C1
Neighbourhood: West End
(604) 689-4272
- Hours:
Mon-Thu, Sun 5:30 pm - 12 am
Fri-Sat 5:30 pm - 1 am
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Trendy, Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
116 reviews for Hapa Izakaya
Review Highlights
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"I have two words for you my friends: Ebi-Mayo and Sake." In 23 reviews -
"...the Saba Seared Sashimi, Ishi-Yaki, and the Tuna Tataki." In 12 reviews -
"We had the Beef Tataki to start which I highly recommend." In 9 reviews
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116 reviews in English
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Review from Kerri J.
5/21/2012
This was my first Izakaya experience; I didn't even know such a thing even existed and I can't believe I have been missing out on something so wonderful! I can't review this restaurant compared to other Izakayas (see previous sentence) but I can review it as how the food tasted.
Before I get to the food, I want to say, when I walked in I was skeptical as I always am when all of the waitresses look the same and like they don't actually eat the food there (or any food for that matter)...it's like going to a Joey tomato's (or whatever they are calling themselves now-a-days).
Anyway, the food was AMAZING. My husband and I went with another couple and it was the perfect number of people to try many different dishes.
Their house sake is really good too and it's pretty easy to get "saked" here.
Its pretty much like Japanese tapas which is awesome because you can try many different things and don't have to commit to one flavor.
Everything we had there was delicious (Ika, Rice hot pot with shitakes, tuna belly, tuna avocado dip, pork belly, beef bites, short ribes, tempura prawns, sable fish and ebi mayo). With all of that, there wasn't one thing we were disappointed with.
We had copious amounts of sake and the price was very reasonable! I think it came to about $160 for four people drinking and we had about 10 dishes.
Go here! -
Review from Viet V.
Vancouver, BC
4/12/2012
Hapa Izakaya serves one of the best Japanese food in town for a reasonable price and is available through many different locations across Vancouver.
My best and I have visited this place three times (twice the Robson location and once the Yew Street location.) Every time we get there, the waitresses greet us politely and showed us to our seat. The seats were comfy and provided us enough space to settle down.
The food, on the other hand is admittedly one of the most delicious Japanese food place. Their dishes are certainly not traditional yet each and every dish appears to be unique and surprised us. I am Japanese and I can say that this restaurant surpasses many Japanese restaurants in Japan itself.
Definitely a place to check out if you're in Vancouver. -
Review from Caroline C.
3/15/2012
Am I really going to have to be the first person to say this? Hapa Izakaya is a breastaurant.
A breastaurant with delicious food.
Hold on just a sec because this is the part where I'm going to complain about how my city of Cincinnati, USA doesn't have any izakayas. .... ugh.
Back to Hapa... mmm! The food (and the servers) are hot. You can get a reasonably priced meal of 3-4 courses or go all out on a omakase bender for a lot more cash. My personal recommendation is to go with whatever specials are on the Fresh Sheets.
Do not miss the Japanese version of the Korean Hot Stone Bowl. I'm serious about this. This bowl is mixed table side. Vigorously. By a scantily-clad waitress. Dinner and a show.Listed in: One Hundred Yelps in Twenty…
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Review from Larry L.
3/7/2012 1 Check-in Here
I had a review here but it too seems to have gone missing. It was from the night we did an after UYE party back when Vincci L did one a few years ago.
I've been coming here on and off for years, since the first day they opened. Justins legacy of stirring up the pot and redefining the whole new category of Izakaya from Tokyo. Sure there have been others here, but not like this. He set that bar higher for everyone else to follow.
After a long term test run so to speak, they've expanded and maybe gotten too big.
The food was fine, (although I didn't really care for that mediocre mexifusion tuna wrap which didn't make sense and wasn't a taco at all.) The drinks were good,
The service was decent and it was indeed a quiet night.
There was only one thing that got to me. The group tip. Gratuity that was 18%.
And it seems that this place has a bit of a stickler for tipping. They also don't do separate bills.
I don't mind the group tip, as long as we're told in advance, which we weren't.
18%? yikes. really, especially when a few of us almost double tipped them.
I had to remind everyone that there was already a tip charged.
There are many that understand this, and of course a few bad seeds that don't.
And can you imagine paying by debit card and paying a % tip on the total amount instead of the net pretax amount?
I think that after awhile, in a slightly downgraded economy, people will catch on and question about what should really be affordable for a tip. 15% on the net amount is reasonable. 18% isn't, neither is 15% on the gross.
Having said that, it really is up to the customer to decide what is appropriate. Most "adult" consumers would be fair.
I normally don't harp on this, but this did catch my attention and it will deter me in the future when there is so much competition out there.
The food is good, the service was good, but the tipping was like the Olympics never left.Listed in: Where to go after a Yelp…
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Review from Edward L.
Came here with some drunken Yelpers to get our tapas fixes.
Parking is available on the side streets, or metered up front.
The cook was very friendly. One chef even flashed 2 peace signs when he saw me taking a picture of the kitchen.
The interior is covered in black-painted wood. The furniture is starting to look a little worn, and our table was wobbly, but nothing was too distracting.
The staff were very professional, and had no problem when we requested an upgrade to a larger table. And yes, everyone knows they only hire hot ones here.
So how was the food?
Tar Tar sushi - salmon sashimi cubes and mayo on sushi rice, served in a martini glass. Looks cool, but we ended up with a clump of rice at the bottom nobody wanted.
Chicken salad - tasted like any regular salad, except for a large (but thin) piece of chicken on the side. Hmm..
Cheese tofu - served with diced strawberries and bread. This was unique. I didn't know it was possible to make cheese taste like tofu (or vice versa).
Gyoza - these were weird. Totally not what I had in mind. "Crispy sandwiches" came to mind instead.
Ika - squid, just like the name. Nice large pieces. They didn't use any batter, which makes it somewhat different.
Yaki udon - decent flavour, but way too much cabbage. Ended up with a pile of cabbage at the end. Might've been better if they mixed it up beforehand.
Kinoko meshi (rice and mushrooms in hot stone bowl) - crispy rice is always tasty. Mushrooms added a nice mix. My favourite dish out of the bunch.
One thing I must say is that I can swear the quality of the food has gone down somewhat. I've always had the impression that this place is above Guu in the hierarchy of restaurants. Now I am thinking the opposite is now true. Not saying the food was bad, but for some reason I remember the quality being better in years past. Only 2 dishes (the tofu and the rice) out of 6 stood out for me today.
As Larry mentioned, the 18% tip is a bit steep, but not surprising. What was a shocker though, was that hot tea is NOT free, at $2 a cup?? Really??
Lastly, beer pitchers cost $21 here. Yikes!
This place was once the place to be at a certain point. Not so sure now. -
Review from Diana L.
3/7/2012 2 Check-ins Here
This place is like "Cheers". I feel like everyone knows your name. Well, not my name but my friends' names...LOL
Hapa Robson seems to be the hub. I know a lot of people come here to do business in a fun, relaxing environment.
The food itself is pretty good. I enjoy the mushroom rice in the stone bowl and the chicken karage. The staff is friendly and the energy is live.
I enjoy coming here to unwind. -
Review from Ben C.
12/28/2011
I look my table of empty plates, i look at the bill, i look back to the table...
It's weird, the bill here is always more than i expect. I know that's my own fault but I don't get the same feeling at some other Izakayas. Maybe it's the location, maybe it's the staff. Either way, they know what they're doing, even if you don't.
You're not going to have a bad meal or drink here. There isn't a price tag on the ambiance.... well, there is - look at your tab.
I still like it here and will continue to come back, until i can find a place to buy a giant bamboo stick filled with sake!Listed in: If Sushi Was A Food Group
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Review from Robin M.
12/10/2011 1 Check-in Here
Coming soon, Hooters! Oh... what? This *isn't* middle-America, and we're *not* about to order greasy bar food from fake-eylashed, ass cheeks precariously popping out from the tiny piece of cloth that is meant to be a skirt, tall-boot wearing, tiny-waisted servers? Oh, we aaaarrre, but it's just under the guise of a slightly classier joint. It's an izakaya, see? Exotic-like. And the requisite ass-cheek popping skirt? It's black. Classy-like.
Maybe I'm being a bit harsh. It's their thing, I get it.
A watered-down, westernized version of what I've come to expect from izakayas in Vancouver, Hapa is probably really great for the kind of dudes who used to go to sports bars in university to ogle their servers, drink some beers, eat some grease, hang out with friends. Only difference now is that they're probably wearing a suit so they need somewhere a bit more "grown up" to imbibe.
In short, the Ika is good, the drinks are strong, the cute servers are actually really nice... and, uh...
... it's rrrll purty in here. They dun good thar.Listed in: My West End, From the Land of the Rising…, Oishii Oishii!
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Review from Ashley B.
Vancouver, BC
2/15/2012
Came here for Valentines day and I was impressed. The only reason this place did not get 5 stars was the wait time on the last roll. I would describe this place as a "Hip Asian Fusion" almost like a Cactus Club vibe but with Asian Fusion food.
This place is great for sharing and has something for everyone. We had the Crab balls, ebi shrimp, tuna sashimi, california roll and spicy dynamite roll. They were all absolutely unreal.
I will not be here everyday as it will put a hole in my pocket, but on a special occasion this really hits the spot.
Tip: Even though the rolls were great, I would try the other dishes and they were a tad overpriced.
Tried the one in Coal Harbour as well. Excellent dishes! Again, be willing to easily spend $75 for 2. -
Review from Mandy R.
11/7/2011
I'm no longer a vegetarian, but I still eat mostly vegetarian and I have never been a fan of seafood, so I always feel a little like my reviews of sushi restaurants are unfair. Keep that in mind, or read this review from a vegetarian-y perspective:
I came here on a date on a Friday night (I think it was on Canada day, so the place was BUSY). We were seated quickly upstairs, and the waitress apologized for the upstairs area being a little quieter, however I much preferred it to the busy lower level. If you're with a small group or you really want to talk over your meal, I'd recommend asking to sit upstairs. The waitresses still come frequently.
Everything we ordered was good and delivered quickly. We ordered a variety of appetizers to share, and the cheesecake for dessert (cheesecake? at a sushi place? weird concept, but it was good). I couldn't justify the prices to make this my regular sushi place, but for a nice(r) night out, a date, or a large group, this place is really good. -
Review from Aron A.
Vancouver, BC
1/7/2012
3.7 stars
Hapa...you're pretty. I love your big bamboo jugs...of sake. Ice cold they are. But I have to admit when I'm dining with you I'm looking at that beautiful girl across the way. That's right, Guu with Garlic. I know I know. I'm sorry. You're really pretty Hapa and I enjoy most of the food you cook for me but you lack in personality, sincerity...I don't know I think you just like me for my money.
For real though I asked one of the waitresses about their Omakase, she asked me to repeat multiple times then asked if that was Japanese then told me she is not. Hey...no big deal. Just saying is all...it's not like I expect the waitress at Swiss Chalet to know what a Chalet is...but she would. -
Review from Jando S.
12/30/2011 14 photos
There are several Hapa Izakayas in the Vancouver area, but I've been informed this is the best of the bunch. It may not be fair that my first experience here was while hanging with one of their most celebrated VIP patrons, but it was enough for me to determine this much: this is some seriously delicious food.
The interior is a dimly lit, intimate setting perfect for all dates and groups. The bartenders and wait staff are a fun bunch, efficient and charming, and serve as eye candy of establishment, as they're all predictably good looking. The trendy feel is practically automatic, though not necessarily warranted, but real izakayas let the sophistication speak their food. Thankfully this joint does a great job of doing just that.
The menu is subject to change as always, but the seasonal items are always worth a shot. Since everything is tapas style, be sure to choose the simple stuff or risk sacrificing the execution at the expense of sharing with a group. The kakuni pork belly bun, while delicious, is presented with all of the components (pork, greens, fluffy bun) served separately, which is problematic for groups of 2 or more. Try something like the ebi shrimp, a perfectly golden fried shrimp platter coated in spicy mayo and garnished with chives. Another recommendation would be their seared mackerel, chopped to many pieces and seared on the spot with a little bit of pyrotechnic fun for the table and not at all fishy. Another favorite is their wild salmon sashimi, a few slabs of Pacific salmon sliced thinly and easily is among the best I've ever had. Wash it all down with an EC cocktail (http://www.yelp.com/bi...) and it'll serve as a nice complement to the food.
It's easy to blow money here, but given the quality of the food and the seasonal variety, the prices are reasonable. I think the best way to enjoy this place is to make a reservation, come on a weekend night and with a group of food adventurous hungry people, and feast on one of the better meals that can be had in Vancouver.Listed in: Vancouver, Canada's Finest…
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Review from Andrea P.
1/22/2012
I have been here twice and I really don't understand the hype. The ambiance is just odd - like they're trying really hard to be cool and trendy, but they kind of miss the mark. I've tried several dishes and while the food has always been good, nothing has ever really stood out as being great. For the price, I think there are plenty of better options in the city to choose from (like Kingyo or Guu Gastown). It is what it is, a chain of izakaya restaurants, best likened to the Earls or Cactus Club of Japanese food. It's fine, but don't expect to be blown away.
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Review from Diana B.
Hapa Izakaya is such a fun and trendy place! Definitely a place to throw a fun dinner get together with friends.
The ambiance of this place is great. It's super trendy as I mentioned already, but also seems to cater to a variety of crowds.
If you are coming as a large party, definitely recommend calling ahead to reserve a table. We called an hour before coming and our party of 7 was seated immediately upon arrival.
The have 3 dining areas, all located close to a bar. Music in here is awesome, service is excellent, and the food is delicious!
Prices aren't the cheapest, but you're not getting cheap food, so I totally get it!
Love it here and can't wait to go back! -
Review from Carol L.
9/29/2011
I'm in Vancouver at least once a year to visit my grandparents and they took my sister and me here to eat dinner on a Saturday night. I was really surprised because the place seems like more a date/night out with the friends kind of restaurant than somewhere I would've ever imagined my grandparents eating at. The restaurant is spacious, dark furniture, well lit, young female staff, great food and good prices.
We didn't make a reservation and were told it would be 20 minutes for a table. So we decided to start out on the patio and have them move us when a table opened up since it was already around 8PM and we were starving. They were so fast with our food that I feel like they wanted us to just stay out in the patio, because by the time a table opened up we were already well done with our meal and just decided to stay outside (grandpa was not happy about that. He felt like we got tricked.) Either way their food was great, fast service, and I really liked the environment.
I'll definitely be stopping by here during my next visit to Vancouver for their Fish and Chips roll! It was delicious. -
Review from Meana k.
10/10/2011
The food here was good. However, it was overpriced. What you're paying for is the ambiance. The place is trendy, posh, and seems to cater well to well-dressed, attractive, pre-party groups of 20-30 yr olds. It struck me as a place you'd go for a birthday celebration with friends more than a romantic date or an intimate catch-up with a friend.
The servers are all young Asian chicks dressed in super tight revealing black dresses or shorts. Okay, I get it. The look completes the overall vibe inside.
I had the ebi mayo, which was good. I had spot prawn sashimi which of course they'll fry up the heads for you if you ask. MMMMM. Lastly, I had some dumplings which I didn't really care for.
I could certainly come back here if invited by someone, but I'd rather go to GUU which has a much more relaxed, casual, and FUN atmosphere, same or better food, and incredibly lower prices. -
Review from Sonia C.
9/5/2011
This place is ok, but I probably won't be returning for awhile given that there are other izakayas (namely Guu with Garlic) on Robson that I want to try! It looks mysterious from the outside, but the inside is pretty spacious and quite well-lit. We weren't very hungry so we only tried a few things on the menu. The only things I really liked and would order again were the seared mackerel and the pork belly buns. I usually love seared sashimi of any kind, and especially love the fatty fragrant taste of mackerel when it's torched. The pork belly was stewed very tender and went very well with the soft pillowy buns.
Some of the other dishes were more misses including the seared tuna sashimi (too sour) and the mentaiko udon (not much flavor). Service was good but I'll be trying some other places before I return. -
Review from Siri W.
6/19/2011
Mmm this place is good. Plus LOVE the atmosphere. Everyone is super-friendly. I went here with the boyfriend on a Friday and even though they were super busy, the staff were all super-attentive, from the greeting they all shout at you as you walk in the door and all through the meal 'til the end of the night.
The food is incredible. They're all share plates, and this IS an Izakaya not a Sushi Bar, so don't expect any. We had the Beef Tataki to start which I highly recommend. Soo yummy. Even if you're weirded out by the idea of eating raw/semi-raw beef - just give it a chance. It's delicious. And the pork belly - om nom nom.
I would definately check this place out again on a Friday night. We had a wonderful time, the atmosphere was fun and energetic and proved to be the perfect starting point for a night out. Give it a shot before hitting the town for a nice, light, delicious meal in an awesome atmosphere.Listed in: Top Restaurants
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Review from Liza B.
Vancouver, BC
10/29/2011
This is one of the few Japanese restaurant I can see myself frequenting. Seaweed isn't for me, nor is sushi, and unfortunately it still shows up on top of some of their non-seafood dishes; but it's easy enough to ask for them to hold off on it!
The udon with chicken (or vegetarian!) is always a safe bet. The ebi mayo is amazing, as is the Ishi-yaki; sort of a take on bi-bim- bap. Actually I haven't tried anything I don't like ( though i tend to avoid things I know I'd never eat, anyway!)
Try the pear lemonade. Just do it. -
Review from Long H.
Vancouver, BC
10/23/2011
This was my 2nd time coming here and the service is better than most restaurants.
This was a birthday party of 20 or so people and we had a 3 of the same set meals for our table of 10 but each set is made for 4 people and came $38 per person. I suppose would be a little less if we added the 2 additional people but it was a lot of food, I must admit. We had to pack the rice and udon which was untouched since it was brought out at the very end.
This set meal consisted of edamame, salad, tuna tataki, 2 different beef sashimi I believe, chicken karage, beef short ribs, ebi mayo, fried rice, and udon. I recall it was 11 items, so I probably missed listing a dish.
We had a few alcohol drinks such as the blueberry calpis, a lemonade calpis, and a bottle of Kirin. I wasn't too fond of the 2 fruitier drinks, but I would choose Kirin over a number of beers. If you are going to go to a Japanese restaurant, you might as well drink a Japanese beer haha.
I would recommend Hapa if you are looking for a place with a lot of room to eat and drink. -
Review from Justin L.
Vancouver, BC
8/13/2011
This place is really quite good. I've been here about 20-30 times since I've lived in Vancouver, and the food here is always consistent and outstanding. Try ordering the Spot Prawn Sashimi during the summer. Very tasty, and very fresh. You can save the prawn heads too and ask them to deep fry them... that's probably one of the best things I've ever eaten.
I highly recommend the Saba Seared Sashimi, Ishi-Yaki, and the Tuna Tataki.
The waitresses are also good looking, and we've had many discussions about which one is the hottest, etc. etc., but normally it's always the same asian girl. They are all very friendly and attentive.
I will continue going here for a long time! -
Review from Jonas C.
5/26/2011
First things first.
This is an izakaya, NOT a sushi bar.
Great food, great atmosphere, friendly wait-staff.
My friends and I opted for the set menu (omakase) and immediately declared that it was totally worth it.
We came hearing good things and left with only good things to tell. -
Review from Quang D.
3/27/2012
I can't always spell Agedashi but I know it was amazing here. Little pickled things and mushroom rice hot stone bowl all delicious vegetarian fare. Staff super nice but not in an annoying way.
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Review from Miss H.
3/2/2011
I made reservations for dinner, but ended up trying Hapa on a whim for dessert for a pre-dinner trial two nights before our dinner. Walking in, I felt like I was walking into a club, it was dark (dark walls, ceilings etc.) and loud music was pumping through the speakers. It felt old/dated and cheesy, but I think it's where people go to feel cool? The waitresses all dressed in black with lots of boobage. I felt like I was at an Asian version of hooters. As I noticed this, I also noticed a lot of guys in the restaurant and large groups...yes, feels very hooterish.
Oh, yes onto the desserts, we ordered the mille crepe with choco/banana and the earl grey cake. It was all ok, not great and also had a dated presentation with melted chocolate drizzled on the entire base of the plate with mint leaves in the swirl of whipped cream. Really?! Are we in 1991?
I cancelled my dinner reservation after this, thank god for the pre-dinner trial. -
Review from Lisa T.
12/25/2011 5 photos
one of my most favourite izakaya places ever.
the food melts in your mouth. literally, almost anything that should melt in your mouth, will melt in your mouth. their carpaccios. their ebi mayo. their seared sushi. their mentaiko udon.
my heart's melting just thinking about it. -
Review from Sanaz J.
Vancouver, BC
3/3/2011
I'm a sucker for small tasty dishes so any restaurant that can feed me with yummy dishes like Hapa's scores big points in my books.
I was introduced to this place a few years ago by an Austrian friend and been a regular ever since. I prefer going on weeknights as less busy and you get better service. The ambiance is great, so if you are bringing a date will score you big points and can share a few dishes.
Even though they have music playing in the background it's very mellow and doesn't get in the way of conversation.
A few of my favourite dishes here are the Scallop Roll, Beef Carpacio and the hot stone Korean rice with an egg on top.
For desert I recommend the chocolate crepe, different from your average French crepery but still very yummy! -
Review from Melissa E.
Vancouver, BC
3/27/2011
A few years ago I would have given Hapa 5 stars. Easy. I have been going there since they first opened...a small narrow, space, cozy, authentic (actually i don't know if it was authentic but it seemed like it) amazing food, service and prices that could not be beat!
Then they took over the italian resto to the left... that space never made sense to me. The "bar" was often empty and it was a weird kind of deadzone. And then they were closed for a bit to take over the space to the right...Ugh. They took away the "authentic" feel i liked of the "no shoes" zone (and those awesome plastic slippers you had to wear to the bathroom) to the left of the door and the now when I sat there, on my regular old wooden chair, I could see the TV screens from the new space. Totally ruined it.
Having said all that, the food is consistent, fresh, impeccable and always a great price. I think the portions may have gotten a tad smaller over the years and I truly miss the daikon salad, but the miso sablefish will make you will you were a teeny tiny person and could swim around in the yummy sauce and slowly chip away at that tender, soft, supple flesh... ok sorry, getting overly excited. But i hope you understand i LOVE this dish.
Also the hot stone rice bowl with mushrooms, tuna sashimi, mackerel, karaage, hasami-age etc etc. It's ALL good. Amazing actually. Both the hot and warm sake is yum and the wine are reasonably priced.
On many occasions, we have ordered plenty of food and drink for 2 and only ended up paying about 30$ each! For the quality, this price cannot be beat. Now if only they would turn the TVs off and ease up on the waitress boobage.Listed in: West End Wicked - Restos
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Review from Al A.
5/31/2011
From the outside, this doesn't look like a restaurant.
Wonderful izakaya! -
Review from Bronwyn G.
North Vancouver, BC
I found the Hapa service good and consistent and the menu to be more user friendly than other nearby Japanese izakaya places. On the downside, Hapa has a club/lounge vibe so I felt distracted from a focused eating experience.
My favourite salad in the whole city is offered here. It's their avocado & shrimp salad on a bed of lettuce. It's the dressing that really makes this one though! The salad is big and it's only about 8$.
My favourite cheesecake in the whole city is offered here. It's their whipped style cheesecake. It's so light and firm without feeling off or cheap. -
Review from J N.
Vancouver, BC
4/9/2011
The food was pretty decent, but I agree with another yelper when they state that the decor was outdated.
The cauliflower/bean appy was pretty boring and best left untasted, but we had to order one veg. I didn't know that it would be served cold, too, so it was pretty disappointing. We received two tiny cauliflower florets and a few beans, but I guess you can't expect much for 4 dollars.
The udon noodles were the best part of our meal and the sushi was pretty good. Although I love rich food, I've never been a big fan of mayo, and of course many of these places seem to douse their sushi in it which covers up the actual taste of the roll, at least in my books. Hapa was no exception to that "let's douse it all in mayo," rule.
I don't love mackerel but my companion seemed to enjoy it, and the way that they "fire it up" at the table to your liking was pretty good.
The service was efficient and the waitress pleasant.
The best sushi I've had in Vancouver is still Miku, but I haven't yet taken the plunge to Tojo's, either.
While this place isn't the best, it's still waaaay better than Guu. I have no idea what the fuss is about over that place.
The prices here were reasonable, too. So go here if you can't afford the best. -
Review from Irena L.
10/19/2011 1 Check-in Here
I lived in a box for the past three years apparently! This place is three blocks from where i live and I never even thought of trying it! I seriously didn't even know it was a restaurant, it just looked so dark from the outside, I thought they are doing construction or something (call me oblivious, I don't care).
Anyways...I was craving japanese, and my gf suggested this place. Oh boy, am I glad she did!
Interior is very sleek and sexy, and food, oh the food...We tried Salmon salsa Dip (just for the record, I think salmon should be married to avocado so this was definitely my favourite!), it came with plantain chips (yum) and avocado...next thing was paella, which is not a good choice honestly, it's not bad, but you can get waaaaaaay better (think Havana on commercial drive). I don't really know what I was thinking ordering paella in a japanese restaurant, but oh well...we also tried spicy tuna roll, and it was so oh-my-god-fresh! Loved it!
I will definitely go back for some more! -
Review from Sarah O.
8/10/2009
Waitress here totally turned me off. The girl had no smile on her face all night. Even though every single time she came by I smiled and said 'thank you'. She made us feel like that annoying, unwanted house guest who overstayed their welcome. There is no split bill here, mainly because they want to force their 17% gratuity to groups 6 or more, and their intentions are very transparent. You can tell the lack of customer service once they knew their tip was secured. The waitress also dropped all this food on my leg while she was mixing the hot stone bowl rice. They had no sense of humour, no customer interaction and I really didn't care for the service here AT ALL!
Food wasn't all that exciting. I left half of my spicy tuna lettuce wraps uneaten. It tasted like greasy pork. Agedashi tofu was very bland, nori on top was old tasting and very hard. Saba was alright.. but it seems like this is their signature dish and i honestly expected a little more. Tuna tataki was pretty good though, but thats pretty much it.
Also I heard about the cute waitresses here.. and I didn't see any of that when I went, maybe they put the inferior looking, rude ones on slow nights? Ouch.
I am still a Guu fan. -
Review from Judy W.
10/2/2010
If you've never had Japanese tapas, then you are missing out! Came here after watching US vs Canada in Murderball, and this place totally hit the spot.
1. Ebi Mayo - seriously, amazingly fresh shrimp with a to-die for sauce. Not to be missed!
2. Karaage - nicely fried, tender and juicy
3. Yaki Udon - great chewy noodles with a great blend of veggies and chicken
4. Potato Croquette - not bad, but if you really want amazing potato puffs, try Gregoire in Berkeley, CA :)
5. Negitoro - our version was mixed with avocado as well, and served with plantains and it was perfect!!
6. (Giant) Scallops - so big and juicy and amazing
We also had both the cold and hot sake. The cold sake was much better than the hot sake, in my humble opinion :) People all around us were having lots of fun drinking, singing, flirting with the waitresses, and just hanging out. Make reservations and grab a couple of friends to go enjoy a night on the town at Hapa Izakaya! -
Review from Gerald N.
Richmond, BC
8/26/2010
Hands down, my favorite restaurant in the city! I take my guests here every time and they LOVE it! One of my buddies from the Bay Area who has travelled all over the world, puts this place in his top 10 restaurants. I know it's a little far from a lot of the bars and clubs, but its worth the 15 min walk. From the outside, the restaurant is kind of hidden. No big signs, it reminds me of sports in San Fran or NY like Nobu, where you would never guess a quality restaurant is right inside.
Great, great ambiance inside, especially on a Friday or Saturday night. Always packed with groups of dressed up, young, energetic people. Dim lighting and lounge/techno music you'd hear in the lobby of a swanky W Hotel. Perfect spot to grab a late dinner and pregame before you hit the clubs. Not surprisingly, Hapa Izakaya has caught on and has a Kits location as well as a Yaletown branch - which I haven't ried yet. But I would still recommend going to the original. The energy and charm of the place is what keeps me going back.
Food is legit too. On top of a variety of sushi dishes, they have great tapas. I love the Ebi Mayo and Beef Yakiniku the best. The best part of all, the food is reasonably priced. A full meal with a few drinks will run you only 40 or so bucks. Plus, the staff is incredible! -
Review from .Nette T.
8/8/2008 8 photos
I went here with a group of friends and had a fantastic time! Hapa Izakaya is owned by a hapa guy who was managing the front of the restaurant. My friend told me that Hapa was known for their hot waitstaff....I thought the female servers were pretty cute - it didn't surprise me that the male diners here outnumbered the females! Decor inside was sleek dark wood, minimalist furniture, and modern.
We didn't have reservations and had to wait for a table so to pass time we drank of course in the lounge area. The sake was served in a bamboo shoot - my friend was complaining that the drinks in Canada were so watered down compared to the US. ????!!! I had NO idea. No wonder my friend gets absolutely plastered every time he visits us here in the US after a couple drinks!
Looking at the menu it was fusion Chinese, Japanese and Korean food.
We ordered a bunch of dishes, some of which I don't remember (it's been a while, bear with me and look at my pictures)
We had Kobe Beef Tatakai (sliced seared Kobe Beef) - my favorite dish. Kobe beef was tender and delicious.
-Ebi Mayo (shrimp in mayo sauce) - this is like walnut shrimp, deep fried and slathered in mayo. Mmmm.
-Ishi-Yaki Rice (basically Dol Sot Bi Bim Bop but with minced pork, garlic sprouts, egg, tomato, lettuce, spicy miso) - I also liked this dish, the crispy rice was awesome. It was comfort food.
-Negitoro - fresh tuna belly, chopped with spring onions, served with toasted garlic bread - garlic bread and tuna was a great combination of flavors and texture. Loved this!
I really enjoyed the food here. I wished I could try everything but I'll have to do it slowly with every trip I make it up to Vancouver. Overall it was a great experience - the food, the ambiance, the company. The waitstaff were efficient, friendly and we never felt rushed to get out of the restaurant even though the waiting area was 15 deep of people with that hungry look in their eyes. Definitely go there with a group of friends for good food, a fun time and eye candy!Listed in: Vancouver
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Review from Adolfo L.
4/19/2010 1 Check-in Here
San Francisco needs a place like this. I'm sure there's a Japanese Tapas place somewhere in SF, but Hapa Izakaya's recipe for sucess is apparently on point and a hit. The eats are good enough for the dining crowd, and a great selection of beers and inventive cocktails good enough for the lushes.
I had the:
- Silver Fish & Daikon Salad
- Beef Yakiniku - Garlic and salt-marinated seared AAA beef
- Negitoro - Albacore tuna belly, chopped with spring onions, served with garlic bread
- Kimchee
- Oshinko - Assorted Japanese pickled vegetables
- Okanagan 1516 Bavarian Lager
- Okanagan Spring Pale Ale
There was so much more that I wanted to try... the Omburishi Sushi which is smoked salmon & cream cheese pressed sushi seared at your table, the Kanpachi sashimi, the Sockeye Salmon sashimi, and the signature cocktails. Maybe I'll have to fly back to Vancouver just for some more of this? -
Review from Beverley W.
Vancouver, BC
12/2/2008
Dishes arrived so quickly and in such rapid succession -- it was a tornado of food. Hapa is sort of a group and impress-your-date type place but we discovered it's a great place to bring kids because their screaming can't be heard above the thumping music. Food was great
(delicious beef and fatty pork, though mashed potatoes were too watery), wasabi caesars were a hit, female hostesses and servers all have massive cleavage (that's not really a plus or a minus, just an observation). -
Review from Derrick V.
5/26/2009
Really hip izakaya in a more contemporary setting than Guu. The menu features more expensive ingredients, but still a good value for the quality.
We tried the pork belly which was awesome, fresh spot prawn sashimi (out of the tank fresh), Karaage Jyan (fried boneless chicken), and the squid cooked at the table, with the squid being the only miss.
I also had a taste of the beef yakiniku, seared AAA beef, which was very tender and beefy.
It's more spacious than Guu, so easier to accommodate bigger parties.Listed in: Izakayas, Vancouver and Richmond, BC
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Review from Emily S.
Vancouver, BC
6/14/2009 2 photos
Meh. I was really disappointed.
I guess I was looking for a more hip/exciting menu... maybe a more exquisite sake list. Was also expecting GenMaiCha green tea.
Probably the fries did it in for me... DON'T get the fries, whatever you do. Butter is never a good dipping sauce, unless you're eating cornbread.
I did like the fact that all the waitresses were pretty and there were a lot of other hapas in the restaurant. You don't see too many of us in one place :) -
Review from May B.
Vancouver, BC
7/29/2010
I had no clue that this place existed until my cousin suggested in when wait times for Guu were an hour+. I'm unfamiliar with the whole Japanese tapas food trend so I wasn't sure what to expect and let my brother and cousin go wild with the menu. Gotta say, I enjoyed it.
The food was delicious. I honestly don't know exactly what we ordered but I do remember the seared fish and yam fries were a standout.
But what I'm a big fan of is the overall atmosphere. Staff are super friendly as they greet you when you come in and also when you exit, and service was decent. We were seated near the back of the restaurant but never felt neglected. I'd definitely come back and go crazy with the menu again.
