DISCLAIMER: I used to work at Hana Cafe and you may call me biased.
Hana Cafe came to Wichita in 1997 and first landed in the northeast part of Wichita. Over time, they found their way to Old Town right next to the Old Town Warren. Hana Cafe started out as a tiny restaurant with only 4 booths, but today you will see a remodeled interior with an upscale and modern look. Hana Cafe serves a mixture of Japanese and Korean cuisine, including sushi and traditional Korean dishes. Hana Cafe runs daily food and drink specials and offers a full bar.
I had my first sushi ever at Hana Cafe and I remember being impressed with the quality of rice and other ingredients used. While I am more of a sushi traditionalist, Hana Cafe recently (within the last couple of years) included more adventurous rolls to keep up with the competition. I think Hana Cafe does basics well, high quality sushi rice with fresh fish wrapped tightly in a roll that you can actually eat in one bite. I find that other sushi restaurants use rice that does not taste quite right, their rolls just fall apart because of bad form, or rolls that you need razor sharp teeth to saw through. I tried other sushi restaurants here and there, but I always come back to Hana Cafe. Aside from sushi, Hana Cafe offers a number of cooked dishes as well. No other restaurant in town can beat their tempura offerings, and I always fight with myself of whether or not I want to order sushi or tempura, and usually settle on getting both.
In attempt to keep this review unbiased, I went with coworkers on my most recent visit. One coworker ordered the kalbi (Korean short ribs with rice, salad and dumpling) bento box and one coworker ordered the bibimbap (does not come in a stone bowl, so my coworker grieved the lack of crispy rice).
Hana Cafe offers great options for sushi and cooked Japanese and Korean dishes, but their prime location does make their offerings a bit pricier than other Wichita options. We got in and out of Hana Cafe within an hour with their prompt service. I admit that we do not come here as often as I would like because of cheaper options, but I am never disappointed with Hana Cafe.
Hana Cafe
325 N Mead St, Wichita, KS 67202
316-267-3766
Monday-Thursday 11AM-10PM
Friday-Saturday 11AM-11PM
Sunday 12PM-10PM