A new, speedy bite for sushi? A quick walk right off campus? Hana Sushi and Izakaya, located right next to Pollen on Monroe Street, opened up for business on Aug. 19, 2022 and is continuing to find new ways to promote their business and provide discounts. 

Right now, they’re looking into creating advertising coupons, posting about the restaurant on social media and developing a transferable point system.

Co-owners Kevin Yuan, Max Zhao and April Zhao designed an atmosphere for sushi lovers to pick rolls right off a conveyor belt or to order fresh from the kitchen. They also conveniently share the space with April’s Tea House for customers to pair their sushi with some boba tea. 

The point system, which you can register for in the restaurant, connects to any place owned by the Zhao’s, such as April’s Tea House, Number One Hot Pot, Summit Bar and Grill, and Mix Asian Bistro. Customers are able to enter their phone number each time they visit any of these establishments and they can earn points. The points can add up enough for customers to receive discounts for the next time they dine. 

From 11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday, the employees prepare new sushi every few hours and discard any that hasn’t been eaten in order to maintain fresh sushi on the belt. 

The discounted sushi can already make affordable sushi all the more cheaper. The conveyor belt system relies on colored plates, with each specific color relating to a price. At the end of each meal, the plates are added up and calculated for the total price. You can spend as little or as much as you like on your food. 

The restaurant sources its food from JFC Japanese Company and starts preparing the ingredients an hour before the restaurant opens. 

“Our sushi chef has over 20 years of experience in sushi restaurants, and we offer high-quality sushi at the lowest possible price,” said Yuan, who has had kitchen experience since 2014. “We can accommodate over 70 people at a time.”

Employees Hannah Whitlock and Saul Aparicil have enjoyed working at Hana Sushi and Izakaya for the last few months. 

“I really like working here,” Whitlock said. “The owners are very nice and this place is very cute.”

Aparicil said the seared salmon is his favorite and recommended it. He also said the Beaver Roll is their most popular dish. This spirited Oregon State University-themed roll contains shrimp tempura, avocado, spicy tuna, tenkasu, spicy sauce and unagi sauce. Their nigiri rolls are also a pretty common order. 

As well as their proud OSU Beaver Roll, Hana Sushi and Izakaya secures students with fresh sushi with affordable prices and a quick walk off campus. It’s already been a hit with students as Whitlock and Aparicil say their busiest days are weekdays and are relatively slow when sporting events are going on. 

“Our goal is to allow OSU students to eat high-quality sushi in the most convenient way and in the shortest time, so that they can continue to engage in intense study,” Yuan said. 

Aparicil agrees with Hana Sushi and Izayaka’s convenient location for students because “the only other cheaper conveyor belt sushi place is on Ninth Street.”

“I do feel like you get pretty good quality for your money too,” Whitlock said. “You’ll feel good about eating here.”

With cheap, good quality and ready-to-eat sushi, anyone can stop by for a quick bite. Hana Sushi and Izakaya is convenient for anyone on campus, Monroe Street or anyone willing to make the drive to try a new sushi experience.