Hibino

We went there once with friends on a Monday night and it was relatively crowded, but not packed. However, the service was comically deplorable - we waited forever to place an order. The cook food came relatively quickly, but the sushi took over an hour to arrive. How hard is it to make a tuna roll? They also poured the soy sauce for us and were stingy with it, which we found annoying. Everything tasted good, but who likes to show up at 8pm on a weeknight and not get fed until close to 10 pm?

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Simply put this is the best, most authentic Japanese restaurant in Brooklyn. I'd also put Hibino up against any citywide. As someone who has traveled extensively in Japan I can say that this place embodies Kyoto regional cuisine both in flavors as well as process. Not always the most exotic fish varieties on hand but what they have is always at its peak.

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I was tempted to not review this and try to keep it a secret but word will get out eventually. Hibino ranks up there with the best sushi restaurants in the city. I am floored everytime I go to Hibino by how fresh the fish is and the cooked food is always delicious as well. Everyone who works here is Japanese including the wait staff who do not speak perfect english, and perhaps require further refinement in their waiting skills, but they are always friendly.

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I walked by Hibino on Sunday night (after a delicious meal at Boca Lupa) and Hibino was closed. I couldn't tell but it looked like it was CLOSED closed. Anyone been this week? I hope not, I went there once but was looking forward to going back soon.

i think lefthook nailed it. i was there on one of the first nights they opened. the service wasn't great but it wasn't for a lack of trying, they were super nice. the food here is outstanding. i've been back many times since and never been disappointed with the food and the service seems to improve with each visit.

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Had a great meal here recently. The daily Obanzai are a great value (assuming they haven't sold out when you order). A Japanese friend told me this is where she went for authentic Japanese cuisine though I didn't see many Japanese folks dining the night I was there. Decently priced Sake list. Overall, very nice.

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I agree that this is the one of the only authentic Japanese in Brooklyn. The food is excellent; however I was there last week for the first time in months and I felt they had slipped a bit. I have never expected the best sushi here (that would be Taro on Dean) with the exception of the Kyoto-style "box" sushi--but the cooked items, and especially the house-made tofu, were outstanding. Last week, though, not as good as before. A new cook?

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Agree with the comments above. Food is outstanding, and service can be slow, but is always with a smile and a lot of effort.
LOVE the obanzai, it makes every visit a little different.
I am not a tofu person, but the Hibino tofu is delicious. Also try the beef kakuni, tastes like it's been stewing for days.
And lastly, the soy pudding dessert is to die for (craving it just thinking about it)

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The obanzai was delicious and creative - especially the pasta salad. Sushi was fair. My boyfriend did not like the pressed sushi, but I thought it was tasty. The hot tofu might have been great, except it needed instruction on how to eat it.

The obanzai was delicious and creative - especially the pasta salad. Sushi was fair. My boyfriend did not like the pressed sushi, but I thought it was tasty. The hot tofu might have been great, except it needed instruction on how to eat it.

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I really love this place. I have only eaten in the restaurant once, but I have ordered take out from here many many times. Everything I have ordered has been delightful, from the obanzai to the tofu to the sushi. I especially like the pressed sushi. In addition, I find that their specials are varied and excellent. This place is a real gem.

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if you saw Hibino closed, it was probably because they like the close and take holiday vacations. however, i want to say i saw someone in there setting up this weekend, so don't worry! if Hibino were to close, it would be the decision of the owners, certainly not because people stopped going.

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love hibino.

never have to wait too long for a table. happy to see lots of well-behaved kids there.

everything i've had there is amazing. my favorites: beef kakuni and the tofu desert.

service has always been good. and super friendly.

i like the open-ness of the space too. always a comfortable meal.

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Very good food and the only true Japanese place in the neighborhood. Prices and small portions are the only drawback (and also very Japanese).

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I went there last night and I'm going to have to say that the place did not live up to the hype I saw above. Service was excellent. But the sushi was not. The sushi is left on the counter unrefrigerated and although it was perfectly fine (except for rather small portions), I like mine colder. Additionally, although all were on the menu they did not have Toro and mackeral and ran out of Spanish mackeral. When asked about the Toro, I got a "very Japanese" reply that it was too difficult to get!! Maybe it doesn't cross the bridges because everywhere in Manhattan always has it. I think this is a "Brooklyn thing" since I've run into that elsewhere. I was quite upset that there was no Toro, unforgivable.

I think most people go there for the rolls and the cooked dishes. Our other appetizers were very good and I didn't see a lot of orders for sushi as I was sitting at the bar. Additionally, they do not know how to make a "proper" hand roll which I found odd.

Good, reasonably priced sake list. I had no issue with the prices except, as I mentioned above, the sushi pieces were small.

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