Hakii is located just next to the park in Belair and has built up a reputation as one of the go-to sushi spots in Luxembourg. We didn't get the chance to sit down with the owners this time, so I can't tell you the story behind it. But I can tell you what ended up on the table and whether it was worth it!
We went on a Wednesday lunchtime. A word of warning: it does fill up fast. Students from the nearby campus make up the majority of the lunch crowd, and service slows down during peak hours. If you're on a tight schedule, either go early or make peace with the wait. If you're not in a rush (we weren't that day), it's fine.
After a first look at the card, some things stood out immediately. There's some creativity going on here: dragon fruit, salmon, and avocado California rolls (€9.50), a spicy tuna with Korean BBQ sauce and tortilla chips (€9), a spring roll with foie gras, strawberry coulis, and peanuts (€9).
And then the Hakii specials push things further: the queen truffle with flambéed salmon and truffle mayo (€15.50), the Smoked Luigi with smoked salmon, dried tomato, cheese, and rocket (€14.50), or the venom with soft-shell crab and black tobiko (€17.50).
Any attempt at spicing up the classics, such as your standard salmon maki or salmon avocado California rolls, is something I appreciate. A classic is always good, but at some point it's nice to be offered something new too.
I ordered the tasting menu (€27.50). The concept is for open-minded people: it changes every time, so you don't always get the same selection. Mine came with salmon and avocado California rolls, maki, nigiri, and gunkan, plus one of their signature rolls: crispy tempura topped with fresh salmon.
The fish was fresh and soft, the selection solid and well-balanced.
My friend went for the vegetarian menu (€24.50), which, aesthetically, looked better than mine. I'll admit that. The platter had vegetarian nigiri, pickled radish spring rolls, California rolls, and maki, and the standout was a mango-topped sushi finished with little popping pearls filled with sweet syrup. Colourful, summery, generous.
Both of us had a leftover goodie bag, because the portions are not small.
Hakii is a solid sushi choice. The fish is fresh, the tasting menu is always a little exciting because you never quite know what you're getting, and you know the portions will be generous. You know it'll be good.
If you're going at lunchtime on a weekday, book ahead or build in some extra time. The queue is real, and judging by how fast the room filled up, you're far from the only one who thought sushi on a Wednesday sounded like a good idea.
Food quality: 4.5/5
Family-friendly: 4/5
Budget-friendly: 3/5
Date-friendly: 5/5
Veggie-friendly: 4.5/5
Carolina Reinertz, former RTL Today editor turned contributor, is testing every hotspot in Luxembourg with honest reviews on whether a place is date-friendly, budget-friendly, or worth the hype – so you can spend your money wisely.
