Hanaita
Hanaita
Hanaita is a small, traditional Japanese restaurant next to the Santa Catalina market in Palma, where chef Endo Koji has run the kitchen alone for 37 years, serving a short menu of sushi, sunomono and misoshiru soup built around raw-fish technique rather than fusion rolls.
Background
About Hanaita
The Story
Hanaita has been a fixture in Santa Catalina for close to four decades, according to a November 2025 Ultima Hora profile, which describes it as the first Japanese restaurant in the neighbourhood. Chef Endo Koji has run the kitchen alone for 37 years per that same profile, handling the market shopping and cooking himself with help from two servers. The room seats around thirty people across a dozen tables, with cotton tablecloths and classic, slightly antique tableware, described in that profile as austere but fairly welcoming. Chef Álvaro Salazar of Voro, in Canyamel, has separately named Hanaita among his favourite places to eat in Palma, calling it "the first Japanese place on the island."
The Cuisine
The carta is short and has stayed largely the same for years. Dishes include misoshiru soup with seaweed, mushroom, tofu and a ham-based broth; sunomono, a raw-fish salad built around tuna, salmon (plain and rolled in nori with ginger), langoustine and yellowtail over a citrus-spiced soy sauce; and a sushi platter of dentex, tuna, salmon, cuttlefish and langoustine alongside the house's signature Iberian ham nigiri, which staff suggest eating without soy sauce. There's no individual nigiri or maki ordering; dishes come out as set, plated preparations, closer to an old-school Japanese shokudo than a modern sushi bar. The wine list leans on older Spanish labels alongside sake and beer, and desserts are made in house.
The Chef
The Team
Endo Koji has run Hanaita's kitchen alone for 37 years, per a November 2025 Ultima Hora profile, handling the market shopping and food preparation himself with help from two servers.
Highlights
What Diners Say
Consensus
Hanaita Ratings & Reviews
Diner Ratings
4.6
579 reviews
TripAdvisor
4.2
267 reviews
Yelp
4.5
2 reviews
Hanaita rates well across platforms, especially on Google (4.6/5 from 579 reviews), with reviewers consistently praising the fish quality even when opinions on the plain, unrenovated room are mixed.
Reservations
How to Book Hanaita
Booking
The room seats around thirty people across a dozen tables, per a November 2025 Ultima Hora profile, so it fills up. Reserve ahead by calling the restaurant directly, particularly for weekend dinners.
Experience
Hanaita Dining Experience
The room is modest and hasn't changed much in decades: cotton tablecloths, classic, slightly antique tableware and discreet glassware, with the chef working from a small kitchen in view of diners. A November 2025 Ultima Hora profile describes it as austere in decoration but fairly welcoming; other reviewers describe the service as anywhere from warm to brisk depending on the visit. It reads as an old-school Japanese shokudo rather than a modern sushi bar, the kind of place regulars keep coming back to for the fish rather than the setting.
Navigate
Hanaita Location & Neighbourhood
Address
Plaça de la Navegació, 8, Santa Catalina, 07013 Palma, Mallorca, Spain
Get directions→Getting There
Hanaita sits on Plaça de la Navegació in Santa Catalina, next to the Santa Catalina market, a few minutes' walk from Palma's old town.
Nearby
Santa Catalina is a neighbourhood in Palma, once a working-class fishermen's and dockworkers' quarter, built around the Mercat de Santa Catalina food market near the harbour on the city's west side. The market still anchors the neighbourhood, whose grid of narrow streets was originally home to fishing families. Hanaita sits on Plaça de la Navegació.
Nearby landmarks
Landmarks near Hanaita.
Nearby Restaurants
Details
Hanaita Reservations, Hours & Contact
Opening Hours
| Day | Hours |
|---|---|
| Monday | Closed |
| Tuesday | 13:00-15:00, 20:00-22:30 |
| Wednesday | 13:00-15:00, 20:00-22:30 |
| Thursday | 13:00-15:00, 20:00-22:30 |
| Friday | 13:00-15:00, 20:00-22:30 |
| Saturday | 13:00-15:00, 20:00-22:30 |
| Sunday | Closed |
Hanaita hours verified 2026-07-17. Contact the restaurant to confirm.
Contact
Hanaita takes reservations by phone. The room is small, so booking ahead is recommended, especially for weekend dinners.
Good to Know
Questions
Hanaita FAQ
Where is Hanaita in Palma?
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Hanaita is on Plaça de la Navegació, next to the Santa Catalina market, a few minutes' walk from Palma's old town.
What kind of restaurant is Hanaita?
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It's a small, traditional Japanese restaurant built around raw fish and sushi rather than fusion rolls. The menu is short and has stayed largely the same for years, with dishes like sunomono, misoshiru soup and a sushi platter that includes a signature Iberian ham nigiri.
Who is the chef at Hanaita?
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Chef Endo Koji has run the kitchen alone for 37 years, according to a November 2025 Ultima Hora profile, handling the market shopping and cooking himself.
What are Hanaita's opening hours?
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Hanaita serves lunch and dinner Tuesday to Saturday, roughly 13:00 to 15:00 and 20:00 to 22:30, and is closed Sunday and Monday. Confirm current hours when you book.
How do I book a table at Hanaita?
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Hanaita takes reservations by phone. The room is small, with about thirty seats across a dozen tables, so it's worth booking ahead, especially for weekend dinners.