Sazanami Hamba-Gu Introduce
Nestled along the scenic River Road in Edgewater, New Jersey, Sazanami Hamba-Gu offers local diners a unique and genuinely authentic taste of Japanese cuisine, moving beyond the standard sushi fare. While the restaurant provides a curated selection of traditional Japanese staples, its primary distinction and claim to fame is its specialty dish: Hambagu, or Japanese hamburger steak. This isn't just fast casual; this is Japanese comfort food elevated to an art form, prepared with a dedication to quality that has even earned the praise of professional Japanese chefs in the area.
The core of the Sazanami Hamba-Gu experience is the belief that quality cannot be rushed. The star entree, the Hamba-Gu Set Meal ($25.00), is famously made from scratch and cooked to order. Unlike many establishments that use pre-frozen patties, Sazanami crafts its thick, juicy patties fresh. This dedication requires a cooking time of at least 20 minutes, which, as experienced patrons and chefs point out, is entirely reasonable for a patty of that quality and thickness. The result is a wonderfully juicy and flavorful texture that is a rare luxury in the restaurant world. Diners are encouraged to order immediately upon seating to manage the wait time for this freshly prepared delicacy.
The restaurant's overall atmosphere is designed for a relaxing, high-quality meal. It is described as Casual and Quiet, providing a tranquil escape from the bustling Bergen County landscape. With offerings extending beyond its specialty to include popular items like Tonkatsu ($21.00), various fresh Maki Rolls, and delectable Small Dishes, Sazanami Hamba-Gu truly represents a worthwhile Japanese culinary discovery for New Jersey residents.
## Location and Accessibility
Sazanami Hamba-Gu is conveniently located in Edgewater, New Jersey, situated on River Road, making it a simple destination for those in Northern New Jersey and the surrounding Bergen County area. Its placement near the waterfront community makes it an excellent spot to visit for lunch or dinner.
The exact location is:
1086 S, 1086 River Rd, Edgewater, NJ 07020, USA
For the convenience of local diners, the restaurant offers hassle-free parking:
- Free street parking is available, a major benefit in the Edgewater area.
While the provided information does not detail full accessibility features, the location is a prime dining spot for solo diners, and its quiet atmosphere caters to those looking for a peaceful meal. Given its popularity, particularly at peak times (it can fill up within an hour of opening), guests are advised to plan their visit accordingly, with reservations possibly recommended if available.
## Services Offered
Sazanami Hamba-Gu focuses on providing a full-service, quality dining experience, while also catering to the modern need for convenience.
- Dine-in: Offers a full Table service experience in a casual and quiet environment, perfect for a peaceful meal.
- Takeout: Convenient ordering for those wishing to enjoy their authentic Japanese meal at home.
- Delivery: Services are available to bring the restaurant's specialties directly to customers in the local area.
- Dining Options: Open for both Lunch and Dinner, as well as offering a selection of Dessert items.
- Meal Presentation: The Set Meal options come with multiple complimentary sides, such as piping hot chawanmushi, miso, rice, salad, and tsukemono, providing exceptional value and a complete dining experience.
- Payment Flexibility: Accepts all major payment types, including Credit cards, Debit cards, and NFC mobile payments.
## Features / Highlights
The true highlights of Sazanami Hamba-Gu lie in its authentic preparation, customized meals, and diverse offerings that appeal to various palates.
- Authentic, Made-to-Order Hambagu: The undisputed star. Customers can customize their experience by choosing their meat (like 100% ground Angus beef), selecting a sauce (such as soy-onion sauce), and adding toppings (like a fried egg and double cheese).
- Exceptional Value: The Hamba-Gu Set Meal is widely regarded as one of the best deals for authentic Japanese food in the area, considering the quality and the inclusion of multiple side dishes.
- Diverse Japanese Menu: Beyond Hambagu, the restaurant offers an excellent selection of Japanese dishes:
- Set Meals: Includes Negitoro Don ($24.00) and Kaisen Don ($25.00), providing high-quality sashimi and seafood rice bowl options.
- Maki Rolls: Featuring unique and creative specialty rolls like Hustler ($14.00) and Wild Bunch ($14.00).
- Small Dishes: Includes fresh 3 Kinds Of Sashimi ($15.00), Toro Tartare ($14.00), and classic appetizers like Chicken Karaage ($11.00).
- Commitment to Quality: The kitchen's expertise and care in preparation are frequently noted by customers who recognize the difference between their fresh, made-to-order dishes and the reheated food often found elsewhere.
- Casual and Quiet Atmosphere: Provides a relaxed setting that is welcoming for Solo dining as well as Lunch and Dinner outings, offering genuine Japanese Comfort food.
## Contact Information
For inquiries, takeout orders, or to confirm service details, New Jersey residents can reach Sazanami Hamba-Gu using the following information:
P: (201) 566-5984 or +1 201-566-5984
A: 1086 S, 1086 River Rd, Edgewater, NJ 07020, USA
## What is Worth Choosing
Sazanami Hamba-Gu is worth choosing for New Jersey diners because it offers a rare combination of authentic Japanese cooking methodology, high-quality ingredients, and exceptional value. In an area saturated with Japanese restaurants, Sazanami stands out by specializing in a dish—Hambagu—that few others prepare with such meticulous care and authenticity. The fact that the staff takes the time (upwards of 20 minutes) to cook the thick, hand-made patty to order, avoiding the use of frozen, pre-cooked substitutes, speaks volumes about their commitment to the genuine experience. This is a crucial distinction that food lovers in the tri-state area will appreciate.
Furthermore, the restaurant delivers incredible value. The Hamba-Gu Set Meal is a complete, multi-course dining experience that includes a fresh salad, miso soup, and the exquisite chawanmushi (a savory egg custard), all for a price point that is highly competitive given the freshness and quality. For locals tired of standardized, reheated fare, Sazanami Hamba-Gu offers a chance to indulge in real Japanese comfort food prepared with passion and skill. Choosing this restaurant means prioritizing quality and authenticity over speed, leading to a far more satisfying and memorable culinary experience right here in Edgewater, NJ.
Sazanami Hamba-Gu Menu
Cold Drinks
- Oolong $4.00
- Diet Coke $3.00
- Coke $3.00
- Ginger Ale $3.00
- Zero Coke $3.00
- Green Tea $4.00
- Sprite $3.00
- Calpico $4.00
- Sparkling Saratoga Water $4.00
12oz
Maki Rolls
- Hustler $14.00
Shrimp tempura, avocado with seared tuna, salmon on top, spicy mayo.
- Rio Grande $13.00
California with chopped salmon, mango, jalapeño on top and mango sauce.
- Goodfellas $13.00
Spicy tuna & avocado with spicy real crab meat on top.
- The Right Stuff $12.00
California with baked salmon & shallot chip on top.
- All That Eel $14.00
Eel, avocado, cream cheese with eel on top and eel sauce.
- Wild Bunch $14.00
Real crab, avocado, with shallot chip, eel on top and eel sauce.
- Crunch Connection $14.00
Shrimp tempura, avocado with crunch, spicy tuna on top and eel sauce.
Small Dishes
- Yuzu Tomato $7.00
Yuzu-soy over sliced whole tomato.
- 3 Kinds Of Sashimi $15.00
Fresh tuna, salmon, yellowtail 6 pieces.
- Tofu Salad $9.00
Tofu over green salad, sesame-soy dressing.
- Ika Geso $9.00
Deep-fried squid tentacles.
- Toro Tartare $14.00
Minced fresh tuna over avocado, wasabi soy.
- Green Salad $7.00
With ginger soy dressing, with avocado for additional price.
- Yellowtail Jalapeño $16.00
Yellowtail sashimi with balsamic vinegar soy.
- Crispy & Spicy $12.00
Deep fried rice blocks & spicy tuna on top 2pcs
- Ebi Fry $9.00
Panko battered deep-fried Jumbo shrimp 2 pieces.
- Salmon Tartare $13.00
Minced fresh salmon over avocado, wasabi soy.
- Chicken Karaage $11.00
Deep-fried boneless chicken thigh.
Sides
- Side Rice $2.00
- Miso Soup $3.50
Set Meal
- Negitoro Don $24.00
Tartare of fatty tuna and scallion over white rice.
- Kaisen Don $25.00
Assorted sashimi over white rice.
- Tonkatsu $21.00
Panko battered pork cutlet.
- Hamba-Gu $25.00
Japanese style 8 oz hamburger steak with your choice of sauce.
Sazanami Hamba-Gu Details
Service options
- Delivery
- Takeout
- Dine-in
Popular for
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Solo dining
Offerings
- Comfort food
Dining options
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Dessert
- Table service
Amenities
- Restroom
Atmosphere
- Casual
- Quiet
Payments
- Credit cards
- Debit cards
- NFC mobile payments
Children
- Good for kids
Parking
- Free street parking
- Parking
Sazanami Hamba-Gu Photos










Sazanami Hamba-Gu Location
Sazanami Hamba-Gu
1086 S, 1086 River Rd, Edgewater, NJ 07020, USA
Sazanami Hamba-Gu Reviews
japanese hamburger steakpricedemi glazechawanmushiparkingburgerkaisen dondonkatsuporkgorgonzola
★ 5★ 4★ 3★ 2★ 1Real Japanese Hambagu made from scratch and made to order. I’ve worked in Japanese kitchens my whole life. I can tell when the kitchen both knows what they’re doing and cares. This place is legit.Anybody who complains about wait time has never made hambagu and it shows. Most restaurants just reheat frozen patties from JFC and then add sauce on top. Even most fami resu in Japan will pre-cook the patties in the oven ahead of time and sear to finish when orders come in. But in doing so you lose on the wonderful juiciness and texture that come from made-to-order. Having a hand made hambagu cooked to order is a real luxury. With a patty that thick, you’ll need at least 20 minutes to cook through. Add in normal restaurant traffic and 40 minutes is 100% reasonable. For a full house I’d expect longer.Factor in that they’re adding piping hot chawanmushi, miso, rice, salad, tsukemono - all at $22 dollars and you’ve got the best deal on real Japanese food in the area. As someone who is tired of reheated frozen food from big distributors, this place gets a full 5 stars from a Japanese chef.
September 28 · Josh NakamaI loved their Hambāgu! You can customize it by choosing the meat, sauce, and toppings.I had the 100% ground Angus beef with soy-onion sauce, a fried egg, and double cheese—it was absolutely delicious! All the sides that came with the meal were great, too.I went right when they opened on Sunday (11:30 am). I was the first customer that day, but by the time I left about an hour later, the restaurant was already full. I’m not sure if they take reservations, but if they do, I’d recommend making one.As another reviewer mentioned, it takes about 20 minutes for them to cook, so I suggest ordering as soon as you sit down.I’ll definitely be going back!
September 05 · ryota SakamotoI think the highlight of this place is Burger steak. It comes with a set including salad, chawanmushi (steamed egg with mushroomand imitated crab meat), miso soup, bowl of rice and radish. You can pick from two types of meat, 100% angus beef, or combination of beef & pork. There’s also a lot of sauces and toppings to choose from. Tonkatsu (Fried Japanese pork chop) is another set that we recommend. The Kaisen sashimi don is average, it’s the same usual fish that u can eat everywhere. however, the restaurant may be still new, the rice is a bit dry, not cooked with enough water, so is a little little little bit hard to chew, but my kids didn’t complain. I personally think the set is full enough that we don’t even need to order appetizers. Since we want to try everything so we ordered three different type types of appetizer. The beef tongue is good. The tomato in yuzu dressing it’s also a great combination. The toro tartar seems highly depend on the heavy sauce, it’s still good, but it seems a waste for using toro. It makes more sense if just using tuna for tuna tartar. The waiting time is long, like nearly 45 min, Probably is still new. I would definitely come back in a month to see if the cooking time has improved. Be mindful that there’s no parking lot on site, and is located on a busy two-way big street, So if you’re going with little kids or with a stroller and you park across the street, you may need to wait a bit until both sides have no car. The service is average. Overall, we love the place and would definitely come back.
June 02 · Isabella LuiAbsolutely fantastic, absolutely unique! This restaurant specializes in Japanese hamburger steak which isn’t a very common dish to be served around here. With the Hamba-gu set, you can choose the sauce and the toppings that come with. It was incredibly filling and delicious and it’s definitely a bang for your buck.Here’s everything we got:Tofu Salad: my personal favourite, so refreshing and the salad dressing is perfect, not too heavy and not too light. It gives the perfect touch and flavor to the salad. Perfect for the upcoming spring and summer!Tomato Yuzu: the tomato drenched in yuzu sauce was a nice palate cleanser and was delicious as well! The portion was honestly bigger than I thought as well.Three Kind Sashimi: The pieces of the sashimi was quite thick and large, definitely doesn’t skimp on the portions.Hamba-gu + gorgonzola white cream sauce + belly bello mushrooms: the sauce added a creamy texture to the meat, and with the addition of the mushrooms it was like a mushroom cream sauce on a hunk of perfectly cooked, juicy meat!Hamba-gu + red demi glaze + sautéed onions: this is a combo that’s been perfected throughout the world of cuisine, and it’s been perfect for this dish too, a classic done well!Hamba-gu + red demi glaze + fried egg: a common Japanese dish, the addition of the egg made a hefty meal and a delicious one at it too! The protein is definitely a plus.The Hamba-gu set comes with either the choice of 100% angus beef ($22-$23 i forget the exact number) or a mixture of both pork and beef ($21) and with this set comes a side salad, miso soup, rice, a cooling cucumber dish, and an egg custard like made w mushrooms and a base of some kind of seafood. The toppings also range from $1-$3 depending on what you get. Like I said before, a HUGE bang for your buck! Unfortunately, since it is Edgewater, there isn’t parking available except for street parking. This is definitely a revisit spot and an INCREDIBLE addition to the cuisine of Edgewater!
April 08 · Jess ShimWe went to Sazanami Hamba - Gu for a dinner. As a group, this was our first time here and we knew it would be a good dinner.Our food was good, definitely worth the price of the overall meal if you decide on having a Hamba- Gu. You choose how you want your Hamba- Gu (whether its 100% Angis beef or one with a mix of beef and pork), sauces choices and then added toppings. There is no buns, just with all the sides come with it which makes the overall price worth it. (If you are wondering what is Chawanmushi - one of the sides, it is steamed egg with mushrooms and fishcake - it was good)Mine was the Hamba- Gu with 100% Angus beef, Cheesy cheddar and added avocados.Service was slow. You can tell it was a small staff, however they were working hard. All payments is accepted. Parking can be difficult, read the street signs and watch out when you cross the street.
May 11 · Nancy Wong Shek
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