Hayward has its fair share of Japanese restaurants, and high quality sushi for a reasonable price can be difficult to find. Akaihana, on Foothill Boulevard and B Street, offers good quality sushi and sashimi, available for those on a budget.

Akaihana is a very small restaurant with limited seating space (maybe 25-30 people, tops), but has a very comfortable atmosphere. The focal point of Akaihana is its sushi bar, which takes up nearly half of the small dining room, which can become very crowded on the weekends.

The service at Akaihana is almost as good as the food. Servers are quick, gracious and attentive without making you feel rushed.

An option for diners going out in groups is to get the family meal, which allows diners to choose five different entrees and includes salad, rice and soup, which feeds four to five people. Instead of crowding the table with a bunch of plates, the food is presented on a small wooden boat, which makes it easy for diners to dig in.

Although there are only a few different varieties of fish available, Akaihana has dozens of rolls, which present the fish in interesting and different ways. The Macadamias roll has tuna, avocado, mango and chopped macadamia nuts. This and many other unique combinations make ordering from their special rolls menu worth trying.

With an inviting ambience, friendly service and decent, affordable sushi, Akaihana is a contender for some of Hayward’s best Japanese food.