Sakari Sushi Lounge
2605 Ingersoll Ave, Des Moines, IA, 50312
Sakari Sushi Lounge Menu
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Address :
2605 Ingersoll Ave
Des Moines, IA, 50312 - Phone (515) 288-3381
- Website https://www.sakarisushilounge.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 2:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Trendy
Noise Level : Very Loud
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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Amanda I.
Had the box lunch with chicken teriyaki, salad and a house roll. The dynamite crab roll was awesome along with the dynamite shrimp. The teriyaki was the worst I have had - too much mushrooms and sauce was way too thick. spicy tuna roll was ok - had better.
(2)Bill L.
Just a quick update , I finally got a chance to eat inside and the atmosphere is intense! It has expanded in size significantly since the first time I visited to pick up an order. The atmosphere is definitely a bar scene experience, the music, the drinks, the dressed up customers. It was very crowded when we went on the Friday night , but we still got a table. Very high energy place to go at night if you enjoy that. Good food still, chicken wings and dynamite shrimp are amazing appetizers. The rolls are all good, never had a disappointing sushi order. Will definitely continue eating their food!
(5)Judge D.
Sakari is a great place! The Judge has ate at Sakari many times. The food is excellent. the rice is very good and cooked correctly! That can be tricky at some places. There are very many items on the menu. House, vegetarian and specialty rolls all rock. Favorite's are the Dragon Crab, Godzilla, Beef roll up, Sakari, Sweet potato...actually most rolls are great! The Judge has never really had anything he did not like from Sakari. A couple rolls were not favorite's. But you never know till you try. Outstanding staff! Free Sake bombs to all diners! The only negative I have to say is a few items prices seem out of place. It also can be loud in Sakari. It is always club music when the Judge is there. Judgement: Sakari is awesome, you should go eat there. Mrs. Dredd did not like Sushi till she went to Sakari. Now she loves Sushi. You should go to Sakari and give it a try. Then you can be the Judge!
(4)Sylvia D.
I'll tell you what bugs me when I read other people's reviews and they experienced a problem which they shared with the restaurant, the establishment fixed it, and then that person goes on line and gives them a one star review. So I'm just going to say that there was a problem with my order not being satisfactory, and after bringing it to the attention of my server, they took it off my bill. I've had sushi here in the past and was happy with it. This time I ordered something other than sushi and it wasn't satisfactory so I'll stick with sushi in the future because they do a great job with it and you won't go wrong with that here.
(4)Sheena H.
The tuna tataki is to die for! I get it every time. The veggie and shrimp tempura are amazing. The Lobster roll is fabulous! The sashimi and nigiri are always fresh and amazing. I can't say enough good things about this place. I always look forward to eating here again.
(5)Apple C.
I came here at 5:00 pm with a buddy and wow! The place was already packed. My buddy and I shared three rolls, Spicy Tuna, Eel Avocado, and Tofu Tempura. The Spicy Tuna was okay. At the other sushi places I've been to they usually chop up their Spicy Tuna and mix it with Spicy Mayo, but at Sakari the Tuna is chopped into larger cubes and the sauce is on top the rolls which I didn't mind. I personally thought the avocado in the Eel Avocado roll was overpowering and I couldn't really taste much of the eel. I'm not sure if I'd order it again. However the Tempura Tofu was wonderful! It had a great crispy texture and I also loved the sauce that came with it. Overall, the sushi was pretty good, comparable to the ones I've eaten in California! The service is pretty attentive, but parking can be troubling and the place is pretty small so it will fill up quickly!
(4)Chitterne B.
Sakari is the definition of "meh." The place is LOUD. On a Monday night, it was totally packed with a range of people from families with toddlers to a table of sake-bombing college kids. The techno music was blaring, and by 8 pm there was a line out the door. Unsurprisingly, this made for sloooowwww service, but our waitress and the host were both friendly and helpful nonetheless. I imagine this place would be fun if you're out for a night on the town, but it's definitely not the quiet little sushi bar that it appears to be on the outside. The fish here is not the greatest. It's never BAD, and I certainly wouldn't be afraid to eat it, but the sashimi is WAY overpriced - every fish is sliced EXTREMELY thin, even those that really shouldn't be. The presentation isn't the greatest either - there is rarely any vegetable garnish, and you need to explicitly mark on your order form that you want ginger and wasabi. The rolls are mainly your typical sauce-covered, fried-up, cream cheese-y American sushi bar-type rolls; not so great, but a definitely a better bang for your buck if you need a good amount of food. If you're looking to have a Kirin or do some Sake bombs and get some food in your stomach before heading out for the night, Sakari will suffice. If you're going out to eat, there are definitely way better sushi places downtown in this price range.
(3)Alexis R.
Went for happy hour with friends this evening. A whole lotta fun for not too much money! Two Kirins and two rolls for $14 (including tip). This little former-New Yorker is a happy camper. The sushi was...ok. Certainly not bad. Tasted fresh. I love a good spicy roll and their spicy roll was...not spicy. But the yellowtail scallion roll (another favorite) was good. The miso got good reviews from around the table, too. Happy hour's really a good deal. The prices aren't bad even without happy hour. But at happy hour, Kirins are $2 and house rolls are $4. Good stuff!! Highly recommended.
(4)BC B.
Love this place, absolutely my favorite place to get sushi. For lunch you can't beat the bento box, includes 2 of the Dynamite Shrimp, the best appetizer they have, a house roll (my favorite is the Dynamite Crab). your choice of terryaki, and a salad. For dinner this is one of my favorites for both date night and girls night. Can't beat the saki bombs that seem to find their way to the table, for FREE! :) We have tried many different rolls and haven't been disappointed once. My fiance loves the Iowa Beef Roll which is great for the non-fish lover, it's a shrimp tempura roll with little slices of steak sirloin on the top. I love the Godzilla and anything with their special spicy sauce. We have tried a few other places, but nothing is as good as Sakari. Never had a problem with service or food.
(5)Jacki P.
Kind of a party vibe, but I was diggin' it. Free sake bombs because we were out of towners! Sushi was pretty good, poor beer selection, but what do you expect from a sushi bar... If you're looking for friendly staff and a darn good dragon roll, you've found the spot.
(4)Cara S.
Sakari Sushi is awesome. The staff is great and the food is even better! Tonight was the third time my boyfriend and I have been there since we moved to Des Moines about two months ago. We love the Godzilla and the Marty da Party rolls! The other rolls we have had are really good, but those are our favorites. The Octopus Salad is great too-it can be horrible at other places, so be careful. It's not cheap, but it's awesome. They also have a full bar, which we love. Tonight, we sat at the sushi bar. We got to interact with the guys making the rolls and before we left, they gave everyone at the bar a free Sake Bomb-awesome! On top of that, my boyfriend got heartburn as we were leaving and when the manager asked what we were doing tonight and I told him about my honey's heartburn, the manager (Andy? or Jason?-was a bit confusing) gave us a Zantac! How sweet and thoughtful! Overall, I'll be back to Sakari very soon! Love my sushi! And good company, especially in a new place, is wonderful. :)
(5)Misty H.
It's convenient to where I run my errands and the food is pretty good. So far we have been able to get a table within 15 minutes. The happy hour special is nice so we go early before the rush. The decor is nice and had been expanded.
(5)Kelsey B.
If you're looking for good sushi on Ingersoll, this is it. Between 5-7 Monday thru Thursday all the house rolls are $4.00. I recommend the spicy tuna, shrimp tempura, and the dynamite crab roll. If you go off the house rolls, the specialty rolls are good but little pricey. The wait can be longish but it's hit or miss on that. I will admit, I am there about every other week during happy hour and we go pretty early and usually have no problem getting in. Think sushi bar mixed with sports bar. Lots of tvs around and always a good game on. Service is average but if you want good/cheap sushi- I definitely recommend.
(4)Monica S.
The sushi was good, but that was not the problem here. The entire staff from the back room was watching a game at the sushi bar, just hanging out with a huge pizza from the place next door. We felt like we were invading their little party, very unprofessional for the entire staff to be in there like that. The bar tender kept looking at her cell phone every 5 minutes. I ordered a vodka tonic, and they apparently have no tonic on tap, so I got flat tonic out of a bottle they opened up hours (or days?) earlier.
(1)Erica H.
I've only been here for lunch, but the sushi is pretty much delicious. I'd say it's the best I've had in Des Moines, and on par with what I've had in larger cities. The crab rolls are a favorite! I've heard happy hour is great here, but haven't tried it. The only downsides - the location is small, and parking can be a bit tricky if it's busy. Also the sushi seems to take a long time to come out. We learned if we were coming in for lunch on a workday to call ahead - otherwise no way in heck are you going to make it back to work within an hour!
(4)Jodi K.
Hit up this spot with a friend on a Tues. night. We got there after happy hour, darn. It was delicious. I had cold sake and my friend had a martini and both were good. We ordered edamame as an app and, eh, it was hard. Oh well. We ordered the philly and spicy tuna house rolls and the Godzilla specialty roll. All 3 were delicious. We left totally satisfied and would go back again. I like the small space and when we left, we were offered a free sake bomb. Nice. The only downfall is parking.
(4)Sarah M.
The sushi sucks, it tastes like sushi from the buffet. No flavor, it has too much rice. I ordered the spicy salmon roll, and what i got was a salmon roll, with spicy mayo on top...haiku is better. They actually mix the spicy sauce into the fish instead of just putting it on top. I'd rather go to Haiku, I rarely go here only when I dont have much cash to spend as the only good thing about them is their happy hour.
(2)Doug M.
I tried Sakari out the other day for an early Friday supper. It was one of the sushi restaurants I hadn't tried yet in Des Moines and was curious how it compared. This place is rather small and I found it to be loud, but not annoying. There are only a couple booths, so if you like booth seating get there early. I thought our waitress did a good job. She was polite, quick on refills and bringing out the check. I didn't think it took long for our rolls to be brought out, but having good conversation can pass the time. My friend and I had 3 specialty rolls (Dragon, Volcano and Alaskan). I have had these rolls several times at other restaurants and the way they were prepared here was quite different. However, the rolls still tasted alright but I didn't think the salmon was as fresh as it could have been and each roll came with sauce caked on it which sort of hid the flavor of the fish. Overall it was a nice time out and I may come back here during their happy hour specials (pretty good deals) and order some house rolls to see how they compare to others I've had.
(3)Diane A.
SAKARI LOVER! For a few weeks now, friends have been asking me to tag along for sushi rounds @ Sakari....and I can see why. Driving down Ingersoll, you just might miss it - its located right next to Big Tomato. Parking may be an issue for some, but you'll find a spot. My first visit was on a Tuesday night, and was actually pretty busy. There's a full bar as well as dining areas - the bartenders are really friendly and can whip up almost any drink you ask for...and more importantly - they're sushi is pretty damn good and priced well. I was sitting at the bar - and I, myself, tending to be a people watcher - saw that a sushi newbee came in and was curious to try the cuisine, seemed hesitant to commit himself to an entire sushi roll he may or may not like, and was asking advice from the bartenders. Shortly after, the owner & head chef came out and talked with him for a bit and gave him a few small platters of sushi samples....I thought that was a great way to educate a new customer & make him feel @ home. If that's not great business skills - I don't know what is.
(5)Drew K.
Best sushi I've had! The dynamite roll and the . Average service and small interior. Waited over 30 minutes, standing in an awkward space by the door. But the food makes it worth it.
(4)Eugene C.
I became a regular because early on the owner remembered me and my preferences after just a visit or two. small intimate restaurant, music is quirky but creates a wonderful mood. The sushi and sashimi are as excellent as any in town, including miyabi 9. service is excellent but there can be waits when it gets very busy. I particulary like their udon noodles, which they gladly prepare for me off the menu with beef. wonderful all you can eat rolls on monday for $20!
(5)Elsie D.
Sadly, I'm re-reviewing based on my most recent experience here. Maybe 3 stars is too many, but the food was still good so I'm basing my stars off of that. The service and atmosphere were just plain bad when I was there last week. The waitress didn't greet us, instead just shoved menus in front of us and ran off. She wasn't outright rude, just didn't seem to care that we were there. I get that it was busy, but it doesn't take more than 2 seconds to ask how we are doing or make eye contact. She was able to answer a question I had about the sake, so points for that I guess. As for the atmosphere, it was just loud and obnoxious. There were a group of drunk ladies behind us practically screaming at the top of their lungs. I can deal with a moderate noise level, but this was just out of control. Granted, it may not be Sakari's fault it was loud, but if you go be warned: you cannot hold a conversation with your dining companion when it is busy. The worst part in my opinion is that no one seemed to care. We were never asked how our food was (it was GOOD), we were never asked if we'd like another drink, and we weren't asked if we'd like anything else before our check was unceremoniously plopped down in front of us. These aren't huge things, but they'd make the difference. The final straw was when another employee repeatedly stared us down, obviously wishing we'd leave so the people waiting at the bar could sit. We weren't there for more than 40 minutes, but apparently that was too long. Overall it was a let-down from our last trip, and I won't be going back anytime soon.
(3)Cris F.
If this was my first time visiting Sakari I would not come back. We used to sit at the bar and always got great service. This time we were at a table and that is reason for the review. Our waitress couldn't get ridof us faster. 10:00 rolled around and she was there with the check on our table. What if I wanted another $10 bottle of sparkling sake?! We had the dynomite shrimp which was great as was the sashimi. We also has the Sakari roll. My hubbie loved it. I thought it was boring. Overall the food here is really good. If you want service to match - sit at the bar.
(1)Phil R.
It's great to have good sushi in the neighborhood! We've gone here since the first week they opened. Frankly, our first visit was so-so, but it must have been opening week jitters because this place has really found its groove. The sushi is very good (I rank it equal to Miyabi 9), they stock my all-time favorite saki (Nigori), and there's always a nice crowd (we've never had to wait for a table but the place is never empty). All in all a very worthwhile place for sushi in Des Moines.
(5)Alakea K.
Manager is okay. Sushi is a little over priced, and the servers are horrible. O_O
(2)Jordan H.
A few of my friends and I went to Sakari to try their sushi and compare to our favorites in town (Miyabi and Appare). Although Sakari has an "interesting" vibe, I didn't care for it - it was small and seemingly unfinished (a complaint I've heard about Miyabi, I know). The sushi - meh. They did have some interesting rolls, a couple of which we liked, but the fish was masked in each and every roll we ordered by the slew of ingredients in each one, and I think for good reason. It just wasn't as good or fresh as it is at Miyabi. I'm sure I'll return at some point, but the incentive ultimately isn't there if I can eat at Miyabi for the same price and enjoy my sushi much more.
(3)Pete H.
I've been to most of the sushi places in Des Moines and I believe this place has the freshest tasting sushi around. Service is always attentive even when busy.
(5)Amber W.
I was invited to tag along to Sakari and I declined the offer because even though I love sushi, I sipped eating rice. I was convinced to go and I'm glad I went! Parking is not great, as mentioned, and the interior doesn't hold many people. But what is lacking in convenience is made up for by the food! I ordered the salmon with seaweed salad, soup and seafood salad and the salmon was delicious! It was cooked perfectly with great flavor. I also asked for a sushi roll to be made without rice and they made it no problem. Prices are good, food is great!
(4)Kimberly R.
The sushi is great, the people are friendly, and the restaurant is clean. It is by far the best sushi in Des Moines.
(5)Jesus L.
Cold food / reheated Bad sushi prior
(2)Brooke P.
I really like this place, what a great addition to Ingersoll. Usually pretty crowded on the weekends but pretty easy to get into during the week. Great little sushi place.
(4)Jay M.
They deserve their positive rating!
(5)Kristyn M.
On a Friday night. We had a reservation which got us past the big line. A little slow on service from a busy waitress and very clubby loud music. Good sushi,I recommend the Beef Roll Up.
(3)Ryan B.
Amazing! Probably the best sushi I've ever had. They have all the traditional menu items you'd expect, and probably another 15 of their own specials. I tried the Iowa surf & turf. WOW! I was skeptical of sushi topped with bacon, but damn is it awesome. The atmosphere is great, the staff are extremely friendly. The chefs are very knowledgeable, and friendly. They kept doing saki bombs, and including the bar. Best sushi experience ever. Definitely coming back if i return to Des Moines.
(5)Teresa ..
My S/O and I were craving sushi so we decided to grab takeout from Sakari Sushi. Our neighbor raved about it so we figured we'd give it a try. We ordered Seaweed Salad, the Dynamite Crab roll, Sea roll, snake roll, and the godzilla roll. The dynamite crab roll (tempura crab, cream cheese, spicy mayo, and unagi sauce), was only $6.50 and has a nice balance of crunchiness from the tempura crab and creaminess from the cream cheese. It's a good roll to get if you don't feel like dishing out more money to buy a special roll, but still want to get a roll with more flavor. For being a house roll/more simple roll, I was pleasantly surprised that you get 8 pieces than the usual 6 pieces I'm used to from other sushi restaurants I've been to. Now moving onto the special rolls, the sea roll has crunchy flakes, shrimp tempura, avocado, seafood, and unagi sauce. It's a larger roll than normal specialty rolls and comes with 6 pieces ($11.00). The sea roll and dynamite crab rolls are perfect if you are a person who doesn't eat raw sushi! Next we tried the Godzilla roll (crunchy flakes, tempura shrimp, avocado, cream cheese, scallions, topped with spicy tuna/crab mix, spicy mayo, and unagi sauce) -- this was by far my favorite roll. I loved the crunchiness from the tempura shrimp and the spicy creaminess from the crab/spicy tuna mix, avocado, and cream cheese. Definitely order the Godzilla roll!!!! Last we tried the Snake roll which has tempura shrimp, avocado, scallions, topped with red and white tuna, spicy mayo, and unagi sauce. This is a great roll if you want to actually taste the raw fish more. Overall, I enjoyed all the sushi rolls we had. I do have one small complaint though -- the rice seemed to be a little bit more chewy/dry than I'm used to, but it definitely would not keep me from coming back. From all the sushi restaurants I've tried so far though, I do have to say that Wasabi Tao is hands down my most favorite. I also like that this place packs the ginger and wasabi separately in small plastic cups to prevent anything running into the sushi.
(4)Jane C.
Overall good quality of fish and everything seemed really fresh. Only negative is that the rice was a little gummy and the wait for our food was very long (over 25 minutes).
(3)Cindy L.
Their happy hour is a great deal at 4.50/ house roll. Not the most authentic sushi, but if you are looking for more Americanized flavors (ie/cream cheese, tempura fried, unagi sauce or spicy mayo covered rolls), this place hits the spot. All their bartenders are great and service is normally pretty fast. I'd recommend the dynamite crab roll if you like a roll with cream cheese, fried crab, and sauces.
(4)Jesse M.
I've eaten here once, and it was really good. It was crowded and loud, but the rolls were creative and inventive. The Bruce Lee and Godzilla rolls were double-yummy and the ghost mayo that comes with is creeper hot! Really a fan of Sakari.
(4)Jason S.
My favorite sushi joint in the area. Affordable, delicious, and lots of vegetarian options! If you sit at the bar you're likely to get a free sake bomb or two. Place is pretty spacious since expansion but it's usually pretty busy.
(5)Arianne N.
Maybe it was an off night? Or maybe they totally slacked on our order because it was to go? Sakari's the third sushi restaurant I've been to in Iowa and so far, the worst. The rice for both the nigiri and maki was downright awful - chewy and plain. That's what killed it for me. In my opinion, both Whole Foods and Gateway Market offer tastier sushi with properly done rice. Their hotate nigiri were oddly shaped. More like small balls of rice compared to the other nigiri. They cut the fish for the nigiri weird as well.The only things I remotely liked were the shrimp tempura roll and the hamachi nigiri; however, the rice again just ruined it. I'm tempted to try this place one more time, but the quality was just lacking so much. Furthermore, the price was comparable to that of Haiku and Wasabi Tao so I'm wary about spending so much money on what's essentially a gamble when I can go elsewhere and know for certain that what I'll get is good. Sorry Sakari.
(1)Mary L.
M-T happy hour 5-7 4.50 house rolls 5 dynamite shrimp or crab 2.5 kirina sake bombs and domestics 4 Smirnoff captain Morgan original & white rum rocks drinks 6 Smirnoff martinis
(5)Bob B.
We went for the first time and was pleasantly surprised. We went early and was surprised by the Happy Hours specials.
(4)Summer F.
I ordered the chili chicken sushi and the pork spring rolls. The pork spring rolls were crisp and delicious! One complaint would have to be the sushi. Though good, not worth what I paid. Not wrapped correctly and fell apart. Service was great and atmosphere was great. Will try again
(4)Mark O.
Sara B. was our server and she was on top of her game. Refills were very prompt and she did a good job clearing dishes and plates. I had the beef terryaki don and it was the best I've had. Very generous portion of beef that was tender and a nice terryaki sauce that had some zip to it as well. Dinner entrées come with soup and salad. $12 is a very fair price for the complete meal. Consider this a 4.5 star restaurant.
(4)Jodi K.
Hit up this spot with a friend on a Tues. night. We got there after happy hour, darn. It was delicious. I had cold sake and my friend had a martini and both were good. We ordered edamame as an app and, eh, it was hard. Oh well. We ordered the philly and spicy tuna house rolls and the Godzilla specialty roll. All 3 were delicious. We left totally satisfied and would go back again. I like the small space and when we left, we were offered a free sake bomb. Nice. The only downfall is parking.
(4)Sarah M.
The sushi sucks, it tastes like sushi from the buffet. No flavor, it has too much rice. I ordered the spicy salmon roll, and what i got was a salmon roll, with spicy mayo on top...haiku is better. They actually mix the spicy sauce into the fish instead of just putting it on top. I'd rather go to Haiku, I rarely go here only when I dont have much cash to spend as the only good thing about them is their happy hour.
(2)BC B.
Love this place, absolutely my favorite place to get sushi. For lunch you can't beat the bento box, includes 2 of the Dynamite Shrimp, the best appetizer they have, a house roll (my favorite is the Dynamite Crab). your choice of terryaki, and a salad. For dinner this is one of my favorites for both date night and girls night. Can't beat the saki bombs that seem to find their way to the table, for FREE! :) We have tried many different rolls and haven't been disappointed once. My fiance loves the Iowa Beef Roll which is great for the non-fish lover, it's a shrimp tempura roll with little slices of steak sirloin on the top. I love the Godzilla and anything with their special spicy sauce. We have tried a few other places, but nothing is as good as Sakari. Never had a problem with service or food.
(5)Jacki P.
Kind of a party vibe, but I was diggin' it. Free sake bombs because we were out of towners! Sushi was pretty good, poor beer selection, but what do you expect from a sushi bar... If you're looking for friendly staff and a darn good dragon roll, you've found the spot.
(4)Heidi H.
This little sushi place was a very pleasant surprise. We had a dynamite, spicy tuna, avocado roll and some hamachi sashimi. Everything was very fresh, rolled very nicely with great flavor. Service was competent and unobtrusive. We arrived 20 minutes before closing. And were not rushed out the door. And like almost all prices in Des Moines, the sushi was very reasonably priced. The space has recently been expanded but still has a comfortable friendly feel. This little sushi place in Des Moines could teach Minneapolis sushi places a thing or two.
(5)Cara S.
Sakari Sushi is awesome. The staff is great and the food is even better! Tonight was the third time my boyfriend and I have been there since we moved to Des Moines about two months ago. We love the Godzilla and the Marty da Party rolls! The other rolls we have had are really good, but those are our favorites. The Octopus Salad is great too-it can be horrible at other places, so be careful. It's not cheap, but it's awesome. They also have a full bar, which we love. Tonight, we sat at the sushi bar. We got to interact with the guys making the rolls and before we left, they gave everyone at the bar a free Sake Bomb-awesome! On top of that, my boyfriend got heartburn as we were leaving and when the manager asked what we were doing tonight and I told him about my honey's heartburn, the manager (Andy? or Jason?-was a bit confusing) gave us a Zantac! How sweet and thoughtful! Overall, I'll be back to Sakari very soon! Love my sushi! And good company, especially in a new place, is wonderful. :)
(5)Misty H.
It's convenient to where I run my errands and the food is pretty good. So far we have been able to get a table within 15 minutes. The happy hour special is nice so we go early before the rush. The decor is nice and had been expanded.
(5)Kelsey B.
If you're looking for good sushi on Ingersoll, this is it. Between 5-7 Monday thru Thursday all the house rolls are $4.00. I recommend the spicy tuna, shrimp tempura, and the dynamite crab roll. If you go off the house rolls, the specialty rolls are good but little pricey. The wait can be longish but it's hit or miss on that. I will admit, I am there about every other week during happy hour and we go pretty early and usually have no problem getting in. Think sushi bar mixed with sports bar. Lots of tvs around and always a good game on. Service is average but if you want good/cheap sushi- I definitely recommend.
(4)Monica S.
The sushi was good, but that was not the problem here. The entire staff from the back room was watching a game at the sushi bar, just hanging out with a huge pizza from the place next door. We felt like we were invading their little party, very unprofessional for the entire staff to be in there like that. The bar tender kept looking at her cell phone every 5 minutes. I ordered a vodka tonic, and they apparently have no tonic on tap, so I got flat tonic out of a bottle they opened up hours (or days?) earlier.
(1)Erica H.
I've only been here for lunch, but the sushi is pretty much delicious. I'd say it's the best I've had in Des Moines, and on par with what I've had in larger cities. The crab rolls are a favorite! I've heard happy hour is great here, but haven't tried it. The only downsides - the location is small, and parking can be a bit tricky if it's busy. Also the sushi seems to take a long time to come out. We learned if we were coming in for lunch on a workday to call ahead - otherwise no way in heck are you going to make it back to work within an hour!
(4)Doug M.
I tried Sakari out the other day for an early Friday supper. It was one of the sushi restaurants I hadn't tried yet in Des Moines and was curious how it compared. This place is rather small and I found it to be loud, but not annoying. There are only a couple booths, so if you like booth seating get there early. I thought our waitress did a good job. She was polite, quick on refills and bringing out the check. I didn't think it took long for our rolls to be brought out, but having good conversation can pass the time. My friend and I had 3 specialty rolls (Dragon, Volcano and Alaskan). I have had these rolls several times at other restaurants and the way they were prepared here was quite different. However, the rolls still tasted alright but I didn't think the salmon was as fresh as it could have been and each roll came with sauce caked on it which sort of hid the flavor of the fish. Overall it was a nice time out and I may come back here during their happy hour specials (pretty good deals) and order some house rolls to see how they compare to others I've had.
(3)Diane A.
SAKARI LOVER! For a few weeks now, friends have been asking me to tag along for sushi rounds @ Sakari....and I can see why. Driving down Ingersoll, you just might miss it - its located right next to Big Tomato. Parking may be an issue for some, but you'll find a spot. My first visit was on a Tuesday night, and was actually pretty busy. There's a full bar as well as dining areas - the bartenders are really friendly and can whip up almost any drink you ask for...and more importantly - they're sushi is pretty damn good and priced well. I was sitting at the bar - and I, myself, tending to be a people watcher - saw that a sushi newbee came in and was curious to try the cuisine, seemed hesitant to commit himself to an entire sushi roll he may or may not like, and was asking advice from the bartenders. Shortly after, the owner & head chef came out and talked with him for a bit and gave him a few small platters of sushi samples....I thought that was a great way to educate a new customer & make him feel @ home. If that's not great business skills - I don't know what is.
(5)Drew K.
Best sushi I've had! The dynamite roll and the . Average service and small interior. Waited over 30 minutes, standing in an awkward space by the door. But the food makes it worth it.
(4)Eugene C.
I became a regular because early on the owner remembered me and my preferences after just a visit or two. small intimate restaurant, music is quirky but creates a wonderful mood. The sushi and sashimi are as excellent as any in town, including miyabi 9. service is excellent but there can be waits when it gets very busy. I particulary like their udon noodles, which they gladly prepare for me off the menu with beef. wonderful all you can eat rolls on monday for $20!
(5)Elsie D.
Sadly, I'm re-reviewing based on my most recent experience here. Maybe 3 stars is too many, but the food was still good so I'm basing my stars off of that. The service and atmosphere were just plain bad when I was there last week. The waitress didn't greet us, instead just shoved menus in front of us and ran off. She wasn't outright rude, just didn't seem to care that we were there. I get that it was busy, but it doesn't take more than 2 seconds to ask how we are doing or make eye contact. She was able to answer a question I had about the sake, so points for that I guess. As for the atmosphere, it was just loud and obnoxious. There were a group of drunk ladies behind us practically screaming at the top of their lungs. I can deal with a moderate noise level, but this was just out of control. Granted, it may not be Sakari's fault it was loud, but if you go be warned: you cannot hold a conversation with your dining companion when it is busy. The worst part in my opinion is that no one seemed to care. We were never asked how our food was (it was GOOD), we were never asked if we'd like another drink, and we weren't asked if we'd like anything else before our check was unceremoniously plopped down in front of us. These aren't huge things, but they'd make the difference. The final straw was when another employee repeatedly stared us down, obviously wishing we'd leave so the people waiting at the bar could sit. We weren't there for more than 40 minutes, but apparently that was too long. Overall it was a let-down from our last trip, and I won't be going back anytime soon.
(3)Cris F.
If this was my first time visiting Sakari I would not come back. We used to sit at the bar and always got great service. This time we were at a table and that is reason for the review. Our waitress couldn't get ridof us faster. 10:00 rolled around and she was there with the check on our table. What if I wanted another $10 bottle of sparkling sake?! We had the dynomite shrimp which was great as was the sashimi. We also has the Sakari roll. My hubbie loved it. I thought it was boring. Overall the food here is really good. If you want service to match - sit at the bar.
(1)Phil R.
It's great to have good sushi in the neighborhood! We've gone here since the first week they opened. Frankly, our first visit was so-so, but it must have been opening week jitters because this place has really found its groove. The sushi is very good (I rank it equal to Miyabi 9), they stock my all-time favorite saki (Nigori), and there's always a nice crowd (we've never had to wait for a table but the place is never empty). All in all a very worthwhile place for sushi in Des Moines.
(5)Alakea K.
Manager is okay. Sushi is a little over priced, and the servers are horrible. O_O
(2)Jordan H.
A few of my friends and I went to Sakari to try their sushi and compare to our favorites in town (Miyabi and Appare). Although Sakari has an "interesting" vibe, I didn't care for it - it was small and seemingly unfinished (a complaint I've heard about Miyabi, I know). The sushi - meh. They did have some interesting rolls, a couple of which we liked, but the fish was masked in each and every roll we ordered by the slew of ingredients in each one, and I think for good reason. It just wasn't as good or fresh as it is at Miyabi. I'm sure I'll return at some point, but the incentive ultimately isn't there if I can eat at Miyabi for the same price and enjoy my sushi much more.
(3)Pete H.
I've been to most of the sushi places in Des Moines and I believe this place has the freshest tasting sushi around. Service is always attentive even when busy.
(5)Amber W.
I was invited to tag along to Sakari and I declined the offer because even though I love sushi, I sipped eating rice. I was convinced to go and I'm glad I went! Parking is not great, as mentioned, and the interior doesn't hold many people. But what is lacking in convenience is made up for by the food! I ordered the salmon with seaweed salad, soup and seafood salad and the salmon was delicious! It was cooked perfectly with great flavor. I also asked for a sushi roll to be made without rice and they made it no problem. Prices are good, food is great!
(4)Kimberly R.
The sushi is great, the people are friendly, and the restaurant is clean. It is by far the best sushi in Des Moines.
(5)Renee R.
Great food. Not fancy but very tasty & reasonably priced.
(5)Felicia C.
LOVE this place! As a vegan I pretty much only get the tempura tofu rolls. In have tried and like others, but the tempura tofu is my favorite and I have yet to find any place else that makes them. They offer carry out so it's great when your on your way to/from the downtown area. Edamame and Misu soup are also began staples and are great- although you can't mess those up too much. During dinner time the atmosphere is kind of club like. Music is a little loud and very upbeat and the lights are down low.
(5)Alex H.
The good: the sushi. The bad: everything else. The waitress struggled to point out different items when she delivered them to the table. She kept returning at annoyingly quick intervals for drinks, appetizers and sushi. She even brought the check before we see half way done with our food. Worst of all, in a mostly empty restaurant the hostess tried to seat us in the middle near others. She seemed a bit annoyed when I asked to move. She did not offer patio seating, even though the temperature was perfect. The drink I ordered was not made according to what I specified. Annoying music played at a volume that inhibited conversation. The food was delicious. Really delicious. Please please fix your front of house staff so that I could actually enjoy it.
(2)Heidi H.
This little sushi place was a very pleasant surprise. We had a dynamite, spicy tuna, avocado roll and some hamachi sashimi. Everything was very fresh, rolled very nicely with great flavor. Service was competent and unobtrusive. We arrived 20 minutes before closing. And were not rushed out the door. And like almost all prices in Des Moines, the sushi was very reasonably priced. The space has recently been expanded but still has a comfortable friendly feel. This little sushi place in Des Moines could teach Minneapolis sushi places a thing or two.
(5)Judge D.
Sakari is a great place! The Judge has ate at Sakari many times. The food is excellent. the rice is very good and cooked correctly! That can be tricky at some places. There are very many items on the menu. House, vegetarian and specialty rolls all rock. Favorite's are the Dragon Crab, Godzilla, Beef roll up, Sakari, Sweet potato...actually most rolls are great! The Judge has never really had anything he did not like from Sakari. A couple rolls were not favorite's. But you never know till you try. Outstanding staff! Free Sake bombs to all diners! The only negative I have to say is a few items prices seem out of place. It also can be loud in Sakari. It is always club music when the Judge is there. Judgement: Sakari is awesome, you should go eat there. Mrs. Dredd did not like Sushi till she went to Sakari. Now she loves Sushi. You should go to Sakari and give it a try. Then you can be the Judge!
(4)Sylvia D.
I'll tell you what bugs me when I read other people's reviews and they experienced a problem which they shared with the restaurant, the establishment fixed it, and then that person goes on line and gives them a one star review. So I'm just going to say that there was a problem with my order not being satisfactory, and after bringing it to the attention of my server, they took it off my bill. I've had sushi here in the past and was happy with it. This time I ordered something other than sushi and it wasn't satisfactory so I'll stick with sushi in the future because they do a great job with it and you won't go wrong with that here.
(4)Sheena H.
The tuna tataki is to die for! I get it every time. The veggie and shrimp tempura are amazing. The Lobster roll is fabulous! The sashimi and nigiri are always fresh and amazing. I can't say enough good things about this place. I always look forward to eating here again.
(5)Liz A.
This is my go to sushi place in Des Moines and has been for years. I have taken a lot of out of town coworkers here and they almost always ask to go back. The owner or manager has pretty consistently offered saki bombs when I'm there. I have had almost every kind of roll and app on the menu and liked everything. I can see some of the comments about the service, they are usually pretty impersonal and quick, but honestly it's never bothered me. They are usually pretty attentive.
(5)Andrea T.
Since I've been here almost 30 times over the past four years, I figured I should update my review again! This is still my favorite place in the Des Moines area to get sushi! They've expanded their footprint by doubling the space. There is now a much larger bar, seating area, private room, larger bathrooms (both with changing tables), and outdoor seating. It's great that they have more space as it's always busy. I recommend reservations if you have a large group. We do bring our infant daughter along without any problems. We almost always go during happy hour and always get the Dynamite Crab Roll. We also get red tuna and salmon sashimi and at least one more roll. I still enjoy the Godzilla but the Iowa Surf and Turf is pretty yummy too! They are still rather giving on the Saki bombs and have an alternative if you can't have beer. Obviously, since I've been here a lot, I like the place!
(4)Emily S.
Well, the sushi was delicious. A friend and I decided to share a few rolls and it was plenty of food. The atmosphere was a lot more "hip" then I expected. Theres some pretty cool artwork on the walls for sale . However, prepared to have your ears accosted by AWFUL music. First there was that sandstorm song? (I believe I accidentally called it deathstorm) then a horrible techno rendition of "The Boys of Summer". (Yikes) We had a group of 6 and the hostess did not seem pleased about that, so calling ahead may be recommended.
(3)Jennifer W.
I think my picture is worth a thousand words, but if you're coming up short let me help you... DElicious, yummy, ohmygawwd, good, SO good, amazing... You get it :) I am a brown bag, frugal lunch kind of lady during the week and when I want to splurge and spoil myself I come to Sakari for the bento box. The only other bento box I've had is Akebono's and it doesn't touch this one. Not even close. It's a steep lunch at $12, but it's worth it. Last time I had the beef, which was fantastic. Today I tried the veggies with dynamite shrimp. I came with a group of 3, we got their at 11:30. We called our order in to go as we were leaving work so it was ready in 2 minutes by the time we got there. LOVE IT. Although there were not many people there at 11:30 so I think we would have been okay. When we left around noon it started getting busier.
(5)Jessica S.
Went there last night. This is one of our favorite spots. Lately it seems the quality control from the kitchen is lacking. I always get the dynamite crab roll. The crab stick in the roll was over cooked and tough to eat. It's such a disappointment when it's not done well. I've ordered take out multiple times within the past few months and the same thing has happened. Plus rice being under cooked and dry on two occasions. :( I went to get change for $10 at the bar, and the bartender came back and said she didn't have any. Didn't try getting it from a different register or suggest that I do so. Asked the guy filing water for change, and he came right back with some, which was very helpful.
(3)Clair M.
Great happy hour Monday-Thursday until 7pm woot!!!!! They do like to party so expect a saki bomb or three! I love there squid salad, dragon roll, bento boxes and teriyaki salmon! It is a loud restaurant but still a fun place to catch up with friends or have a date night.
(3)Craig Z.
Came here with some friends for dinner. The owner was awesome, the food was great and the drinks were poured right. That's all that needs to be told!
(5)Laura G.
Sakari is a hot spot. When I use to live in Des Moines my friends and I came here often. Now when I visit I stop here every time. My favorite toll is the Godzilla but all of their specialty rolls are delicious. I start with the dynamite shrimp, something that no other restaurant has - delicious! They have good drinks and their saki bombs are great. Not only is the food and drinks good, but the atmosphere is so fun. All of the waiters and bartenders are fun and like to party! It's a must :)
(5)Maggie W.
This is a good date restaurant with a very trendy decor and an eclectic clientele. The service is great and the food is presented beautifully. The prices seemed reasonable, although I'm not overly familiar with the going rate for local sushi... I wasn't so impressed with the Summer Roll - it was fine and the rice tasted fresh, but it lacked flavor. There were a few guys there that looked like bouncers walking around, lol. It affected the atmosphere for me but not necessarily in a bad way... Also, parking was an issue - there's not much parking or a "lot", so I had to park down the street a ways. I would recommend coming to Sakari to feel like a hipster or to reminisce of your "trip to LA", but wouldn't dine here regularly...
(4)Bethany W.
The sushi here is very, very good. I've had better, but not in Des Moines. It's hard to find sushi here! The drinks are also good-fairly cheap and generously poured. It gets very busy here, but service is quick (though not very friendly). The thing that I really didn't understand, though, is the "look" of the place. Seems better suited for a sports bar than a sushi lounge. A little too crowded and noisy for me, if I'm in the mood for a sushi lounge.
(3)D B.
I used to be a regular before the renovation, and it was always excellent. Been a couple times since, and it's still great! They crank out tons of sushi, but it's always very good, and the sushi chefs prepare the food with pride. This is not my regular spot anymore because I live out west, but I still highly recommend it
(5)Jason G.
Great Atmosphere and excellent Sushi! Great place to stop if your on Ingersoll.
(5)David M.
The inconspicuous location and storefront of Sakari do not appropriately convey the goods inside. From my repeated lunchtime experiences, the bento boxes offered as a lunch special are an excellent variety of sushi, salad, and stir-fry. The rice is even top-quality and always perfectly cooked. The tiger shrimp are deadly and decadent - it's a good thing only two come with the lunch bento box! Excellent atmosphere and very attentive, friendly staff.
(4)Jen K.
It's kinda rude to give free saki bombs to the whole bar and then exclude two people and our bartender was incompetent. Sad I used to enjoy eating here but now the main ingredient in most of the sushi is cream cheese. Prefer akebonos now!
(1)Virginia S.
Maybe I came on an off day but when it comes to raw fish, there shouldn't be off days. I tried it out after seeing it was voted the top Des Moines sushi restaurant. The miso was basic miso, good but nothing special. The sushi was below mediocre. I love sushi, both cheap and high quality. I know it's a land locked state and I shouldn't have the highest expectations but it was not fresh tasting and I didn't even finish my meal, which was a first in my life when if comes to sushi. I can eat some grocery store sushi and this wasn't as good. Even the ginger was a bit brown on the edges and dry. Not ideal at all. I wish I'd eaten elsewhere on my trip.
(1)Karla W.
We arrived at 6 p.m. on a Thursday to a sizable crowd at the bar and at tables from front to back of the restaurant (which was pumping an interesting mix of dance-y music to go along with the sports highlights on TV?). Anyhoo, I was pumped to try the sushi one day after a rave review in the Des Moines Register. Full disclosure: I'm not a fan of fish, so all of my opinions are based on vegetarian options. I went with the avocado and cucumber rolls, which took about 20 minutes to arrive. In the meantime, service was fairly attentive, but our waitress said, "Sorry!" every time our water glasses were less than half full and she needed to refill them. No need to apologize! The sushi was fine, not rave-worthy in my book. The ratio of filling to rice was a little off for me--a bit too heavy on the (very sticky) rice. I'd be willing to give it another shot, trying some of their more adventurous rolls, but that's my 2 cents based on a pretty standard order. Another con for most businesses in this area of Ingersoll: lack of parking.
(3)Natalia P.
The sushi here is worst than what you can buy at Gateway Market or Whole Foods, if that says anything. I find that they really skimp on the raw fish and avocado. You basically get a whole bunch of rice with seaweed and the minimal amount of fish to call it a sushi roll. I have tried the Philly roll, spicy tuna roll, spicy white tuna roll, octopus/cucumber/scallion roll (spicy tako), shrimp tempura, and eel roll. I will admit that I used to come here often when it was in a convenient location for me. But now that I have other options, I will most definitely not be coming back. Their appetizers of dynamite shrimp and seaweed salad were not bad. And the miso soup was something warm and comforting, despite it's small size and bland taste. I have tried the cheesecake here, which is nothing to brag about. The martinis were decent but not a reason to go here. I believe that most people, like myself, come here because of the happy hour specials. Also, the location is convenient and they always have the television on to watch sports. The restaurant is really small, and you might get claustrophobic on the evenings during happy hour. The wait staff is fairly unprofessional. They are always just chatting away and watching television.
(2)Michael W.
One of my new favorites in Des Moines! Great sushi, the Bruce Lee role was excellent and the dinner menu is pretty good too! I think it is a little over priced, but that is about all I can complain about.
(4)K J.
The food was good but I think there are better places in Des Moines. Kind of loud and more sports bar atmosphere without the TVs. The service was terrible. Once we got our first round we never saw our server again, she was to busy flirting and taking shots at the bar. She didn't put in our order for app. and never mentioned it when she realized. Then she brought out the wrong food and I know that food went to a different table after it sat on ours for a moment. Some might like the over pouring of drinks but they kill a drink quick (probably because all the staff is drunk). Great place if you want to feel like a fraternity is serving you, but I wouldn't go back.
(2)Veronica K.
My husband and I ate here tonight, and being a Saturday night, it was very busy. We had been here once before a few years ago, back when it was a much smaller place and they hadn't made their renovations yet. So we were really impressed when we walked in there. The interior looked very swanky and had a big-city look to it. It definitely looked a lot nicer and different than before. The first time we came here, we remember the sushi being quite decent and wanting to come back again. We usually eat at our favorite neighborhood sushi place Sakura, but wanted to try someplace different for a change, so we came here because it had been awhile. We started with a plate of gyoza, but were disappointed that it was fried, not steamed and lightly pan-fried like the way it's prepared at most sushi places. It still tasted ok, but we were not expecting it fried, so it was a huge letdown. I ordered a California roll and a Philly roll and my husband ordered a spicy salmon roll and a yellow tail roll. We almost couldn't finish our rolls because the rice was so dry and hard. I don't know if it's because the rice was overcooked or if it was day-old rice, but it was definitely not good. We have never have the problem of not being able to finish sushi rolls before. Usually it's the opposite. We can never get enough of sushi and we always want more. We forced ourselves to finish every piece. I wanted to complain, but my husband just wanted to finish eating and leave. My rolls also were mostly rice and didn't have very much of the filling inside them. My Calfornia roll hardly had any crab, cucumber or avocado in it. There was way more rice than anything else in it. And since the rice was so hard, it wasn't very pleasant to eat. My Philly roll only had a tiny dab of cream cheese in it and Sakari doesn't put avocado in their Philly rolls, which I missed. Maybe they were having an off night and whomever made the rice overcooked it. But I would think that with nine sushi chefs, someone in the kitchen would have tasted the rice and decided there's no way it was good enough to serve to people and charge them money for it. Shame on you, Sakari! You can do better. This is probably the worst sushi we've ever had (not counting some very bad sushi my husband had at Taki with some rotten fish eggs).
(1)Chineda S.
Everything was perfect as usual. We got a lot of food for the money and service was great as always. Our waitress was super nice and took great care of me and my family. If your looking to dine in with the family make sure to get there early. The place is so popular that it gets SUPER busy, but now with new renovations they can accommodate to more guest. It's a must try. Also great for happy hour and birthday outings. Sakari THANKS for always taking care of my cravings.
(5)Miki B.
Fresh fish! A nice surprise to find good sushi in DSM. The miso soup is pretty average. Good beer options. Saki options are limited. Very good service. Nice too that there is outside seating. Ingersoll has some good dining.
(3)Kathy S.
My boyfriend and I were in the mood for sushi so we decided to stop in for a bite on a Friday night. The place was going off. The tables were full and the restaurant lighting was dim. It was loud with conversation. We chose to sit at the bar thinking our wait for dinner would be less than sitting at a table. How wrong we were! The sushi chefs were busy preparing sushi and never acknowledged our existence. They might as well have been behind a wall in the kitchen. When I gave our order to our chef it sat there until our server came over and took it. When I asked why we were waiting so long she explained our order would be put in line behind everyone elses and it didn't matter if we were at the bar. She sent the manager over who told me the same thing. I'd never heard of such a thing. Evidently, in Des Moines, sitting at the sushi bar gives you absolutely nothing. We waited 45 minutes for our first roll. The manager did try to rectify my unhappiness with sushi bombs which was appreciated (hence the two stars.) We did not have a good dining experience and would not return.
(2)Cliff K.
I think one of the best if not the best sushi in Des Moines..I lived in Japan for three years Califorina for eight years and Hawaii for almost ten... they do a nice job.... it is a neuvo sushi style.... the young men do a good job.... the owners are local....lunch is the best time for a more quiet experience... it is busy even then... the evenings and happy hour are for young people... the wait staff are great people and do a good job in a busy place.... they also have sushi for people who are not into raw fish... they have a wonderful tempura Salmon roll and shirmp tempura roll as well as a beef roll.... There bentos for lunch are a wonderful value... most people will take some home... they have plenty of non sushi tidbits to munch on and a great Octopus salad.... I like sashimi and have never been disappointed with the portions or the taste....
(5)CARRIE D.
My number one favorite spot for a great night out....newly renovated and its great...love the atmosphere. My favorite appetizer is the dynamite shrimp! Spot on every time! Had almost every roll there and loved them all. A few were rather bland but decent. Fresh tasting fish and seems to be great quality. Mmmm....writing this makes me want to eat some soon!!!!
(5)Nick K.
Ate there with my wife on a Saturday night.pretty busy but staff was quick to find us a seat at the bar. Bartenders had very upbeat attitudes and the service was quick. We ended up wanting another roll and asked about a specific one and they happened to just had a customer that for the wing order so instead off them eating themselves, which was original plan so it didnt get thrown out our bartender offered it to us for free! Will definitely be going back!
(5)Caryn B.
Sakari is the best! When I lived in Des Moines, I would eat there almost once a week. They have fantastic sushi, GREAT happy hour specials and are reasonably prices. I now live in Chicago and make sure to stop in every time I make a trip to Des Moines. Try it, you won't be let down.
(5)Cornel F.
Had lunch there. Service was lousy but the fish fresh
(3)Felicia C.
LOVE this place! As a vegan I pretty much only get the tempura tofu rolls. In have tried and like others, but the tempura tofu is my favorite and I have yet to find any place else that makes them. They offer carry out so it's great when your on your way to/from the downtown area. Edamame and Misu soup are also began staples and are great- although you can't mess those up too much. During dinner time the atmosphere is kind of club like. Music is a little loud and very upbeat and the lights are down low.
(5)Alex H.
The good: the sushi. The bad: everything else. The waitress struggled to point out different items when she delivered them to the table. She kept returning at annoyingly quick intervals for drinks, appetizers and sushi. She even brought the check before we see half way done with our food. Worst of all, in a mostly empty restaurant the hostess tried to seat us in the middle near others. She seemed a bit annoyed when I asked to move. She did not offer patio seating, even though the temperature was perfect. The drink I ordered was not made according to what I specified. Annoying music played at a volume that inhibited conversation. The food was delicious. Really delicious. Please please fix your front of house staff so that I could actually enjoy it.
(2)Liz A.
This is my go to sushi place in Des Moines and has been for years. I have taken a lot of out of town coworkers here and they almost always ask to go back. The owner or manager has pretty consistently offered saki bombs when I'm there. I have had almost every kind of roll and app on the menu and liked everything. I can see some of the comments about the service, they are usually pretty impersonal and quick, but honestly it's never bothered me. They are usually pretty attentive.
(5)Andrea T.
Since I've been here almost 30 times over the past four years, I figured I should update my review again! This is still my favorite place in the Des Moines area to get sushi! They've expanded their footprint by doubling the space. There is now a much larger bar, seating area, private room, larger bathrooms (both with changing tables), and outdoor seating. It's great that they have more space as it's always busy. I recommend reservations if you have a large group. We do bring our infant daughter along without any problems. We almost always go during happy hour and always get the Dynamite Crab Roll. We also get red tuna and salmon sashimi and at least one more roll. I still enjoy the Godzilla but the Iowa Surf and Turf is pretty yummy too! They are still rather giving on the Saki bombs and have an alternative if you can't have beer. Obviously, since I've been here a lot, I like the place!
(4)Emily S.
Well, the sushi was delicious. A friend and I decided to share a few rolls and it was plenty of food. The atmosphere was a lot more "hip" then I expected. Theres some pretty cool artwork on the walls for sale . However, prepared to have your ears accosted by AWFUL music. First there was that sandstorm song? (I believe I accidentally called it deathstorm) then a horrible techno rendition of "The Boys of Summer". (Yikes) We had a group of 6 and the hostess did not seem pleased about that, so calling ahead may be recommended.
(3)Jennifer W.
I think my picture is worth a thousand words, but if you're coming up short let me help you... DElicious, yummy, ohmygawwd, good, SO good, amazing... You get it :) I am a brown bag, frugal lunch kind of lady during the week and when I want to splurge and spoil myself I come to Sakari for the bento box. The only other bento box I've had is Akebono's and it doesn't touch this one. Not even close. It's a steep lunch at $12, but it's worth it. Last time I had the beef, which was fantastic. Today I tried the veggies with dynamite shrimp. I came with a group of 3, we got their at 11:30. We called our order in to go as we were leaving work so it was ready in 2 minutes by the time we got there. LOVE IT. Although there were not many people there at 11:30 so I think we would have been okay. When we left around noon it started getting busier.
(5)Jessica S.
Went there last night. This is one of our favorite spots. Lately it seems the quality control from the kitchen is lacking. I always get the dynamite crab roll. The crab stick in the roll was over cooked and tough to eat. It's such a disappointment when it's not done well. I've ordered take out multiple times within the past few months and the same thing has happened. Plus rice being under cooked and dry on two occasions. :( I went to get change for $10 at the bar, and the bartender came back and said she didn't have any. Didn't try getting it from a different register or suggest that I do so. Asked the guy filing water for change, and he came right back with some, which was very helpful.
(3)Clair M.
Great happy hour Monday-Thursday until 7pm woot!!!!! They do like to party so expect a saki bomb or three! I love there squid salad, dragon roll, bento boxes and teriyaki salmon! It is a loud restaurant but still a fun place to catch up with friends or have a date night.
(3)Craig Z.
Came here with some friends for dinner. The owner was awesome, the food was great and the drinks were poured right. That's all that needs to be told!
(5)Laura G.
Sakari is a hot spot. When I use to live in Des Moines my friends and I came here often. Now when I visit I stop here every time. My favorite toll is the Godzilla but all of their specialty rolls are delicious. I start with the dynamite shrimp, something that no other restaurant has - delicious! They have good drinks and their saki bombs are great. Not only is the food and drinks good, but the atmosphere is so fun. All of the waiters and bartenders are fun and like to party! It's a must :)
(5)Amanda I.
Had the box lunch with chicken teriyaki, salad and a house roll. The dynamite crab roll was awesome along with the dynamite shrimp. The teriyaki was the worst I have had - too much mushrooms and sauce was way too thick. spicy tuna roll was ok - had better.
(2)Bill L.
Just a quick update , I finally got a chance to eat inside and the atmosphere is intense! It has expanded in size significantly since the first time I visited to pick up an order. The atmosphere is definitely a bar scene experience, the music, the drinks, the dressed up customers. It was very crowded when we went on the Friday night , but we still got a table. Very high energy place to go at night if you enjoy that. Good food still, chicken wings and dynamite shrimp are amazing appetizers. The rolls are all good, never had a disappointing sushi order. Will definitely continue eating their food!
(5)Jesus L.
Cold food / reheated Bad sushi prior
(2)Brooke P.
I really like this place, what a great addition to Ingersoll. Usually pretty crowded on the weekends but pretty easy to get into during the week. Great little sushi place.
(4)Jay M.
They deserve their positive rating!
(5)Kristyn M.
On a Friday night. We had a reservation which got us past the big line. A little slow on service from a busy waitress and very clubby loud music. Good sushi,I recommend the Beef Roll Up.
(3)Teresa ..
My S/O and I were craving sushi so we decided to grab takeout from Sakari Sushi. Our neighbor raved about it so we figured we'd give it a try. We ordered Seaweed Salad, the Dynamite Crab roll, Sea roll, snake roll, and the godzilla roll. The dynamite crab roll (tempura crab, cream cheese, spicy mayo, and unagi sauce), was only $6.50 and has a nice balance of crunchiness from the tempura crab and creaminess from the cream cheese. It's a good roll to get if you don't feel like dishing out more money to buy a special roll, but still want to get a roll with more flavor. For being a house roll/more simple roll, I was pleasantly surprised that you get 8 pieces than the usual 6 pieces I'm used to from other sushi restaurants I've been to. Now moving onto the special rolls, the sea roll has crunchy flakes, shrimp tempura, avocado, seafood, and unagi sauce. It's a larger roll than normal specialty rolls and comes with 6 pieces ($11.00). The sea roll and dynamite crab rolls are perfect if you are a person who doesn't eat raw sushi! Next we tried the Godzilla roll (crunchy flakes, tempura shrimp, avocado, cream cheese, scallions, topped with spicy tuna/crab mix, spicy mayo, and unagi sauce) -- this was by far my favorite roll. I loved the crunchiness from the tempura shrimp and the spicy creaminess from the crab/spicy tuna mix, avocado, and cream cheese. Definitely order the Godzilla roll!!!! Last we tried the Snake roll which has tempura shrimp, avocado, scallions, topped with red and white tuna, spicy mayo, and unagi sauce. This is a great roll if you want to actually taste the raw fish more. Overall, I enjoyed all the sushi rolls we had. I do have one small complaint though -- the rice seemed to be a little bit more chewy/dry than I'm used to, but it definitely would not keep me from coming back. From all the sushi restaurants I've tried so far though, I do have to say that Wasabi Tao is hands down my most favorite. I also like that this place packs the ginger and wasabi separately in small plastic cups to prevent anything running into the sushi.
(4)Jane C.
Overall good quality of fish and everything seemed really fresh. Only negative is that the rice was a little gummy and the wait for our food was very long (over 25 minutes).
(3)Cindy L.
Their happy hour is a great deal at 4.50/ house roll. Not the most authentic sushi, but if you are looking for more Americanized flavors (ie/cream cheese, tempura fried, unagi sauce or spicy mayo covered rolls), this place hits the spot. All their bartenders are great and service is normally pretty fast. I'd recommend the dynamite crab roll if you like a roll with cream cheese, fried crab, and sauces.
(4)Jesse M.
I've eaten here once, and it was really good. It was crowded and loud, but the rolls were creative and inventive. The Bruce Lee and Godzilla rolls were double-yummy and the ghost mayo that comes with is creeper hot! Really a fan of Sakari.
(4)Jason S.
My favorite sushi joint in the area. Affordable, delicious, and lots of vegetarian options! If you sit at the bar you're likely to get a free sake bomb or two. Place is pretty spacious since expansion but it's usually pretty busy.
(5)Arianne N.
Maybe it was an off night? Or maybe they totally slacked on our order because it was to go? Sakari's the third sushi restaurant I've been to in Iowa and so far, the worst. The rice for both the nigiri and maki was downright awful - chewy and plain. That's what killed it for me. In my opinion, both Whole Foods and Gateway Market offer tastier sushi with properly done rice. Their hotate nigiri were oddly shaped. More like small balls of rice compared to the other nigiri. They cut the fish for the nigiri weird as well.The only things I remotely liked were the shrimp tempura roll and the hamachi nigiri; however, the rice again just ruined it. I'm tempted to try this place one more time, but the quality was just lacking so much. Furthermore, the price was comparable to that of Haiku and Wasabi Tao so I'm wary about spending so much money on what's essentially a gamble when I can go elsewhere and know for certain that what I'll get is good. Sorry Sakari.
(1)Mary L.
M-T happy hour 5-7 4.50 house rolls 5 dynamite shrimp or crab 2.5 kirina sake bombs and domestics 4 Smirnoff captain Morgan original & white rum rocks drinks 6 Smirnoff martinis
(5)Bob B.
We went for the first time and was pleasantly surprised. We went early and was surprised by the Happy Hours specials.
(4)Summer F.
I ordered the chili chicken sushi and the pork spring rolls. The pork spring rolls were crisp and delicious! One complaint would have to be the sushi. Though good, not worth what I paid. Not wrapped correctly and fell apart. Service was great and atmosphere was great. Will try again
(4)Mark O.
Sara B. was our server and she was on top of her game. Refills were very prompt and she did a good job clearing dishes and plates. I had the beef terryaki don and it was the best I've had. Very generous portion of beef that was tender and a nice terryaki sauce that had some zip to it as well. Dinner entrées come with soup and salad. $12 is a very fair price for the complete meal. Consider this a 4.5 star restaurant.
(4)Ryan B.
Amazing! Probably the best sushi I've ever had. They have all the traditional menu items you'd expect, and probably another 15 of their own specials. I tried the Iowa surf & turf. WOW! I was skeptical of sushi topped with bacon, but damn is it awesome. The atmosphere is great, the staff are extremely friendly. The chefs are very knowledgeable, and friendly. They kept doing saki bombs, and including the bar. Best sushi experience ever. Definitely coming back if i return to Des Moines.
(5)Veronica K.
My husband and I ate here tonight, and being a Saturday night, it was very busy. We had been here once before a few years ago, back when it was a much smaller place and they hadn't made their renovations yet. So we were really impressed when we walked in there. The interior looked very swanky and had a big-city look to it. It definitely looked a lot nicer and different than before. The first time we came here, we remember the sushi being quite decent and wanting to come back again. We usually eat at our favorite neighborhood sushi place Sakura, but wanted to try someplace different for a change, so we came here because it had been awhile. We started with a plate of gyoza, but were disappointed that it was fried, not steamed and lightly pan-fried like the way it's prepared at most sushi places. It still tasted ok, but we were not expecting it fried, so it was a huge letdown. I ordered a California roll and a Philly roll and my husband ordered a spicy salmon roll and a yellow tail roll. We almost couldn't finish our rolls because the rice was so dry and hard. I don't know if it's because the rice was overcooked or if it was day-old rice, but it was definitely not good. We have never have the problem of not being able to finish sushi rolls before. Usually it's the opposite. We can never get enough of sushi and we always want more. We forced ourselves to finish every piece. I wanted to complain, but my husband just wanted to finish eating and leave. My rolls also were mostly rice and didn't have very much of the filling inside them. My Calfornia roll hardly had any crab, cucumber or avocado in it. There was way more rice than anything else in it. And since the rice was so hard, it wasn't very pleasant to eat. My Philly roll only had a tiny dab of cream cheese in it and Sakari doesn't put avocado in their Philly rolls, which I missed. Maybe they were having an off night and whomever made the rice overcooked it. But I would think that with nine sushi chefs, someone in the kitchen would have tasted the rice and decided there's no way it was good enough to serve to people and charge them money for it. Shame on you, Sakari! You can do better. This is probably the worst sushi we've ever had (not counting some very bad sushi my husband had at Taki with some rotten fish eggs).
(1)Chineda S.
Everything was perfect as usual. We got a lot of food for the money and service was great as always. Our waitress was super nice and took great care of me and my family. If your looking to dine in with the family make sure to get there early. The place is so popular that it gets SUPER busy, but now with new renovations they can accommodate to more guest. It's a must try. Also great for happy hour and birthday outings. Sakari THANKS for always taking care of my cravings.
(5)Miki B.
Fresh fish! A nice surprise to find good sushi in DSM. The miso soup is pretty average. Good beer options. Saki options are limited. Very good service. Nice too that there is outside seating. Ingersoll has some good dining.
(3)Maggie W.
This is a good date restaurant with a very trendy decor and an eclectic clientele. The service is great and the food is presented beautifully. The prices seemed reasonable, although I'm not overly familiar with the going rate for local sushi... I wasn't so impressed with the Summer Roll - it was fine and the rice tasted fresh, but it lacked flavor. There were a few guys there that looked like bouncers walking around, lol. It affected the atmosphere for me but not necessarily in a bad way... Also, parking was an issue - there's not much parking or a "lot", so I had to park down the street a ways. I would recommend coming to Sakari to feel like a hipster or to reminisce of your "trip to LA", but wouldn't dine here regularly...
(4)Bethany W.
The sushi here is very, very good. I've had better, but not in Des Moines. It's hard to find sushi here! The drinks are also good-fairly cheap and generously poured. It gets very busy here, but service is quick (though not very friendly). The thing that I really didn't understand, though, is the "look" of the place. Seems better suited for a sports bar than a sushi lounge. A little too crowded and noisy for me, if I'm in the mood for a sushi lounge.
(3)D B.
I used to be a regular before the renovation, and it was always excellent. Been a couple times since, and it's still great! They crank out tons of sushi, but it's always very good, and the sushi chefs prepare the food with pride. This is not my regular spot anymore because I live out west, but I still highly recommend it
(5)Jason G.
Great Atmosphere and excellent Sushi! Great place to stop if your on Ingersoll.
(5)David M.
The inconspicuous location and storefront of Sakari do not appropriately convey the goods inside. From my repeated lunchtime experiences, the bento boxes offered as a lunch special are an excellent variety of sushi, salad, and stir-fry. The rice is even top-quality and always perfectly cooked. The tiger shrimp are deadly and decadent - it's a good thing only two come with the lunch bento box! Excellent atmosphere and very attentive, friendly staff.
(4)Jen K.
It's kinda rude to give free saki bombs to the whole bar and then exclude two people and our bartender was incompetent. Sad I used to enjoy eating here but now the main ingredient in most of the sushi is cream cheese. Prefer akebonos now!
(1)Virginia S.
Maybe I came on an off day but when it comes to raw fish, there shouldn't be off days. I tried it out after seeing it was voted the top Des Moines sushi restaurant. The miso was basic miso, good but nothing special. The sushi was below mediocre. I love sushi, both cheap and high quality. I know it's a land locked state and I shouldn't have the highest expectations but it was not fresh tasting and I didn't even finish my meal, which was a first in my life when if comes to sushi. I can eat some grocery store sushi and this wasn't as good. Even the ginger was a bit brown on the edges and dry. Not ideal at all. I wish I'd eaten elsewhere on my trip.
(1)Karla W.
We arrived at 6 p.m. on a Thursday to a sizable crowd at the bar and at tables from front to back of the restaurant (which was pumping an interesting mix of dance-y music to go along with the sports highlights on TV?). Anyhoo, I was pumped to try the sushi one day after a rave review in the Des Moines Register. Full disclosure: I'm not a fan of fish, so all of my opinions are based on vegetarian options. I went with the avocado and cucumber rolls, which took about 20 minutes to arrive. In the meantime, service was fairly attentive, but our waitress said, "Sorry!" every time our water glasses were less than half full and she needed to refill them. No need to apologize! The sushi was fine, not rave-worthy in my book. The ratio of filling to rice was a little off for me--a bit too heavy on the (very sticky) rice. I'd be willing to give it another shot, trying some of their more adventurous rolls, but that's my 2 cents based on a pretty standard order. Another con for most businesses in this area of Ingersoll: lack of parking.
(3)Natalia P.
The sushi here is worst than what you can buy at Gateway Market or Whole Foods, if that says anything. I find that they really skimp on the raw fish and avocado. You basically get a whole bunch of rice with seaweed and the minimal amount of fish to call it a sushi roll. I have tried the Philly roll, spicy tuna roll, spicy white tuna roll, octopus/cucumber/scallion roll (spicy tako), shrimp tempura, and eel roll. I will admit that I used to come here often when it was in a convenient location for me. But now that I have other options, I will most definitely not be coming back. Their appetizers of dynamite shrimp and seaweed salad were not bad. And the miso soup was something warm and comforting, despite it's small size and bland taste. I have tried the cheesecake here, which is nothing to brag about. The martinis were decent but not a reason to go here. I believe that most people, like myself, come here because of the happy hour specials. Also, the location is convenient and they always have the television on to watch sports. The restaurant is really small, and you might get claustrophobic on the evenings during happy hour. The wait staff is fairly unprofessional. They are always just chatting away and watching television.
(2)Michael W.
One of my new favorites in Des Moines! Great sushi, the Bruce Lee role was excellent and the dinner menu is pretty good too! I think it is a little over priced, but that is about all I can complain about.
(4)K J.
The food was good but I think there are better places in Des Moines. Kind of loud and more sports bar atmosphere without the TVs. The service was terrible. Once we got our first round we never saw our server again, she was to busy flirting and taking shots at the bar. She didn't put in our order for app. and never mentioned it when she realized. Then she brought out the wrong food and I know that food went to a different table after it sat on ours for a moment. Some might like the over pouring of drinks but they kill a drink quick (probably because all the staff is drunk). Great place if you want to feel like a fraternity is serving you, but I wouldn't go back.
(2)Kathy S.
My boyfriend and I were in the mood for sushi so we decided to stop in for a bite on a Friday night. The place was going off. The tables were full and the restaurant lighting was dim. It was loud with conversation. We chose to sit at the bar thinking our wait for dinner would be less than sitting at a table. How wrong we were! The sushi chefs were busy preparing sushi and never acknowledged our existence. They might as well have been behind a wall in the kitchen. When I gave our order to our chef it sat there until our server came over and took it. When I asked why we were waiting so long she explained our order would be put in line behind everyone elses and it didn't matter if we were at the bar. She sent the manager over who told me the same thing. I'd never heard of such a thing. Evidently, in Des Moines, sitting at the sushi bar gives you absolutely nothing. We waited 45 minutes for our first roll. The manager did try to rectify my unhappiness with sushi bombs which was appreciated (hence the two stars.) We did not have a good dining experience and would not return.
(2)Cliff K.
I think one of the best if not the best sushi in Des Moines..I lived in Japan for three years Califorina for eight years and Hawaii for almost ten... they do a nice job.... it is a neuvo sushi style.... the young men do a good job.... the owners are local....lunch is the best time for a more quiet experience... it is busy even then... the evenings and happy hour are for young people... the wait staff are great people and do a good job in a busy place.... they also have sushi for people who are not into raw fish... they have a wonderful tempura Salmon roll and shirmp tempura roll as well as a beef roll.... There bentos for lunch are a wonderful value... most people will take some home... they have plenty of non sushi tidbits to munch on and a great Octopus salad.... I like sashimi and have never been disappointed with the portions or the taste....
(5)CARRIE D.
My number one favorite spot for a great night out....newly renovated and its great...love the atmosphere. My favorite appetizer is the dynamite shrimp! Spot on every time! Had almost every roll there and loved them all. A few were rather bland but decent. Fresh tasting fish and seems to be great quality. Mmmm....writing this makes me want to eat some soon!!!!
(5)Nick K.
Ate there with my wife on a Saturday night.pretty busy but staff was quick to find us a seat at the bar. Bartenders had very upbeat attitudes and the service was quick. We ended up wanting another roll and asked about a specific one and they happened to just had a customer that for the wing order so instead off them eating themselves, which was original plan so it didnt get thrown out our bartender offered it to us for free! Will definitely be going back!
(5)Caryn B.
Sakari is the best! When I lived in Des Moines, I would eat there almost once a week. They have fantastic sushi, GREAT happy hour specials and are reasonably prices. I now live in Chicago and make sure to stop in every time I make a trip to Des Moines. Try it, you won't be let down.
(5)Cornel F.
Had lunch there. Service was lousy but the fish fresh
(3)Apple C.
I came here at 5:00 pm with a buddy and wow! The place was already packed. My buddy and I shared three rolls, Spicy Tuna, Eel Avocado, and Tofu Tempura. The Spicy Tuna was okay. At the other sushi places I've been to they usually chop up their Spicy Tuna and mix it with Spicy Mayo, but at Sakari the Tuna is chopped into larger cubes and the sauce is on top the rolls which I didn't mind. I personally thought the avocado in the Eel Avocado roll was overpowering and I couldn't really taste much of the eel. I'm not sure if I'd order it again. However the Tempura Tofu was wonderful! It had a great crispy texture and I also loved the sauce that came with it. Overall, the sushi was pretty good, comparable to the ones I've eaten in California! The service is pretty attentive, but parking can be troubling and the place is pretty small so it will fill up quickly!
(4)Chitterne B.
Sakari is the definition of "meh." The place is LOUD. On a Monday night, it was totally packed with a range of people from families with toddlers to a table of sake-bombing college kids. The techno music was blaring, and by 8 pm there was a line out the door. Unsurprisingly, this made for sloooowwww service, but our waitress and the host were both friendly and helpful nonetheless. I imagine this place would be fun if you're out for a night on the town, but it's definitely not the quiet little sushi bar that it appears to be on the outside. The fish here is not the greatest. It's never BAD, and I certainly wouldn't be afraid to eat it, but the sashimi is WAY overpriced - every fish is sliced EXTREMELY thin, even those that really shouldn't be. The presentation isn't the greatest either - there is rarely any vegetable garnish, and you need to explicitly mark on your order form that you want ginger and wasabi. The rolls are mainly your typical sauce-covered, fried-up, cream cheese-y American sushi bar-type rolls; not so great, but a definitely a better bang for your buck if you need a good amount of food. If you're looking to have a Kirin or do some Sake bombs and get some food in your stomach before heading out for the night, Sakari will suffice. If you're going out to eat, there are definitely way better sushi places downtown in this price range.
(3)Alexis R.
Went for happy hour with friends this evening. A whole lotta fun for not too much money! Two Kirins and two rolls for $14 (including tip). This little former-New Yorker is a happy camper. The sushi was...ok. Certainly not bad. Tasted fresh. I love a good spicy roll and their spicy roll was...not spicy. But the yellowtail scallion roll (another favorite) was good. The miso got good reviews from around the table, too. Happy hour's really a good deal. The prices aren't bad even without happy hour. But at happy hour, Kirins are $2 and house rolls are $4. Good stuff!! Highly recommended.
(4)Renee R.
Great food. Not fancy but very tasty & reasonably priced.
(5)