Still 1 star. Went for an early dinner for sushi. The waitress who kept calling me "mama" handed us two pieces of paper and two pens to order sushi. She took both papers, only handed my partner's to the chef, and forgot about mine. His sushi was delivered, mine was not. We had to ask her where my sushi was, and she said she had assumed it was all on one form. Why give us two of everything to order? She then split our check even though we did not ask her to. After two VERY bad experiences here, I will never return.
(1)
D P.
this used to be the best friday night date place. since the management has changed, the best chefs (both grill and sushi) and wait staff have left. now it is less family friendly and more commercial. i feel ike they want my money and don't really care about the service or quality of food. i don't even go anymore. what a disappointment. they need to replace the management staff. values start at the top. now all they value is the "american money."
(1)
William T.
I'm not sure what happened here, to be perfectly honest. I was excited when I walked in. The interior is classy, clean, and it made the restaurant look like it should have better food. The service was fast and friendly, too, but the food.. I came in with my 9 year old for their lunch menu and while she enjoyed her meal, I could not say the same. I ordered the rib-eye and chicken combo off their lunch express hibachi (they don't cook in front of you for their lunch menu), and was severely disappointed. The chicken was overcooked and bordering on dry, and the rib-eye, which I'd ordered medium rare was, yes, medium rare but there was no sear on the steak. It looked as if it'd been steamed with its own juices on the hibachi instead of actually sauteed. The vegetables served with the proteins were soggy, and I couldn't taste anything in the fried rice except sesame seed oil. The miso soup was okay, but the bowl of salad that they gave the kid was half-flooded with their dressing, and their dressing was overloaded with ginger. The sushi rolls felt small. I'm not going to say that they skimped, but I'm used to paying a certain amount for sushi and getting a certain amount on my plate. The fish did not have a fishy taste so I'll presume that it was fairly fresh, though I'd be willing to bet money that their red snapper was half-frozen at some point and then thawed. I would not come here again.
(1)
Jeannette S.
I have always had a great experience at Sakuras . I am a business woman who feels very comfortable stopping by having a glass of wine and having a bit to eat. The waitress I believe her name is Tracy is awesome and has been there for a while, she is friendly and that's what I'm looking for after a long demanding day.
(4)
Theresa H.
I love sushi & the whole hibachi experience. In recent years it has gone downhill. 10 years ago it would get a solid 5. I still think its better than other places. Sushi is made to order & I have never been let down. The hibachi has lacked recently. Not because of the experience, but because the the price has gone up & the food being cooked in front of us has gotten greasy. I have never had a problem with hot stuff in the same container as cold sushi. I have had wasabi and ginger in my containers. Its the norm. This restaurant is very expensive. They do have a lunch menu with better prices & can be carried out. That is good. The ramalad (seafood) sauce added to the rice is the same as some southerners dip fried green tomatos & crabcakes in before breading. I would recommend giving it a try. It can get busy but I have never had to wait long. It does have a full bar & specialty drinks.
(3)
Jeremy F.
Was here the other day and service was great! I know at some Japanese streak houses you have to wait a little while but they don't make you wait! And the food was great.
(4)
Kim L.
This is my family's go-to sushi carryout spot in Westminster. Not that there are a ton of options, but I digress... The sushi always seems to be fresh - especially the salmon and tuna. Their specialty rolls aren't the best compared to other places I've been to and the selection is slim. I'd skip the dynamite roll with spicy scallops and cream cheese. I'm assuming they heat the roll up to melt the cream cheese, but this made the rice hard, crumbly, and stuck to the tin foil it comes in. I can't vouch for the service or the hibachi experience since I've never eaten in-house, but I would only really recommend Sakura for nigiri sushi or very basic maki rolls based on my experience.
(3)
Johnnie Y.
Everything is prepared fresh and it's a place you can always count on. Special sushi rolls are great and there are many interesting selections. Sakura sushi is a lot better than the newer ones around the area. I am sure there is a very good reason why Sakura has been doing good for more than 11-12 years. Needless to say, if you were to eat sushi around here in Westminster, I would definitely recommend Sakura over any other places. It's an excellent choice for both hot hibachi meal and delicious sushi.
(5)
Dawn N.
They are awesome. The food get cooked in front of you so there is no mistakes. You dont mind eating with strangers its a way to may new friends
(5)
Boss M.
If you are eating sushi DO NOT eat here. If you want a table that shoots fire and shrimp at you then please eat here. (Never had their hibachi BTW) I've tried sushi here and it's pathetic. Two times trying their sushi here was plenty for my palate. If you must eat sushi in Westminster go over to Asian Sake. It's expensive for what you get but it is good. If you are looking for the best sushi in Carroll County please try J&P Tokyo Market (Eldersburg) & China Manor (Hampstead). The sushi snob has spoken!
(1)
Ginny B.
They poured a giant puddle of seafood sauce in the middle of the pile of fried rice and then mixed it all together. Heating a mayo based sauce is never a good idea....that was enough to convince me that I would never return. I won't mention the rest but there are much better Hibatchi places with a little further drive.
(2)
Paul K.
I always enjoyed this place in the past, but this past week the food was seriously lacking and service not what I expected. I ordered an entree of filet and scallops. Two of my kids ordered entrees with filet, as well as several other diners at the packed table (Father's Day). There apparently wasn't enough meat or scallops to go around. I was served four small scallops and maybe four ounces of filet mignon (about 6 or 7 bite-sized pieces) - all for the price of 28.00!! Then again it was Fathers Day, and with the 20 % off coupon maybe this was their way of maintaining their profit margin...I hope not. My chef was one of the older guys (maybe in his 50's) and he really didn't seem to be too into the show - not really a lot of fun for me or my family, or the other diners at our table. As said I've been there before many times, but this time not so good. Especially at their entree prices. - Overall one star due to the inadequate serving portions and lackluster performance of the chef. Time to find a new japanese steakhouse.
(1)
Jill W.
I've been in a few times for sushi in the other half of the restaurant and had great experiences, as well as in the hibachi side. There is the nicest lady with usually funky colored hair who is the coolest, and made our experience way better! She is chatty and genuine! As for the hibachi dinners, good show with cooking the food and have had no problems here ever, and Ive been like 10 times.
(5)
Jeff S.
When the place opened 10 years ago I would have given it 5 stars. Now I'm being generous by giving it 2. The prices have risen, the portions have shrunk, the quality of the ingredients has fallen nearly to the "what is this stuff?" level and the quality of the staff has deteriorated. The last two times we were there the chef repeatedly fumbled utensils and ingredients, incorrectly timed the meats (there's nothing like finally getting your meal when the other parties at the table are finished and waiting for their checks) and even splashed burning material onto the plate of some of the diners during the show. The ribeye remains good, but the filet wasn't filet at all. The vegetable entree is a mess. It is obviously rarely ordered and the chef seemed to be at a loss how to prepare it. He eventually just slapped something together and it definitely showed.
(2)
Scott R.
Let's get to the bottom line. Westminster LOVES Sakura. I'm just not sure I do. If you're coming for entertainment ... well, it's fine. We went here last night because our 10 year old loves the whole hibachi-entertainment routine. His favorite trick this time was when the chef removed the rings from a fat onion slice, stacked them up into a cone, poured oil down it, then lit on fire, pushing it around the hot grill while clicking his spatula, as though it were a steam engine. Last time, the chef kept saying "more happy meal" with his best stereotype "just-got-here" Asian-English accent as he passed him food. So all this is worth some smiles. But if you are here to dine? Well, it's ok. Your choice of meats, with house veggies and rice all from the big flat communal showtime grill. It was reasonably tasty ... but if I used as much butter as these guys did on everything, I could make shoe leather taste good. So I'm not sure it counts. But my son loves it, and my wife thought it was decent, if not terribly special. Trying to keep my recently-diagnosed high cholesterol in check, I stuck with an order from the sushi bar. The seaweed salad was really pretty good. The sushi was ok. Not bad. The "pieces" (what are they called??) were best. The tuna roll was a little skimpy, and obviously a lesser cut of tuna than that featured in the "pieces". My bandmate Tom loves this place, says they have the best sushi ... which is weird, because he really is a Japan-o-phile, and he's probably had more sushi in the last month than my family has eaten in the last decade, and he generally has great taste. But for some reason ... I'm just not impressed. I've had much better. I've been here several times, so this isn't just a bad fish night ... Since Westminster loves this place, and we were foolish enough to wander in at 7:30 on a Saturday night ... we had a 45 minute wait. Sipping a $9 glass of cooked, alcohol-forward California Pinot Noir while waiting didn't really set a big-star mood (actually I ordered the Willamette Valley Pinot on the menu, but they were sure it really meant the Cali bottle they showed me) . So, I guess that leaves 4 stars for family entertainment, 2 stars for dining experience, let's call it 3 overall ... UPDATE 2008-02-07 - after I called him on it, bandmate Tom the sushi-onado says he USED to love it. No more. Turns out the 5 star sushi chef left a little while back ... and it's been no comparison lately.
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Specialities
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Christine S.
Still 1 star. Went for an early dinner for sushi. The waitress who kept calling me "mama" handed us two pieces of paper and two pens to order sushi. She took both papers, only handed my partner's to the chef, and forgot about mine. His sushi was delivered, mine was not. We had to ask her where my sushi was, and she said she had assumed it was all on one form. Why give us two of everything to order? She then split our check even though we did not ask her to. After two VERY bad experiences here, I will never return.
(1)D P.
this used to be the best friday night date place. since the management has changed, the best chefs (both grill and sushi) and wait staff have left. now it is less family friendly and more commercial. i feel ike they want my money and don't really care about the service or quality of food. i don't even go anymore. what a disappointment. they need to replace the management staff. values start at the top. now all they value is the "american money."
(1)William T.
I'm not sure what happened here, to be perfectly honest. I was excited when I walked in. The interior is classy, clean, and it made the restaurant look like it should have better food. The service was fast and friendly, too, but the food.. I came in with my 9 year old for their lunch menu and while she enjoyed her meal, I could not say the same. I ordered the rib-eye and chicken combo off their lunch express hibachi (they don't cook in front of you for their lunch menu), and was severely disappointed. The chicken was overcooked and bordering on dry, and the rib-eye, which I'd ordered medium rare was, yes, medium rare but there was no sear on the steak. It looked as if it'd been steamed with its own juices on the hibachi instead of actually sauteed. The vegetables served with the proteins were soggy, and I couldn't taste anything in the fried rice except sesame seed oil. The miso soup was okay, but the bowl of salad that they gave the kid was half-flooded with their dressing, and their dressing was overloaded with ginger. The sushi rolls felt small. I'm not going to say that they skimped, but I'm used to paying a certain amount for sushi and getting a certain amount on my plate. The fish did not have a fishy taste so I'll presume that it was fairly fresh, though I'd be willing to bet money that their red snapper was half-frozen at some point and then thawed. I would not come here again.
(1)Jeannette S.
I have always had a great experience at Sakuras . I am a business woman who feels very comfortable stopping by having a glass of wine and having a bit to eat. The waitress I believe her name is Tracy is awesome and has been there for a while, she is friendly and that's what I'm looking for after a long demanding day.
(4)Theresa H.
I love sushi & the whole hibachi experience. In recent years it has gone downhill. 10 years ago it would get a solid 5. I still think its better than other places. Sushi is made to order & I have never been let down. The hibachi has lacked recently. Not because of the experience, but because the the price has gone up & the food being cooked in front of us has gotten greasy. I have never had a problem with hot stuff in the same container as cold sushi. I have had wasabi and ginger in my containers. Its the norm. This restaurant is very expensive. They do have a lunch menu with better prices & can be carried out. That is good. The ramalad (seafood) sauce added to the rice is the same as some southerners dip fried green tomatos & crabcakes in before breading. I would recommend giving it a try. It can get busy but I have never had to wait long. It does have a full bar & specialty drinks.
(3)Jeremy F.
Was here the other day and service was great! I know at some Japanese streak houses you have to wait a little while but they don't make you wait! And the food was great.
(4)Kim L.
This is my family's go-to sushi carryout spot in Westminster. Not that there are a ton of options, but I digress... The sushi always seems to be fresh - especially the salmon and tuna. Their specialty rolls aren't the best compared to other places I've been to and the selection is slim. I'd skip the dynamite roll with spicy scallops and cream cheese. I'm assuming they heat the roll up to melt the cream cheese, but this made the rice hard, crumbly, and stuck to the tin foil it comes in. I can't vouch for the service or the hibachi experience since I've never eaten in-house, but I would only really recommend Sakura for nigiri sushi or very basic maki rolls based on my experience.
(3)Johnnie Y.
Everything is prepared fresh and it's a place you can always count on. Special sushi rolls are great and there are many interesting selections. Sakura sushi is a lot better than the newer ones around the area. I am sure there is a very good reason why Sakura has been doing good for more than 11-12 years. Needless to say, if you were to eat sushi around here in Westminster, I would definitely recommend Sakura over any other places. It's an excellent choice for both hot hibachi meal and delicious sushi.
(5)Dawn N.
They are awesome. The food get cooked in front of you so there is no mistakes. You dont mind eating with strangers its a way to may new friends
(5)Boss M.
If you are eating sushi DO NOT eat here. If you want a table that shoots fire and shrimp at you then please eat here. (Never had their hibachi BTW) I've tried sushi here and it's pathetic. Two times trying their sushi here was plenty for my palate. If you must eat sushi in Westminster go over to Asian Sake. It's expensive for what you get but it is good. If you are looking for the best sushi in Carroll County please try J&P Tokyo Market (Eldersburg) & China Manor (Hampstead). The sushi snob has spoken!
(1)Ginny B.
They poured a giant puddle of seafood sauce in the middle of the pile of fried rice and then mixed it all together. Heating a mayo based sauce is never a good idea....that was enough to convince me that I would never return. I won't mention the rest but there are much better Hibatchi places with a little further drive.
(2)Paul K.
I always enjoyed this place in the past, but this past week the food was seriously lacking and service not what I expected. I ordered an entree of filet and scallops. Two of my kids ordered entrees with filet, as well as several other diners at the packed table (Father's Day). There apparently wasn't enough meat or scallops to go around. I was served four small scallops and maybe four ounces of filet mignon (about 6 or 7 bite-sized pieces) - all for the price of 28.00!! Then again it was Fathers Day, and with the 20 % off coupon maybe this was their way of maintaining their profit margin...I hope not. My chef was one of the older guys (maybe in his 50's) and he really didn't seem to be too into the show - not really a lot of fun for me or my family, or the other diners at our table. As said I've been there before many times, but this time not so good. Especially at their entree prices. - Overall one star due to the inadequate serving portions and lackluster performance of the chef. Time to find a new japanese steakhouse.
(1)Jill W.
I've been in a few times for sushi in the other half of the restaurant and had great experiences, as well as in the hibachi side. There is the nicest lady with usually funky colored hair who is the coolest, and made our experience way better! She is chatty and genuine! As for the hibachi dinners, good show with cooking the food and have had no problems here ever, and Ive been like 10 times.
(5)Jeff S.
When the place opened 10 years ago I would have given it 5 stars. Now I'm being generous by giving it 2. The prices have risen, the portions have shrunk, the quality of the ingredients has fallen nearly to the "what is this stuff?" level and the quality of the staff has deteriorated. The last two times we were there the chef repeatedly fumbled utensils and ingredients, incorrectly timed the meats (there's nothing like finally getting your meal when the other parties at the table are finished and waiting for their checks) and even splashed burning material onto the plate of some of the diners during the show. The ribeye remains good, but the filet wasn't filet at all. The vegetable entree is a mess. It is obviously rarely ordered and the chef seemed to be at a loss how to prepare it. He eventually just slapped something together and it definitely showed.
(2)Scott R.
Let's get to the bottom line. Westminster LOVES Sakura. I'm just not sure I do. If you're coming for entertainment ... well, it's fine. We went here last night because our 10 year old loves the whole hibachi-entertainment routine. His favorite trick this time was when the chef removed the rings from a fat onion slice, stacked them up into a cone, poured oil down it, then lit on fire, pushing it around the hot grill while clicking his spatula, as though it were a steam engine. Last time, the chef kept saying "more happy meal" with his best stereotype "just-got-here" Asian-English accent as he passed him food. So all this is worth some smiles. But if you are here to dine? Well, it's ok. Your choice of meats, with house veggies and rice all from the big flat communal showtime grill. It was reasonably tasty ... but if I used as much butter as these guys did on everything, I could make shoe leather taste good. So I'm not sure it counts. But my son loves it, and my wife thought it was decent, if not terribly special. Trying to keep my recently-diagnosed high cholesterol in check, I stuck with an order from the sushi bar. The seaweed salad was really pretty good. The sushi was ok. Not bad. The "pieces" (what are they called??) were best. The tuna roll was a little skimpy, and obviously a lesser cut of tuna than that featured in the "pieces". My bandmate Tom loves this place, says they have the best sushi ... which is weird, because he really is a Japan-o-phile, and he's probably had more sushi in the last month than my family has eaten in the last decade, and he generally has great taste. But for some reason ... I'm just not impressed. I've had much better. I've been here several times, so this isn't just a bad fish night ... Since Westminster loves this place, and we were foolish enough to wander in at 7:30 on a Saturday night ... we had a 45 minute wait. Sipping a $9 glass of cooked, alcohol-forward California Pinot Noir while waiting didn't really set a big-star mood (actually I ordered the Willamette Valley Pinot on the menu, but they were sure it really meant the Cali bottle they showed me) . So, I guess that leaves 4 stars for family entertainment, 2 stars for dining experience, let's call it 3 overall ... UPDATE 2008-02-07 - after I called him on it, bandmate Tom the sushi-onado says he USED to love it. No more. Turns out the 5 star sushi chef left a little while back ... and it's been no comparison lately.
(3)