I tell u what. Sushi was great, great drink selection and bartender at the bar was great, but as for everything else suckee.... I had the general manager wait on me, never offered a menu, never asked for dine in or dine out, never asked me for a drink. He should be totally embarrassed of his service and in no way be a gm. The guy I am talking about has silly wanna be Mohawk and looks more like a Disney Channel character than a manager at a professional restaurant. Thanks for listening.
(3)
Yana M.
This was our first time going to Sake. Food was ok, nothings special, but not bad either. Or server was not very knowledge of the type of sushi he was serving and tried to clean up our plates before I even finish my dinner. My husband asked for refill for his Coke-it never arrived. I had Groupon that I tried to use for dinner yesterday. Waiter informed us that we can't use it, because we did not ordered "full price entree". This is a sushi place-99% of their menu are sushi rolls. What is considered 'full price entree"? we paid full price for sushi rolls that we ordered-why our coupon was not accepted? I guess that Japanese place does not considered sushi rolls as entree. Manager could care less-told us that's the way it is and we should read fine print. Well, fine print does not said that apparently in sushi restaurant you can't consider sushi as entree. When I asked him what is his definition of entree-he told me I have to educate myself and I will know. So, here it is. 2 stars for OK sushi, and minus 3 stars for service and rude manager
(2)
Fusayo N.
Do not get Lunch box. The katsu was dry. Fruits was canned pineapple which no one touched in my group. Its not worth for $9.
(1)
David L.
I agree with the fellow posters. Food is great. Service is excellent. Drinks are superb. My only complaint about this place is the management. I have been here two times in two weeks and I have noticed a manager change. The old one was older and well dressed, he was rude an didn't pay attention to his managerial duties. I guess that's why he has been replaced. But the new manager is far from better. We came in to the restaurant and was not greeted for about two minutes. When we were approached I thought this person was ready to go to the beach, not a manager of a restaurant. After we were seated, everything else was great. We were very soon greeted by our waiter who brought out our drinks extremely fast. Our orders were taken and our food was delicious. Will definitely come back again. The staff is nice, fast, and friendly. Only downfall is the management.
(5)
Julia J.
In all honesty, I only really come to this particular sushi joint because they have phenomenal specials compared to just about everywhere else. That being said, the sushi is not the BEST I've ever had in my life, but it's still very good. Rolls are pretty large and mostly of good quality. I personally stay away from anything labeled as "spicy" because that tends to entail some pretty gross ground-up fish concoctions. But a filling sushi lunch for two that comes out to only around $20-$30 is fine in my book. I would recommend the "Pink Lady Roll" and the "South Side Roll." Outdoor seating is also a plus! The ambiance is a little bit tacky--how about that erotic blown-up photo "art" of a naked girl next to the bar? Reminds me of something that might be in an Asian softcore porn magazine from 1998. I'd say the other locations of the Saga chain are a little bit more tasteful, but those don't offer as many discounts. Also, posters advertising "Salsa dance night" ($5 cover!) and "Ladies night" (along with the plethora of misspellings on the menu, ie: "Labstor Roll") make for a fun experience if you have a certain sense of humor. Loud top 40 music is kindof annoying when I'm hungover on a Sunday afternoon trying to get in my weekly raw fish fix in tranquility. Overall, thank you Sake for satisfying my sushi cravings without breaking my wallet.
Came in Saturday afternoon and was confused by how few people were in this joint. I took several steps inside, honestly not sure if they perhaps closed between lunch and dinner, and no one immediately stepped forward to seat me. I finally caught someone's eye and just asked to sit at the sushi bar, as that was all I was interested in trying. The sushi chefs were very nice and the food was surprisingly cheap. My waitress seemed to forget about me at some points, but would check on me every so often. The sushi was good. Better than average in Pittsburgh. The presentation was very nice. I ordered a volcano roll and squid and hokkigai sashimi. They were both excellent and very flavorful.
(4)
Beant G.
Way overrated in my opinion, which proves how few restaurants in Pittsburgh offer quality sushi. Mediocre food topped with a poor experience/bad service left a bad taste in my mouth. I don't intend to return. Service: We went with the expectation of receiving the happy hour special despite it being a Saturday. At that time, the special was listed on their website and didn't specify days it was not offered. I even called and had this confirmed before going. When we got there and asked if we could order from the happy hour menu, we got a blank stare and then the manager. He informed us that it was a mistake and we must have searched the menu of another restaurant. I even pulled it up on my phone to show him, at which point he then said he couldn't give us that option. Didn't offer anything extra to us, a discount or a sincere apology. In my opinion, that's a poor way to apologize to a customer- even a simple free appetizer would have been enough to win me over. Incredibly disappointed. Food: We ordered a few sushi rolls. Like many places in Pittsburgh, it was nothing special. The salmon and tuna were mediocre in regards to freshness. Even without the bad experience, I would offer it 3 stars at best. Ambience: A bit confusing. Modern trendy and then throw on a couple of neon lights and old looking table cloths. I didn't care for it much. The only plus was the doors, which could open up the restaurant on a nice day or evening.
(2)
BJ B.
Apparently this restaurant just opened in April and the advertising hasn't been the greatest. They have a prime location, however they are competing with some heavy hitters (i.e. Cheesecake Factory, Hofbrahaus, and McCormick and Schmick's). Their happy hour is phenomenal, the sushi is superb. I got the Sake Monster Roll which comes with 8 pieces. All chef specialty rolls are 8 pieces. As a snack/free appetizer, they supply won tons and sweet and sour sauce (which I believe has mango in it). Our waitress Kayla was great. We were her only table for awhile but she gave just enough attention. They also have salsa night on Saturdays. If you're looking for a great atmosphere, quality food, and great service then come and check out Sake!
(5)
Wendy L.
The food tasted awesome and was done quickly. The place is neat and clean. There's a good deal on groupon for this place, so check it out
(5)
Lewis J.
Music from the bar so loud that the servers can't hear the customers. No wonder there are complaints about service. Our server almost pestered us with unwanted attention, trying to compensate. How do I know? Part of our order was wrong because he couldn't hear us. The food is mediocre. Sushi restos do not stand out by making a more bizarre combination roll than anyone lse -- they stand out for high quality ingredients and execution. Sake does not measure up.
(2)
Denny V.
Best Sushi bar in Pittsburgh, that's why we keep coming back...! Had dinner here last night to get my 'sushi-fix' and again wasn't disappointed. Our fav sushi guy- Lee had moved back to New York but Lin was there to pick up where Lee left off. The sushi was the freshest I've tasted here in Pgh and Lin served us a complimentary 'Sexy Salmon' plate of 4 Sashimi's even before the ice water hit the counter in front of us. Service can be slow here but don't let that keep you away. Sit at the sushi counter and enjoy the show of countless rolls getting perfectly created right there in front of you. We ordered 2 bowls of Miso soup ($1 on Sun & Mon) which were delicious. The tofu was cut in tiny cubes so you could get some with every spoonful. We then ordered an Octopus Salad ($5), a regular Tuna Roll ($3), a regular Philadelphia Roll ($3) and a specialty Eel Dragon Roll ($7.5). The Octopus Salad was as good as I had tasted anywhere. Places use this to garnish sushi platters and I was hooked after the first time I decided to taste it. It has the consistency of bacon and a sweet/tartiness that can't be described. Simply put... YUMM! Our sushi rolls were up next and if you look at the picture- the presentation was excellent. The Eel Dragon Roll had so many tastes & textures going on, it was simply amazing- the sweetness and slight warmth of baked eel, the creaminess & cooling effect of the avocado, the perfect stickiness of the rice... As we were slowly finishing this off- Lee offers 4 complimentary baked teriyaki shrimp that I think he was trying out to put on the menu. Sweet & warm then the wasabi I dipped it in hit my taste buds and Wow...! Requesting our tab- we were shocked... $23...! Was this McDonalds? No...! This was hand made, right in front of us, ultra fresh sushi. You keep rollin them up, we'll keep coming back...!
(5)
Eric G.
Went here recently with a friend on a Groupon. The staff was nice, and the food was good (I got some vegetarian rolls, and the sake was pretty good). The decor was nice and seemingly upscale- I just wish the restaurant embraced the cuisine and wish it was a bit more traditional Japanese. The pop music being played clashed with everything the restaurant should be about.
(3)
Emily A.
I first off want to say I am by far the easiest customer to please- I eat anything. Me and my 3 friends went out to eat here just tonight for my friends birthday. To say the least, this is by far the WORST experience I have ever had at a restaurant. I, along with three of my friends, got the Chicken tepanyaki. The rice was unbelievably bland and mushy. The chicken was so chewy it was hard to even take more than a bite. The vegetables WERENT terrible, but that's me trying to add a positive. The shrimp sauce... don't get me started. It was chunky and just didn't even taste sanitary. We had notified the manager, and he was invasive and didn't handle the situation well at all. He was interrogating us why we didn't like it, and then took our plates back to be examined!!! For a CHAIN restaurant he was very selfish about our simple request to have our meals taken off. We even offered to pay for our drinks. He tried giving us 25% off and even had printed the bills and tried making us pay with about a $5 discount. Needless to say, the food flat out sucks and the manager needs an attitude and customer service adjustment. Im disgusted and my stomach is in agreence. Take your business elsewhere.
(1)
Shaun E.
If you like sushi stop reading this review, order yours and enjoy. Don't bother with anything else. Ugh. I feel really bad for this place. The restaurants in the southside works area always have such a hard time and I really wanted to like this place. If you need to put advertisements in your window for 50‰ off your meals then you know the business is struggling. Your food should sell on merit alone and not have to gimmick customers into showing up. When we arrived at 7 on a Wednesday night there were maybe 2 other people in the entire establishment. I joked if there was a wait to the hostess at the front was not having any of it. We ordered house wine $6.50 for barefoot. Pricey but whatever. Then the waiter started chatting with another table while we waited for a couple minutes. When he came over we ordered our food. He brought out our soup and salads immediately but didn't have any miso soup ready so I had to wait. Not a big deal. He cleaned up and when he brought out our sushi appetizer (red lobster roll) it was delicious. Nice presentation and good taste. When the main meal came out pork katsu and chicken tepanyaki it wasn't even warm! It was room temperature. We couldn't find the waiter so we just sat and waited. Finally when he returned we asked for it to be reheated. He came back within a couple of minutes with the same food on a different plate! Food was still cold. We got outta there. I would recommend this for sushi. Stay away from the other food. It just isn't that good to be honest. They are trying to hard to do Korean, Japanese and Thai all at once. Stick with the Japanese which is what they accel at. I hear the bartender is pretty badass so we will have to stop by for a drink before we go to the movies.
(3)
Alex S.
Cooper is going to be my new favorite bartender in town. The sushi is really good, I would say better than other places in town. There is one downfall: the manager of the restaurant spends most of his time walking around micromanaging and berating his workers, which is not cool! If you go, you won't be disappointed, but be sure to tell the little twerp manager to stop giving his staff such a hard time. That would be the only reason why I never go back.
(5)
Deborah G.
We checked Sake out on a cold Saturday night and were pleasantly surprised. The service was pleasant and the food quite good. Best of all, it wasn't a zoo and we didn't have to wait an hour for a table.
(4)
Sean Q.
Very Poor management, which was arrogant, rude and no business skills. He spent the whole time walking around staring at people. This may be the reason that less then 10 people where there on a Friday night. The sushi was over price and not on the same level as the other two sushi places on the South Side. Heck you could get comparable sushi at the Giant Eagle down the street. The bartenders were great but very hampered by the overprice and the poor management. Do yourself a favor and try somewhere else.
(1)
Alycia R.
Contrary to popular belief, Nakama is not the only good place to get sushi in southside. Plus who can beat 50% on Sundays and Mondays! My favorite are the Miami Heat roll (avoid if you hate super fishy sushi) and the sweetheart roll!
(4)
Jake S.
I went to Pittsburgh while I was home visiting my family in Akron, Oh. We drove to Pittsburgh to visit my grandma who has been alive longer than most trilobites. So when she finally went to bed at 5:30, my mom, dad, sister and I decided to get some dinner and drinks. We walked in the door, about faced and marched right out. This hip and elegant sushi restaurant was clearly way out of our modest price range. But, I thought to myself, "hold up Jake, why not just hop on the ole' Yelp and check out that menu!" Glad I did because it turns out that this restaurant is totally affordable. So we grabbed a table outside since it was a nice, temperate pittsburgh summer night and I don't get much of that in the sweltering sticky sauna of summer in South Florida - how about that alliteration suckas! So we got 6 rolls to share, the large order of saki which my dad and I split while my mom and sister got some peach lemonade vodka bullshit (not really my bag). Now let me say, I don't do cheap sushi or even affordable sushi after the all you can eat sushi buffet fiasco of 2012. Let me tell you, this sushi is not only safe to eat but delicious as well. That sushi was gone in the blink of an eye. I wish that this place was in Ft. Lauderdale because it would become a Sunkin Staple. Only one downside, the waiter was a little awkward. But we didn't really mind. How often can you find great affordable sushi with such a nice atmosphere? Bottom line: perfect sushi place for a baller on a budget.
(5)
Barbara I.
I stopped at Sake because I had arrived early for a movie right around the corner. Saw the half price sush/$5 martini sign and couldn't resist! When I came in, I was immediately impressed by the atmosphere/decor, and the happy hour menu is wonderful with tons of choices. Food and service were both WAY above expectations- excellent in all respects! The spicy tuna roll/individual pieces of sush I ordered (including bbq eel and squid) were absolutely outstanding- super fresh and uniformly delicious. All of the choices were very reasonable- the happy hour is a phenomenal value. Great melon martini too! A friend joined me who is on a very restricted diet, and was allowed to eat her snack at the table in addition to sharing some sushi. We really appreciated their accommodation. Our waiter John was incredible- super helpful, nice, responsive, easy to talk to, etc. etc. Couldn't ask for better service! Some things took awhile to arrive, expected given the labor intensive nature of sushi-t John was super proactive and brought the check, etc. ahead of time so I'd make it to the movie on time! Overall a perfect experience- I'll definitely be bringing friends back here soon. Can't believe I hadn't tried it before. I'm planning to sit at the sushi counter next time. Really can't imagine why anyone would be disappointed in this place- obviously some folks felt haven't had great experiences, but mine was absolutely perfect!
(5)
Seth F.
Very similar to a sushi restaurant that I always frequented back at home. I recommend it. It's pretty straight forward- good sushi, good prices. I recommend heading there on a Sunday or Monday when they're doing half-off sushi. Prices vary between $3 and $7.50 on those days. Didn't have the hibachi but will definitely be heading back there to try that out.
(4)
Lisa K.
Great deals on very good sushi Sunday through Thursday. This is as good as any in Pittsburgh and if you come during the specials it is very satisfying!
(4)
D Y.
Today is Mother's Day sushi outing to try Sake--a newly opened sushi restaurant. The hubs and I were greeted by a very polite and well dressed man who seated us near the window at a tableclothed two top adorned with a pair of wine glasses and neatly folded cloth napkins. A view of the dining room showed a uniformed display of white with a subtle touch of olive green in front of a backdrop of textured walls reaching the high ceiling. Very clean and symmetrical. Will have to bring hubs to dinner to experience the nighttime ambiance. Our waiter greeted us promptly and took our order which was probably enough to feed a third person but upon arrival, the table next to us was being served sushi for 2 on an enormous platter--how can we resist? Yes, please! And while we're waiting, we'll have an order of shrimp tempura! And sake for the mom since that was the reason we came here. A small, no frills iceberg lettuce salad topped with ginger dressing and a delicious white miso soup arrived at our table which balanced our tempura appetizer. Our sushi for 2 arrived quickly followed by a pair of 'ooohhhs & aaaahhhs' as we gazed at the platter with an appreciation that SAKE has a few well trained sushi chefs! Score one for the Southside works! Sushi rice was seasoned perfectly--not too cold and whole rice grains stuck together nicely without being glutinous. Fish slices cut diagonally in the correct thickness and length. Taco (Octopus) was tender enough to bite thru. A delightful feast to the eyes. A truly delicious fare for our full tummies as we finished the last few bites. *sigh* would have loved to partake in Sake's desserts but sadly, our eyes were larger than our stomachs. Will have to keep this in mind for our next visit! Grades: Decor: 10 Service: 10 Cleanliness: 10 Sushi: 10 Shrimp tempura: 10 Location: 10 Will we come here again? "Hai!" Of course! With10 out of 10--you should too!
(5)
Paul And Michele E.
Love the food, that atmosphere and the happy hour specials. The sushi is fresh and the presentation is beautiful, like a work of art. Something that you definitely do not get at Nakama. Service is amazing and they have great Happy Hour specials.
(5)
Bill C.
Completely disappointed with everything. Ordered chicken and shrimp lunch meal, everything was over cooked and very bland. Without the "yum yum" sauce I would have thrown it away. 16 bucks for lunch, nothing special here. The spicy salmon rolls are better at a gas station. To sum it up BLAND BLAND BLAND. Save your money and order regular Chinese and get gas station sushi.
(1)
Charla B.
Well I went on Monday night for the happy hour specials. The place was clean and the staff was very cordial and pleasant. Service was immediate and I was happy that my waiter in no way rushed us because I stayed until the place was about to close. Also the $5 Martini's were excellent. However the sushi was ok but I have had better. The California roll was good, however my Philadelphia roll did not taste as fresh as I would have liked. Now don't get me wrong it was spoiled or sour but it could've been more fresh. However the price and service of that happy hour would absolutely have me revisit. Also the restrooms were very clean and smelled amazing!! So this place is average to me!!
(3)
Antwain C.
The Best and completed Menu I have had in several years in the Asian industry for Pittsburgh, just overall different with a wealth of expertise and decor - I want to say they are the best overall with food, location, variety/ different and decor that just adds up to perfection, it's a shame that poor advertisement and cost of operations typically dooms places like this but we'll keep and eye on them to see if the quality dips.
(5)
Natisha C.
Sake's pretty good for their sushi specials that run on the less busy days Sunday-Thursday. You can get your basic rolls for a fairly inexpensive price. However, when it comes to specialty rolls nothing really stands out. Otherwise, the service is usually pretty decent. It's nice to have somewhere to go after seeing a movie at Southside Cinema.
(3)
Andy J.
I went for the half price sushi night. It was good. There really wasn't anything remarkable about the place. The sushi was good, but not great. The presentation was nice. The service was good. I wouldn't go out of my way to go here, but if I were in the Southside Works and wanted sushi, I'd return.
(3)
Tyoko B.
I will start out by saying that I REALLY wanted to like this place which is located in one of the Burgh's fun date areas. The inside is really pretty, colorful, clean and the ambiance is cool. Weird thing is that this place was empty...like no one was in there. I know it's Sunday but folks still eat on Sundays and the other restaurants in the area were full. The host was very nice and grabbed my order pretty quickly. We ordered an uninteresting sushi roll and the chicken soba noodles. The soba was good and had the nice crunch to the vegetables. I honestly don't remember the name of the sushi but it had no flavor. So much so, I can't even tell what was in it besides the avocado and rice. Anyway, I may give this place another go and eat in to sample some of the other dishes and see how service is like. I can't say that I will go out of my way to visit though. With the Cheesecake Factory, McCormick and that Mongolian grille nearby...there's some pretty tough competition and I'm not sure they are worthy of me passing by those places just yet.
(2)
MaryAlice R.
This place has a really nice feel to it when you walk in. There were three of us and it was around 4pm so the place wasn't too busy at the time. We had pretty quick service at the beginning. We all had gotten the salad with the normal ginger dressing. It was actually really good and a little more creamy and had, I think, different seasonings than regular ginger dressing that always comes on salad at sushi places everywhere. I got the Mexican roll that came in a group of 6. I came with two guys so they ordered quite a few different sushi rolls. I believe one was the dragon roll which tasted delicious. I really liked my Mexican roll and the presentation for all three of our plates was beautiful. However, after we finished the service was beyond slow. It looked like other tables servers were faster, but honestly it took more than 5-10 minutes for the server to come over after we all were finished and just sitting there. Then it took another 5-10 to just bring our checks back. I really was going to give this place three stars because of the slow service, but I don't want another place to go out of business in this building. I will give them a second chance.
(4)
S J.
I've been here twice. The first time, I got the pink lady roll, which I liked. The second time, I got the deluxe sushi, with a salad, miso soup, a variety of sashimi/sushi, and a california roll. The quality of fish was poor. The fish lacked flavor and had a soggy, watery texture which comes from thawing frozen fish. I did like the california roll that came with it. I'm wondering if I liked the pink lady roll the first time I came because the roll masks the texture/flavor of the fish with rice/veggies/sauces. So maybe it's wise to stick to rolls here. Unless I hear about Sake improving their quality of fish, I won't be coming back.
(2)
Jasmine T.
GO TO THIS RESTAURANT!! I was in Pittsburg for one day, I left my shopping bag with newly purchased clothes in it. When I got back home to Cleveland Ohio I noticed it missing. I called sake assuming I might have left it there and sure enough I did! The manager and staff were so helpful in helping me locate it and even went a step further to mail it to me so I wouldn't have to make a 3 hour trip back! These people care for their customers! If I lived in Pittsburg I would be a regular! Even now, any time I return I will be sure to go there.
(5)
Christian A.
Took the girlfriend here for a date. Very impressed. The restaurant is very clean, the service was excellent and the food was fantastic. If you're looking for a place to eat in the Southside Works this should be on your short list.
(5)
Brendan D.
sushi was AMAZING. best sushi I've ever head. service as on point, they were there when we needed stuff and went out of their way to find us a bottle that they thought they were out of! I highly recommend this place to everyone!
(5)
Dave G.
Awful! Where to begin? The food is served on plastic plates and bowls with the name of another restaurant on them. The selection is meager unless you want sushi. The appetizers are on the last page of the menu. The food was bland and comparable to food you would get at a take-out Chinese place with photos of dishes above the counter. Service was slow. The manager walked around the dining area but did not ask anyone about their meal; but he did stop to blow his nose in the middle of the dining area.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Parking : Garage Bike Parking : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Brian B.
I tell u what. Sushi was great, great drink selection and bartender at the bar was great, but as for everything else suckee.... I had the general manager wait on me, never offered a menu, never asked for dine in or dine out, never asked me for a drink. He should be totally embarrassed of his service and in no way be a gm. The guy I am talking about has silly wanna be Mohawk and looks more like a Disney Channel character than a manager at a professional restaurant. Thanks for listening.
(3)Yana M.
This was our first time going to Sake. Food was ok, nothings special, but not bad either. Or server was not very knowledge of the type of sushi he was serving and tried to clean up our plates before I even finish my dinner. My husband asked for refill for his Coke-it never arrived. I had Groupon that I tried to use for dinner yesterday. Waiter informed us that we can't use it, because we did not ordered "full price entree". This is a sushi place-99% of their menu are sushi rolls. What is considered 'full price entree"? we paid full price for sushi rolls that we ordered-why our coupon was not accepted? I guess that Japanese place does not considered sushi rolls as entree. Manager could care less-told us that's the way it is and we should read fine print. Well, fine print does not said that apparently in sushi restaurant you can't consider sushi as entree. When I asked him what is his definition of entree-he told me I have to educate myself and I will know. So, here it is. 2 stars for OK sushi, and minus 3 stars for service and rude manager
(2)Fusayo N.
Do not get Lunch box. The katsu was dry. Fruits was canned pineapple which no one touched in my group. Its not worth for $9.
(1)David L.
I agree with the fellow posters. Food is great. Service is excellent. Drinks are superb. My only complaint about this place is the management. I have been here two times in two weeks and I have noticed a manager change. The old one was older and well dressed, he was rude an didn't pay attention to his managerial duties. I guess that's why he has been replaced. But the new manager is far from better. We came in to the restaurant and was not greeted for about two minutes. When we were approached I thought this person was ready to go to the beach, not a manager of a restaurant. After we were seated, everything else was great. We were very soon greeted by our waiter who brought out our drinks extremely fast. Our orders were taken and our food was delicious. Will definitely come back again. The staff is nice, fast, and friendly. Only downfall is the management.
(5)Julia J.
In all honesty, I only really come to this particular sushi joint because they have phenomenal specials compared to just about everywhere else. That being said, the sushi is not the BEST I've ever had in my life, but it's still very good. Rolls are pretty large and mostly of good quality. I personally stay away from anything labeled as "spicy" because that tends to entail some pretty gross ground-up fish concoctions. But a filling sushi lunch for two that comes out to only around $20-$30 is fine in my book. I would recommend the "Pink Lady Roll" and the "South Side Roll." Outdoor seating is also a plus! The ambiance is a little bit tacky--how about that erotic blown-up photo "art" of a naked girl next to the bar? Reminds me of something that might be in an Asian softcore porn magazine from 1998. I'd say the other locations of the Saga chain are a little bit more tasteful, but those don't offer as many discounts. Also, posters advertising "Salsa dance night" ($5 cover!) and "Ladies night" (along with the plethora of misspellings on the menu, ie: "Labstor Roll") make for a fun experience if you have a certain sense of humor. Loud top 40 music is kindof annoying when I'm hungover on a Sunday afternoon trying to get in my weekly raw fish fix in tranquility. Overall, thank you Sake for satisfying my sushi cravings without breaking my wallet.
(3)Vi L.
I didn't notice this until my friend pointed it out, but Sake looks like it could be a nightclub or lounge. The interior is very fancy and clean. I like the intimate feel of the décor. However, with the amount of typos on the menu, you could probably make a drinking game out of it. I was lured in by the 50% off happy hour special. The service was wonderful and the owner is such a jolly man. I had their BJ roll. Yes, let the giggling begin. What is implied by "BJ", you ask. I asked the waitress the same question and she had no idea. But, after my "BJ" roll arrived on a plate, I got a good laugh at the loaded name too. The roll was lightly battered and fried. There was a generous drizzle of spicy mayo sauce along the length of the roll. It was filled with several types of cooked fish. The sushi was just average, edible but nothing to go crazy over. I do enjoy the hidden humor and creative display though. "BJ" roll will be a story I'll tell over and over again. I had a great dinning experience and the prices weren't too bad after the happy hour discounts. The sushi was average, but service was great. I probably won't go out of my way for sushi here, but if I'm in the area then I'll drop by. Definitely take advantage of the 50% off specials on the weekdays!
(3)Calder G.
Came in Saturday afternoon and was confused by how few people were in this joint. I took several steps inside, honestly not sure if they perhaps closed between lunch and dinner, and no one immediately stepped forward to seat me. I finally caught someone's eye and just asked to sit at the sushi bar, as that was all I was interested in trying. The sushi chefs were very nice and the food was surprisingly cheap. My waitress seemed to forget about me at some points, but would check on me every so often. The sushi was good. Better than average in Pittsburgh. The presentation was very nice. I ordered a volcano roll and squid and hokkigai sashimi. They were both excellent and very flavorful.
(4)Beant G.
Way overrated in my opinion, which proves how few restaurants in Pittsburgh offer quality sushi. Mediocre food topped with a poor experience/bad service left a bad taste in my mouth. I don't intend to return. Service: We went with the expectation of receiving the happy hour special despite it being a Saturday. At that time, the special was listed on their website and didn't specify days it was not offered. I even called and had this confirmed before going. When we got there and asked if we could order from the happy hour menu, we got a blank stare and then the manager. He informed us that it was a mistake and we must have searched the menu of another restaurant. I even pulled it up on my phone to show him, at which point he then said he couldn't give us that option. Didn't offer anything extra to us, a discount or a sincere apology. In my opinion, that's a poor way to apologize to a customer- even a simple free appetizer would have been enough to win me over. Incredibly disappointed. Food: We ordered a few sushi rolls. Like many places in Pittsburgh, it was nothing special. The salmon and tuna were mediocre in regards to freshness. Even without the bad experience, I would offer it 3 stars at best. Ambience: A bit confusing. Modern trendy and then throw on a couple of neon lights and old looking table cloths. I didn't care for it much. The only plus was the doors, which could open up the restaurant on a nice day or evening.
(2)BJ B.
Apparently this restaurant just opened in April and the advertising hasn't been the greatest. They have a prime location, however they are competing with some heavy hitters (i.e. Cheesecake Factory, Hofbrahaus, and McCormick and Schmick's). Their happy hour is phenomenal, the sushi is superb. I got the Sake Monster Roll which comes with 8 pieces. All chef specialty rolls are 8 pieces. As a snack/free appetizer, they supply won tons and sweet and sour sauce (which I believe has mango in it). Our waitress Kayla was great. We were her only table for awhile but she gave just enough attention. They also have salsa night on Saturdays. If you're looking for a great atmosphere, quality food, and great service then come and check out Sake!
(5)Wendy L.
The food tasted awesome and was done quickly. The place is neat and clean. There's a good deal on groupon for this place, so check it out
(5)Lewis J.
Music from the bar so loud that the servers can't hear the customers. No wonder there are complaints about service. Our server almost pestered us with unwanted attention, trying to compensate. How do I know? Part of our order was wrong because he couldn't hear us. The food is mediocre. Sushi restos do not stand out by making a more bizarre combination roll than anyone lse -- they stand out for high quality ingredients and execution. Sake does not measure up.
(2)Denny V.
Best Sushi bar in Pittsburgh, that's why we keep coming back...! Had dinner here last night to get my 'sushi-fix' and again wasn't disappointed. Our fav sushi guy- Lee had moved back to New York but Lin was there to pick up where Lee left off. The sushi was the freshest I've tasted here in Pgh and Lin served us a complimentary 'Sexy Salmon' plate of 4 Sashimi's even before the ice water hit the counter in front of us. Service can be slow here but don't let that keep you away. Sit at the sushi counter and enjoy the show of countless rolls getting perfectly created right there in front of you. We ordered 2 bowls of Miso soup ($1 on Sun & Mon) which were delicious. The tofu was cut in tiny cubes so you could get some with every spoonful. We then ordered an Octopus Salad ($5), a regular Tuna Roll ($3), a regular Philadelphia Roll ($3) and a specialty Eel Dragon Roll ($7.5). The Octopus Salad was as good as I had tasted anywhere. Places use this to garnish sushi platters and I was hooked after the first time I decided to taste it. It has the consistency of bacon and a sweet/tartiness that can't be described. Simply put... YUMM! Our sushi rolls were up next and if you look at the picture- the presentation was excellent. The Eel Dragon Roll had so many tastes & textures going on, it was simply amazing- the sweetness and slight warmth of baked eel, the creaminess & cooling effect of the avocado, the perfect stickiness of the rice... As we were slowly finishing this off- Lee offers 4 complimentary baked teriyaki shrimp that I think he was trying out to put on the menu. Sweet & warm then the wasabi I dipped it in hit my taste buds and Wow...! Requesting our tab- we were shocked... $23...! Was this McDonalds? No...! This was hand made, right in front of us, ultra fresh sushi. You keep rollin them up, we'll keep coming back...!
(5)Eric G.
Went here recently with a friend on a Groupon. The staff was nice, and the food was good (I got some vegetarian rolls, and the sake was pretty good). The decor was nice and seemingly upscale- I just wish the restaurant embraced the cuisine and wish it was a bit more traditional Japanese. The pop music being played clashed with everything the restaurant should be about.
(3)Emily A.
I first off want to say I am by far the easiest customer to please- I eat anything. Me and my 3 friends went out to eat here just tonight for my friends birthday. To say the least, this is by far the WORST experience I have ever had at a restaurant. I, along with three of my friends, got the Chicken tepanyaki. The rice was unbelievably bland and mushy. The chicken was so chewy it was hard to even take more than a bite. The vegetables WERENT terrible, but that's me trying to add a positive. The shrimp sauce... don't get me started. It was chunky and just didn't even taste sanitary. We had notified the manager, and he was invasive and didn't handle the situation well at all. He was interrogating us why we didn't like it, and then took our plates back to be examined!!! For a CHAIN restaurant he was very selfish about our simple request to have our meals taken off. We even offered to pay for our drinks. He tried giving us 25% off and even had printed the bills and tried making us pay with about a $5 discount. Needless to say, the food flat out sucks and the manager needs an attitude and customer service adjustment. Im disgusted and my stomach is in agreence. Take your business elsewhere.
(1)Shaun E.
If you like sushi stop reading this review, order yours and enjoy. Don't bother with anything else. Ugh. I feel really bad for this place. The restaurants in the southside works area always have such a hard time and I really wanted to like this place. If you need to put advertisements in your window for 50‰ off your meals then you know the business is struggling. Your food should sell on merit alone and not have to gimmick customers into showing up. When we arrived at 7 on a Wednesday night there were maybe 2 other people in the entire establishment. I joked if there was a wait to the hostess at the front was not having any of it. We ordered house wine $6.50 for barefoot. Pricey but whatever. Then the waiter started chatting with another table while we waited for a couple minutes. When he came over we ordered our food. He brought out our soup and salads immediately but didn't have any miso soup ready so I had to wait. Not a big deal. He cleaned up and when he brought out our sushi appetizer (red lobster roll) it was delicious. Nice presentation and good taste. When the main meal came out pork katsu and chicken tepanyaki it wasn't even warm! It was room temperature. We couldn't find the waiter so we just sat and waited. Finally when he returned we asked for it to be reheated. He came back within a couple of minutes with the same food on a different plate! Food was still cold. We got outta there. I would recommend this for sushi. Stay away from the other food. It just isn't that good to be honest. They are trying to hard to do Korean, Japanese and Thai all at once. Stick with the Japanese which is what they accel at. I hear the bartender is pretty badass so we will have to stop by for a drink before we go to the movies.
(3)Alex S.
Cooper is going to be my new favorite bartender in town. The sushi is really good, I would say better than other places in town. There is one downfall: the manager of the restaurant spends most of his time walking around micromanaging and berating his workers, which is not cool! If you go, you won't be disappointed, but be sure to tell the little twerp manager to stop giving his staff such a hard time. That would be the only reason why I never go back.
(5)Deborah G.
We checked Sake out on a cold Saturday night and were pleasantly surprised. The service was pleasant and the food quite good. Best of all, it wasn't a zoo and we didn't have to wait an hour for a table.
(4)Sean Q.
Very Poor management, which was arrogant, rude and no business skills. He spent the whole time walking around staring at people. This may be the reason that less then 10 people where there on a Friday night. The sushi was over price and not on the same level as the other two sushi places on the South Side. Heck you could get comparable sushi at the Giant Eagle down the street. The bartenders were great but very hampered by the overprice and the poor management. Do yourself a favor and try somewhere else.
(1)Alycia R.
Contrary to popular belief, Nakama is not the only good place to get sushi in southside. Plus who can beat 50% on Sundays and Mondays! My favorite are the Miami Heat roll (avoid if you hate super fishy sushi) and the sweetheart roll!
(4)Jake S.
I went to Pittsburgh while I was home visiting my family in Akron, Oh. We drove to Pittsburgh to visit my grandma who has been alive longer than most trilobites. So when she finally went to bed at 5:30, my mom, dad, sister and I decided to get some dinner and drinks. We walked in the door, about faced and marched right out. This hip and elegant sushi restaurant was clearly way out of our modest price range. But, I thought to myself, "hold up Jake, why not just hop on the ole' Yelp and check out that menu!" Glad I did because it turns out that this restaurant is totally affordable. So we grabbed a table outside since it was a nice, temperate pittsburgh summer night and I don't get much of that in the sweltering sticky sauna of summer in South Florida - how about that alliteration suckas! So we got 6 rolls to share, the large order of saki which my dad and I split while my mom and sister got some peach lemonade vodka bullshit (not really my bag). Now let me say, I don't do cheap sushi or even affordable sushi after the all you can eat sushi buffet fiasco of 2012. Let me tell you, this sushi is not only safe to eat but delicious as well. That sushi was gone in the blink of an eye. I wish that this place was in Ft. Lauderdale because it would become a Sunkin Staple. Only one downside, the waiter was a little awkward. But we didn't really mind. How often can you find great affordable sushi with such a nice atmosphere? Bottom line: perfect sushi place for a baller on a budget.
(5)Barbara I.
I stopped at Sake because I had arrived early for a movie right around the corner. Saw the half price sush/$5 martini sign and couldn't resist! When I came in, I was immediately impressed by the atmosphere/decor, and the happy hour menu is wonderful with tons of choices. Food and service were both WAY above expectations- excellent in all respects! The spicy tuna roll/individual pieces of sush I ordered (including bbq eel and squid) were absolutely outstanding- super fresh and uniformly delicious. All of the choices were very reasonable- the happy hour is a phenomenal value. Great melon martini too! A friend joined me who is on a very restricted diet, and was allowed to eat her snack at the table in addition to sharing some sushi. We really appreciated their accommodation. Our waiter John was incredible- super helpful, nice, responsive, easy to talk to, etc. etc. Couldn't ask for better service! Some things took awhile to arrive, expected given the labor intensive nature of sushi-t John was super proactive and brought the check, etc. ahead of time so I'd make it to the movie on time! Overall a perfect experience- I'll definitely be bringing friends back here soon. Can't believe I hadn't tried it before. I'm planning to sit at the sushi counter next time. Really can't imagine why anyone would be disappointed in this place- obviously some folks felt haven't had great experiences, but mine was absolutely perfect!
(5)Seth F.
Very similar to a sushi restaurant that I always frequented back at home. I recommend it. It's pretty straight forward- good sushi, good prices. I recommend heading there on a Sunday or Monday when they're doing half-off sushi. Prices vary between $3 and $7.50 on those days. Didn't have the hibachi but will definitely be heading back there to try that out.
(4)Lisa K.
Great deals on very good sushi Sunday through Thursday. This is as good as any in Pittsburgh and if you come during the specials it is very satisfying!
(4)D Y.
Today is Mother's Day sushi outing to try Sake--a newly opened sushi restaurant. The hubs and I were greeted by a very polite and well dressed man who seated us near the window at a tableclothed two top adorned with a pair of wine glasses and neatly folded cloth napkins. A view of the dining room showed a uniformed display of white with a subtle touch of olive green in front of a backdrop of textured walls reaching the high ceiling. Very clean and symmetrical. Will have to bring hubs to dinner to experience the nighttime ambiance. Our waiter greeted us promptly and took our order which was probably enough to feed a third person but upon arrival, the table next to us was being served sushi for 2 on an enormous platter--how can we resist? Yes, please! And while we're waiting, we'll have an order of shrimp tempura! And sake for the mom since that was the reason we came here. A small, no frills iceberg lettuce salad topped with ginger dressing and a delicious white miso soup arrived at our table which balanced our tempura appetizer. Our sushi for 2 arrived quickly followed by a pair of 'ooohhhs & aaaahhhs' as we gazed at the platter with an appreciation that SAKE has a few well trained sushi chefs! Score one for the Southside works! Sushi rice was seasoned perfectly--not too cold and whole rice grains stuck together nicely without being glutinous. Fish slices cut diagonally in the correct thickness and length. Taco (Octopus) was tender enough to bite thru. A delightful feast to the eyes. A truly delicious fare for our full tummies as we finished the last few bites. *sigh* would have loved to partake in Sake's desserts but sadly, our eyes were larger than our stomachs. Will have to keep this in mind for our next visit! Grades: Decor: 10 Service: 10 Cleanliness: 10 Sushi: 10 Shrimp tempura: 10 Location: 10 Will we come here again? "Hai!" Of course! With10 out of 10--you should too!
(5)Paul And Michele E.
Love the food, that atmosphere and the happy hour specials. The sushi is fresh and the presentation is beautiful, like a work of art. Something that you definitely do not get at Nakama. Service is amazing and they have great Happy Hour specials.
(5)Bill C.
Completely disappointed with everything. Ordered chicken and shrimp lunch meal, everything was over cooked and very bland. Without the "yum yum" sauce I would have thrown it away. 16 bucks for lunch, nothing special here. The spicy salmon rolls are better at a gas station. To sum it up BLAND BLAND BLAND. Save your money and order regular Chinese and get gas station sushi.
(1)Charla B.
Well I went on Monday night for the happy hour specials. The place was clean and the staff was very cordial and pleasant. Service was immediate and I was happy that my waiter in no way rushed us because I stayed until the place was about to close. Also the $5 Martini's were excellent. However the sushi was ok but I have had better. The California roll was good, however my Philadelphia roll did not taste as fresh as I would have liked. Now don't get me wrong it was spoiled or sour but it could've been more fresh. However the price and service of that happy hour would absolutely have me revisit. Also the restrooms were very clean and smelled amazing!! So this place is average to me!!
(3)Antwain C.
The Best and completed Menu I have had in several years in the Asian industry for Pittsburgh, just overall different with a wealth of expertise and decor - I want to say they are the best overall with food, location, variety/ different and decor that just adds up to perfection, it's a shame that poor advertisement and cost of operations typically dooms places like this but we'll keep and eye on them to see if the quality dips.
(5)Natisha C.
Sake's pretty good for their sushi specials that run on the less busy days Sunday-Thursday. You can get your basic rolls for a fairly inexpensive price. However, when it comes to specialty rolls nothing really stands out. Otherwise, the service is usually pretty decent. It's nice to have somewhere to go after seeing a movie at Southside Cinema.
(3)Andy J.
I went for the half price sushi night. It was good. There really wasn't anything remarkable about the place. The sushi was good, but not great. The presentation was nice. The service was good. I wouldn't go out of my way to go here, but if I were in the Southside Works and wanted sushi, I'd return.
(3)Tyoko B.
I will start out by saying that I REALLY wanted to like this place which is located in one of the Burgh's fun date areas. The inside is really pretty, colorful, clean and the ambiance is cool. Weird thing is that this place was empty...like no one was in there. I know it's Sunday but folks still eat on Sundays and the other restaurants in the area were full. The host was very nice and grabbed my order pretty quickly. We ordered an uninteresting sushi roll and the chicken soba noodles. The soba was good and had the nice crunch to the vegetables. I honestly don't remember the name of the sushi but it had no flavor. So much so, I can't even tell what was in it besides the avocado and rice. Anyway, I may give this place another go and eat in to sample some of the other dishes and see how service is like. I can't say that I will go out of my way to visit though. With the Cheesecake Factory, McCormick and that Mongolian grille nearby...there's some pretty tough competition and I'm not sure they are worthy of me passing by those places just yet.
(2)MaryAlice R.
This place has a really nice feel to it when you walk in. There were three of us and it was around 4pm so the place wasn't too busy at the time. We had pretty quick service at the beginning. We all had gotten the salad with the normal ginger dressing. It was actually really good and a little more creamy and had, I think, different seasonings than regular ginger dressing that always comes on salad at sushi places everywhere. I got the Mexican roll that came in a group of 6. I came with two guys so they ordered quite a few different sushi rolls. I believe one was the dragon roll which tasted delicious. I really liked my Mexican roll and the presentation for all three of our plates was beautiful. However, after we finished the service was beyond slow. It looked like other tables servers were faster, but honestly it took more than 5-10 minutes for the server to come over after we all were finished and just sitting there. Then it took another 5-10 to just bring our checks back. I really was going to give this place three stars because of the slow service, but I don't want another place to go out of business in this building. I will give them a second chance.
(4)S J.
I've been here twice. The first time, I got the pink lady roll, which I liked. The second time, I got the deluxe sushi, with a salad, miso soup, a variety of sashimi/sushi, and a california roll. The quality of fish was poor. The fish lacked flavor and had a soggy, watery texture which comes from thawing frozen fish. I did like the california roll that came with it. I'm wondering if I liked the pink lady roll the first time I came because the roll masks the texture/flavor of the fish with rice/veggies/sauces. So maybe it's wise to stick to rolls here. Unless I hear about Sake improving their quality of fish, I won't be coming back.
(2)Jasmine T.
GO TO THIS RESTAURANT!! I was in Pittsburg for one day, I left my shopping bag with newly purchased clothes in it. When I got back home to Cleveland Ohio I noticed it missing. I called sake assuming I might have left it there and sure enough I did! The manager and staff were so helpful in helping me locate it and even went a step further to mail it to me so I wouldn't have to make a 3 hour trip back! These people care for their customers! If I lived in Pittsburg I would be a regular! Even now, any time I return I will be sure to go there.
(5)Christian A.
Took the girlfriend here for a date. Very impressed. The restaurant is very clean, the service was excellent and the food was fantastic. If you're looking for a place to eat in the Southside Works this should be on your short list.
(5)Brendan D.
sushi was AMAZING. best sushi I've ever head. service as on point, they were there when we needed stuff and went out of their way to find us a bottle that they thought they were out of! I highly recommend this place to everyone!
(5)Dave G.
Awful! Where to begin? The food is served on plastic plates and bowls with the name of another restaurant on them. The selection is meager unless you want sushi. The appetizers are on the last page of the menu. The food was bland and comparable to food you would get at a take-out Chinese place with photos of dishes above the counter. Service was slow. The manager walked around the dining area but did not ask anyone about their meal; but he did stop to blow his nose in the middle of the dining area.
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