Sakaki Izakaya — Restaurant in Arlington

I normally don’t write reviews, but after what was supposed to be a fun birthday dinner turned into one of the most frustrating dining experiences I’ve ever had, I feel like I have to.

I’ve been to this restaurant before and had a great experience. The food was delicious, even though our takoyaki never came out despite asking. We let that slide and decided to come back with a group of 9 friends for my birthday, expecting it to be a great night. It was anything but.

We let them know it was a birthday celebration, and while I wasn’t expecting anything over the top, a simple “Happy Birthday” would’ve gone a long way. Instead, it was completely ignored. A small thing, but it contributed to the inattentive and careless service we received all night.

The entire ordering system was a mess. We were given one iPad for the table and told we could only input 20 items at a time, even though there were 9 of us and individual pieces like nigiri and yakitori count as single items. Half our group couldn’t even order before we were told we had to wait 10 minutes to submit more. When we asked another server about it, she had no idea this was even a rule, which was baffling. How has this never come up before? Her solution was to just tell them our orders while also using the iPad to place another order. It was a completely disorganized and stressful way to order, especially with a 90-minute all-you-can-eat limit ticking away.

Food came out in a confusing and inconsistent way. Items were placed randomly on a single plate, sometimes orders didn’t show up at all, and things we ordered at the same time came out at totally different times. It was hard to tell what belonged to who, and the staff never clarified.

While this is happening, a server took our drink orders. It was my 21st birthday, so we were excited for that part of the meal. He came back with some of the drinks, not all, even though two of us ordered the same one. We had to ask again, and eventually the rest arrived after too long of a wait for a drink. One drink came out as a non-alcoholic version by mistake. When we pointed it out, the server said they could bring out a shot to mix in and it would just be $3 extra. We agreed, not wanting the bartender to have to remake the whole drink.

Later in the meal, someone who we think was the manager brought out a beef and rice dish. We had already received the one we ordered, so we told her we weren’t sure where this second one came from. Instead of politely checking, she snapped and insisted we ordered two. We said no, just one. She got defensive, told us it was on the tablet (which it wasn’t after checking ourselves) and that no other table had ordered it. She ended up taking it away, visibly annoyed. Rather than accepting that the mix-up could’ve been on their end, she made it feel like our fault for not understanding their own broken system.

When we got the check, we saw that the shot we were told would be $3 was actually charged as $12, and the non-alcoholic drink it was meant to fix was another $10. We calmly asked the server about this change in price, who brought over the manager.

She again came over with attitude, and when we explained, she said the price was correct because the shot was ordered “neat.” That explanation made zero sense. A shot is obviously going to be served neat, that’s the default. It came in a standard shot glass and was 1.5 oz, not a specialty 2 oz pour or anything close to justifying that price. We were just trying to fix a mistake they made, based on what their own server told us. Instead of resolving it, she escalated it even further by saying we could be arrested and that they could lose their liquor license. It was extremely uncomfortable and frankly absurd. We were respectful throughout, and it felt like she assumed we were too young to push back or knew any better.

In the end, we just paid the extra and left. The food was genuinely good. So were the drinks. But the service completely ruins the experience. It is disorganized, dismissive, and in our case, downright rude...

I was part of the group of four mentioned in Michael K’s recent one-star review (viewable by sorting reviews to “new”), and I need to add my perspective because this restaurant’s behavior is not only unethical, it’s downright fraudulent. The attached photos show the truth behind their false claims, and let me be clear, this isn’t something I plan to let slide.

First, the receipt clearly shows we were a party of four, not six, yet they automatically charged us a 20% gratuity, even though their own menu explicitly states this is only for parties of six or more. This is blatant fraud. This restaurant has no respect for its customers or its own policies, and actions are being considered to ensure they’re held accountable for their deceptive practices.

Now let’s address the owner’s absurd and false claim about us wasting “40 pieces of nigiri rice” by dumping them into a ramen bowl. Look at the attached photo of the ramen bowl they referenced, does that look like it could hold even a fraction of what they’re accusing us of? If their accusations were true, where is the proof? Why didn’t they provide photographic evidence instead of vaguely referencing “video footage” that no one can verify? It’s obvious they’re lying to cover up their bogus 20% food waste fee.

What’s even more telling is that out of all the negative reviews, the owner chose to respond to Michael K’s review. Why? Because they know they’re guilty. They know his review holds undeniable evidence of their fraudulent actions, and now they’re scrambling to defend themselves with more lies. If you’re reading this, get ready for another response from them, it’ll be filled with more excuses and false claims because accountability is clearly not part of their business model.

To make matters worse, the staff refused to clear our table of empty plates, saying they needed to “keep track” of what they called excessive food waste. This was a setup to fabricate evidence for their predatory charges. As the photos show, nearly all the food was eaten. If they’re so concerned about food waste, they shouldn’t offer an all-you-can-eat menu. It’s clear they have no idea how to run a business, prioritizing greed over customer experience is unacceptable.

Speaking of their food, it was of such poor quality that our entire group ended up with food poisoning. We have records documenting this, and I’ll be pursuing every avenue necessary to ensure this health hazard is addressed. A restaurant that risks its customers’ health while piling on unjustified fees is a danger to the community, and I have the resources to ensure this behavior doesn’t continue unchecked.

The root of the problem, however, is manager Kim. Her behavior was shockingly unprofessional. She refused to clear plates, treated us with hostility, and doubled down on every bad decision. Kim, if you’re reading this, you’re single-handedly ruining this restaurant. Your actions are embarrassing, and you have no business managing anything in the hospitality industry.

The owner’s response to Michael K’s review is a joke. They ignored the fraudulent gratuity charge, the refusal to clear plates, and the food poisoning issue. Instead, they doubled down on false accusations and excuses, proving how little they care about accountability or respect for their customers.

I’m taking this matter seriously, and this restaurant’s unethical practices will be dealt with accordingly. To anyone considering dining here, don’t. They’ll overcharge you, serve subpar food that could make you sick, and lie to your face when confronted. This restaurant has no integrity, no accountability, and no future if they continue operating like this. Save yourself the trouble and go...

A Disappointing Dining Experience – Never Coming Back

We have visited this restaurant multiple times before, and our previous experiences were fairly decent. However, this time was a complete disappointment, making us reconsider ever coming back.

We decided to try the All You Can Eat option, expecting an enjoyable meal. Unfortunately, from the slow service to the chaotic billing process, the entire experience turned out to be frustrating. Compared to our previous visits when we ordered à la carte and received dishes quickly, this time the wait was unbearably long. Every time we followed up on our orders, the server would say they needed to “double-check,” yet the delays remained excessive.

The worst part came at the end—the billing process. One of the servers, who had been attending to us, suddenly claimed that we had wasted food and that we would be charged a 20% waste fee. When we asked which specific dishes were considered wasted, he couldn’t provide a clear answer. After multiple inquiries, he finally said he needed to “double-check.” A few minutes later, instead of answering our question, he simply brought us the bill. Upon reviewing it carefully, we discovered that in addition to the waste fee, we were also charged a mandatory service fee for six people, even though only four of us were dining.

Naturally, we questioned this unfair charge. The server then brought over the manager, Kim, whose attitude was shockingly unprofessional. When we asked her again which food items were classified as “wasted,” she failed to specify and simply responded that “all of the leftover food combined was considered waste.” However, what remained on our table was just some burnt rice stuck to the pot, trimmings from fatty meat, and small food scraps left on plates—which are clearly inedible. To make matters worse, she even threatened us, saying that if we didn’t pay the waste fee, we would be charged at à la carte prices instead.

We continued to challenge the unfair charges, but her attitude remained dismissive. When we pointed out that the mandatory service fee for six people was unjustified, she avoided the issue and simply walked away. Moments later, the server brought us a new bill that was nearly $100 less than the previous one.

At this point, we requested to speak to Kim again. She initially refused to come back, and only after multiple requests did she finally return, visibly annoyed. Without any apology or explanation, she reluctantly removed the waste fee, processed the payment, and immediately walked away with a bad attitude.

After leaving, we checked the restaurant’s Google reviews and found that many other customers have reported experiencing the same issues, including unjustified waste fees, incorrect service charges, and Kim’s extremely poor attitude. This seems to be a recurring pattern rather than an isolated incident.

This experience has completely shattered our trust in this restaurant. The food was average at best, the prices were not cheap, and the service was simply unacceptable. If the restaurant wants to maintain a good reputation, it must improve its service quality and billing transparency instead of deceiving customers with unfair charges.

For those considering dining here, we strongly advise caution—or better yet, choose another nearby restaurant that actually values...