Sakura Steak House — Restaurant in Athens-Clarke County Unified Government

Save your money and go to a better hibachi restaurant! I’ve gone to the other one in Athens a few times and decided to visit this one for the first time, and I will never go back. I went with two coworkers of mine for lunch in the afternoon. They each got the lunch portion. I wanted to bring some home for my husband Which I normally do when I go out for lunch, he doesn’t eat very much so I bring him leftovers and decided to order the dinner portion. The dinner portion is an extra $10. Upon seating us, they seated us in the very corner squished with no elbow room. Look past that they took our order confirmed I wanted the dinner portion brought our soup and salad. Three younger gentlemen had then been seated at the other end of the table and proceeded to order the lunch portion as well. When, the chef came in he confirmed everything And when I verified that I got the dinner portion didn’t acknowledge me. I had ordered the chicken and filet mignon. Upon seeing him, put the steak on the grill I could tell right then, and there that it wasn’t filet mignon. It was the same size and look of the other steak that he had brought out, but assured me it was filet mignon. When it came time to distribute the rice, he distributed to the gentleman at the end of the table 1st which was fine, but proceeded to give us on our side, very small amounts. I received my rice last and got the scrapes left over and considering I got the dinner portion thought and expected to get more. I was already questioning whether they put in the dinner portion or not .Then we got our meat, and I had tasted the filet mignon and I had tasted my coworkers steak and had her taste mine. They tasted exactly the same. My steak was very fatty and I knew for a fact it was not filet mignon and it wasn’t a bougie thing or a want to be Complainer, but I paid for a certain steak. Lastly, with the veggies, he distributed to everybody and myself last and again I got the same exact amount as my co-workers. At this point, I took pictures to prove that I got the same amount as everyone else. I figured they just messed up and gave me the lunch portion and then on my bill it would have the lunch portion and of course it did not it had the dinner portion which again was $10 more. I spoke to our waiter. He said he would look into it. He came back and said the chef knew it was the dinner portion and that he gave me the dinner portion. At this point, I was trying to keep it quiet and just between my side of the table cause it was kind of embarrassing a woman you know kind of arguing over food, but I did pay for that. Upon hearing that I was gonna do a review a manager came over and assured me that I got the dinner portion and that it is only 1 ounce more than the lunch portion and I for sure got that. I told her I’ve taken pictures and I could show her that I had gotten less than even that gentleman on the other under the table let alone on my side. She proceeded to speak very loudly, which was embarrassing because the gentleman next to us were listening in and snickering about it. She told me that the chef made sure I got the dinner portion and it was again only 1 once more of veggies than the dinner portion and was talking to me I was like I’m a fat ass. Let alone the fact that they charge 10 extra dollars for 1 ounce of rice and veggies. I’ve been to plenty of hibachi restaurants that the dinner portion for that much more is definitely significantly different And I didn’t need to weigh my food to know it was significantly less than the amount of the other people at the table. She was rude and walked away. I said I have pics and plan to leave reviews and she came back saying I can give you 10% off. I said I would rather leave a review then get a few dollars back compared to paying $10 extra, especially in the economy we’re living. I also had to deal with the embarrassment of having to speak to management and have people listen in.Growing up as Larger child, but being a healthy size adult, this was very upsetting to feel fat shamed at any place especially...

very bad experiences. Our family had been there 3 times, hoping would get better service for next time in the first two visits, but end up very disappointed. First time, the server refused my kids, one is 8 and other one is 9, ordered from the kids menu because they don't look like 8 and 9. Fine, I ordered one meal for them to share, the business ends up making few dollars less. Second time, a Chinese server spoke very little English with no smile at all messed up our order badly, two out of four were wrong, the hibachi chef had to re-prepared again before cooking. Our drinks were never refilled. The last time, with a hope that we can get better service than the previous two, but never happened. A different Chinese server spoke even less English than the previous one, rushed us to order before we sat down. She didn't give us the menu, didn't asked what we want to drink and immediately demanding us must to order at that moment, if not, we couldn't sit by the hibachi table because they had a 15-people-party is coming in the next 20 minutes and she needed to prepared for that. We never see the menu that night, we just order what we remember from the menu, we didn't get out drink at all, not even water. After we paid, I told the server that we never got our drink, she looked at us, didn't apologized, and walked away. That day, was my little girl's 9th birthday, it was ruined. When we left, the party still not show up yet. The food generally is edible, not great. The cooking is not an authentic Japanese food. It[s Chinese cook selling at Japanese cuisine's price. I learned that the owner is not Japanese, none of the workers are Japanese. The Sakura's owner is the brother of the owner in next door, a Chinese buffet, China Star. They used to own the buffet business together for many years, but didn't work out. The owner has no experience in Japanese food, and he is the head of the chef in the kitchen. And not to mention the sushi, he didn't use sushi-rice for the sushi, instead, trying to make more money out of the customer, he used white rice that looks similar shape than the sushi-rice for the sushi but tastes completely different, because the sushi-rice is cost almost double than the white rice. They over charge the customers for the cheap food sources. Plus that kind of services, this non authentic Japanese restaurant is out of my...

I recently visited Sakura Japanese restaurant with high hopes of indulging in a delightful culinary adventure. Unfortunately, my experience turned out to be nothing short of a disappointment. From the lackluster presentation to the unsavory taste, this establishment failed to meet even the most basic expectations. Here is a detailed review of my encounter:

Food Quality: ★☆☆☆☆ The quality of the food I received was subpar, to say the least. The sushi rolls were tasteless and lacked freshness, which is unacceptable for a cuisine that prides itself on showcasing the natural flavors of ingredients. The sashimi was far from being delicate and succulent, with a strange aftertaste that made it difficult to enjoy. Overall, the food lacked the finesse and authenticity one would expect from a Japanese restaurant. Presentation: ★☆☆☆☆ One of the defining features of Japanese cuisine is its exquisite presentation, where each dish is a work of art. Unfortunately, this restaurant failed to capture that essence. The dishes arrived haphazardly plated, lacking any aesthetic appeal. The sushi rolls were sloppily cut and poorly arranged on the plate, making them appear unappetizing. It was evident that no effort was made to ensure the visual appeal of the food. Service: ★★☆☆☆ While the service wasn't terrible, it was far from satisfactory. The staff seemed disinterested and inattentive, paying little attention to the needs of the diners. It took an unreasonably long time for our orders to arrive, and when they did, there was no acknowledgment or apology for the delay. The lack of professionalism and attentiveness greatly diminished the overall dining experience. Ambience: ★★★☆☆ The Sakura’s ambience was one of the few redeeming factors. The interior design was decent, with a contemporary touch and soft lighting that created a relatively pleasant atmosphere. However, the ambiance alone couldn't compensate for the disappointment caused by the lackluster food. In conclusion, my experience at this Sakura Japanese restaurant was deeply disappointing. From the unappetizing and tasteless food to the subpar service, it failed to deliver an authentic and satisfying Japanese dining experience. I would not recommend this establishment to anyone seeking a genuine taste of...