Sakura Hibachi — Restaurant in Nitro

As I sit here, digesting my latest review worthy meal, I have to once again realize that not all meals are worth a glowing review. I felt it important to point out that my experiences are brought to recollection, my own personal taste are brought into question and after reading the reviews left by others, perhaps my own perception of what is quality versus status quo.

I tried Sakura's during the lunch time of a lightly crowded Friday. I feel that it is important to mention that the experience started by placing a phone order. A simple chicken bento lunch box, miso soup, and a sweet potato tempura. Let's draw attention to the positive side of my experience. The decor, the customer conversations, the ample parking, the politeness of the staff. Now for the negative. This is by far some of the most lacking Asian style cuisine I have ever choked down.

The bento box was lacking true flavor, dry white rice and not the right kind of dry, the vegetables tasted like they came from frozen medley and the fruit side reminded me of the fruit cocktail I was served at school lunch as a child. Diving into the miso soup, the taste of mushroom was overpowering, drowning out any change of layered flavors, or any other flavors for that matter. The sweet potato tempura was nothing like it sounds. What I was given was essentially tofu, yes tofu, with a heavy battered crust more aligned with something heavy. I even confirmed that what I had was in fact Sweet Potato Tempura.

The one thing that Sakura's does have is the environment. If you're more concerned with conversation than the entree, this would be a great place to catch up with an old friend, to share an experience with a relative, or to find a few great photo ops. However, if you're looking for a great culinary journey, there are many other locations within distance, above and below this price point, that could provide a better tickle of...

Let me start by saying my family and I have been eating at skaura at least once a week for the last 12 years. I dont know if management changed or what is different but the last few months the woman who is over answering the phone has started arguments with me when im not there in exactly 15 minutes to get my food. I had 10 missed calls as soon as it had been 15 minutes since i ordered, i just drove to pick up my spouse at walmart and came back to pick up my food and couldnt get to my phone, so i called them to see what so many calls had been made if there was a problem and no- i was called a liar. She said i wasnt really there and that i wasnt coming to get my food, said they were waiting for me because they closed - Their hours say they are open until 11, I arrived at 10. They then proceeded to tell me they were waiting on me and i inconveinced them! I have never been treated that way by any restaurant its really disappointing and inconsiderate of what others are going through especially around the holidays. I told them their hours online were till 11 so i was unaware that i was causing them “issues” and they should fix that. They said “i know its not usually like this”. But yes it is actually. And it has been for a while now. I hope they get it together because that kind of attitude is just so ungrateful towards customers . Their food is very inconsistent in quality and it use to be exquisite always , which is why we have had patience this long with trying them again over and over despite the rude behavior that is totally uncalled for. I hope things get better for them but we will not be back, and just a tip- let someone else handle your...

The food was great as usual, however, the waitress was questionable. I paid my bill with my card before we were done with dinner. I always leave a cash tip on the table, but she comes to me asking if something was wrong because I hadn't left a tip on the card. I kindly explained to her that I leave cash tips. Apparently that wasnt good enough for her. She really got on my nerves about it, so I didnt leave as much as I would have had she not asked. So my family and I went to get in our vehicle, as I was backing out of the parking space she came to my truck and asked me why I hadn't left a tip, I promised her I did, then she went into a hyper panic that she had to pay the cook and busboy out of her tips. I told her that never have I ever had anyone to question my method of tipping, especially by following me to my car. I and my family swore to her that there was a tip under a glass of water. She then proceeds to tell us that we dont understand how things work since covid hit, which oddly enough, we ate there 3 weeks ago... in my opinion only, if there is a service charge or automatic gratuity and I refused to pay it, then u can question me, otherwise, a tip is completely voluntary and at the liberty of the customer to tip what they wish according to bill amount and service. Had she approached me a different way, her tip would have been more than I left her but I'm sorry, they lost...