Samurai Japanese Fusion Sushi & Hibachi — Restaurant in Sarasota

Disappointed and Unprepared We recently attended a corporate holiday party at Samurai, and unfortunately, it was a terrible experience for everyone in our group of 16. Despite giving the restaurant advance notice of our reservation, they were completely unprepared to accommodate us.

The issues started with the service. We were shocked that the management only assigned one server to our large group, despite the restaurant being empty and several waiters visibly available. This poor decision by management set the tone for the night. The server, who was clearly overwhelmed, did their best, and the delays and mistakes were not their fault—it was entirely due to poor planning by the restaurant.

Our food arrived painfully slow, and when it finally did, most of it was cold and tasteless. The hibachi, which should have been the highlight, lacked flavor and any appeal. Even the sushi, which we thought might redeem the experience, was subpar—several people said it was downright terrible.

Overall, this visit to Samurai was a huge disappointment. Not a single person in our group of 16 was satisfied. We had high hopes given the positive reputation we’d heard about, but this experience left us all wishing we had chosen a different place for our celebration.

Management needs to seriously reevaluate how they handle larger parties, especially when the restaurant is otherwise empty. We won’t be returning and cannot recommend this...

We went for a much needed date night and were not disappointed! I ordered way too much food and didnt even get a chance to look at dessert! The staff was very attentive and all very nice. The presentation of the food is as beautiful as the restaurant. We had a bottle of hana sushi which is my absolute favorite! We didn't have to wait long before they brought out a complimentary appetizer that was so good that I forgot to take a picture of it! We had fried calamari and it was fresh and really good and we loved the sauce it came with. I ordered a few rolls that are go tos for me and one just to try something new. The dynamite roll was hot and delicious and you cant go wrong with a good eel avocado. The third one that I ordered was absolutely beautiful but i cant remember what it is called. I took a picture of it though, so I will be able to order it again next time. By this point we were already full but we had ordered katsu and hibachi so even though we could only take a few bites before getting it boxed up it was worth being overly full. The seafood delight hibachi has a great portion of seafood and it was all perfectly made. We will definitely be going...

Mixed Experience — Room for Improvement

I visited this Japanese restaurant with high expectations, but unfortunately, my experience was underwhelming in several areas. The clear soup was served cold, which was disappointing as it’s typically expected to arrive hot and comforting. I was also given the wrong sushi order, which took additional time to correct. Additionally, the noodle dish I ordered was only lukewarm, lacking the warmth and freshness that typically elevate a meal like this.

While the food presentation was decent, the service left much to be desired. Our server appeared disengaged and unenthusiastic throughout the meal, which made the overall dining experience feel less welcoming.

There may be potential here, but consistency and attention to detail—both in food temperature and customer service—need improvement to match the quality expected of a Japanese dining experience.

Due to the combination of lukewarm food and poor service, I won’t be coming back or recommending this restaurant. There are too many other options that offer both quality food and...