Sakura Sushi — Restaurant in Temecula

Just visited for the first time tonight! I am pleasantly surprised that the SERVICE, FOOD, and AMBIANCE were all TOP KNOTCH AMAZING!!! I brought my parents in for dinner and I was informed that I could sit anywhere we would like. We chose an adorable booth by the window with a nice view of the sun setting.

The moment you walk in, you step into a fresh, clean space with Japanese Cherry Blossom decor blooming all around you. There is a long sushi bar to the left with plenty of flat screens to watch any game you'd like to see. The center has table seating and the area against the windows to the right is booth seating. It looks like they can accommodate large parties!

The menu was impressive as well. There is currently a 30% off sushi and rolls special so hurry in before I go back and eat it all. 🤣 I really loved the bill this time! But I'll gladly pay the regular prices in the future.

We ordered some sashimi, a couple sushi rolls, and my mom got a teriyaki bento box. It all came out at about the same time--not an easy feat. Their fish is very fresh!! They have a house made garlic mustard sauce which was very unique! I recommend getting some on the side to taste with your sushi!

The "blonde" server I read mentioned in a previous review was actually ADORABLE! She's very attentive and helpful! They just opened maybe a week ago, so please give them a chance before trusting what negative reviewers say!

She and the other servers were very sweet, I can't wait to go back.

UPDATE!!!

I came back with my kids last night and experience was even BETTER!!!!! Our server was even more awesome than the last. Super clean restaurant and super fresh sushi. I highly...

I have literally never been to a sushi restaurant as BAD as this one. Every sushi chef I have ever known interacts with customers much like a bartender. But this guy didn't want any interaction with me. Not even the typical greeting most restaurants like this yell out loud when you walk in. I ask the waitress about a chirashi bowl but could they substitute rice for salad...typical low carb request.. she didn't know what chirashi is and also said they can't. I saw some eel.. asked if they could put it on a skewer instead of with rice and nope.

Later I asked the chef how long to make one roll and he didn't answer me but instead in English called over the English speaking waitress to talk to me.. and I literally am thinking what is happening here. She of course couldn't give a time estimate but threw out the words 10 minutes. Meanwhile the chef is there and only he would know but he's throwing salmon onto rice like he doesn't give a care about the quality.

26 minutes later... one sushi roll.

I'll give the waitresses an average score. I think they were OK people but should find a better place to work. There are so many quality restaurants in the Temecula Murrieta area.

But the chef.. he is someone that can ruin Temecula for people.. he ruined this part of my day for sure.

If someone important like the owner is reading this... you're establishment is the worst restaurant in general I have...

Koko no tabemono wa oishikunai!!! Being from Guam where fresh Japanese ingredients are flown in and having visited and worked Japan itself many times, my review may be considered a bit biased. But simple staples aren’t hard to achieve. First the ramen noodles aren’t fresh. They are more of the instant variety. The tonkatsu broth is not an actual tonkatsu broth. It was oddly sweet with no other flavors common with tonkatsu. It was served with a rubbery pale chashu and a plain boiled egg instead of a shoyu tomago (soy sauce egg).

The sushi wasn’t anything to brag about but then again that’s typical for sushi in California in general. It isn’t reminiscent of Japanese sushi at all.

Lastly the takoyaki a was a mushy undercooked mess and just slathered with an overly sweet teriyaki sauce that seemed to serve the purpose of camouflage rather than a flavor enhancer. It definitely was not takoyaki sauce made famous by Otafuku or similar.

I’m thoroughly disappointed in this restaurant and will remain on the hunt for a suitable Japanese restaurant. I’m not expecting perfection but at least come close especially...