Sakura #16 — Restaurant in Virginia

First time here, came for sushi.

First impressions; the front bar area looks fun, thought about sitting at the sushi bar but with 4 people, conversation is impossible when you are just all sitting in a row. Looks good for 2 people. We opted for table seating in the back, which is a windowless long room. Not a great vibe here, feels like a mall venue, very bare, greasy floors, and typical scattered pictures on the walls that are hung way too high. Could use a major makeover, some hanging plants maybe, a few random dividers, etc. next time will opt for out front seating in the bar area.

Lots of menu choices. This always makes me suspicious when there are many different types of cuisine choices; sushi, Japanese, Thai, Chinese, hibachi, etc. note…the hibachi is cooked in the back and brought out to you. Decided on our plan of sushi.

Ordered some starters; gyoza, spicy edamame, steamed shrimp Shumai. The spicy edamame was good, the rest just decent, nothing special. There is a complimentary side salad, so we had a lot of food before our main sushi course.

Our sushi was excellent! Ordered several different rolls, all were perfect size bites, very flavorful, and we enjoyed them all. The prices seem very good for what you get. Had some beers with the sushi, lower prices than other establishments.

Overall was happy with the food and prices, the ambience in back was lacking but sitting out front would probably be better.

Would I go back…yes

Would I recommend…yes (Just sit in the front part for a...

This little Japanese restaurant is quite the gem! I was excited to try some sushi and my friend was delighted with their spicy entree options! I had the Winchester roll, which was fabulous, delicious, fresh, perfectly plated and dressed with delicious sauces. I also had the Kobe roll with filet mignon and spicy crab and it was excellent! Perfectly prepared, fresh, tasty, tender meat and delicious real crab, with some wasabi which paired well as a contrast to the sweet mango with the Winchester roll. My friend had spicy mango chicken and was really pleased, it definitely had the heat he was looking for and the mango was perfectly sweet and juicy. We also had the shrimp tempura appetizer with sauces and that was excellent as well, the spicy sweet sauce was a fantastic pairing. I had a couple lychee martinis as well and they were delicious! Not too sweet, definitely refreshing and went well with my sushi.

We had the lava cake and the desert sushi roll (strawberry, pineapple, kiwi, with cheesecake wrapped in soy paper and topped with mango sauce). Both were super rich and delicious. The chocolate fudge sauce was really rich and I don't typically enjoy cake but this was good. The cheesecake roll was definitely surprising it's sweet and the fresh fruit is a lovely compliment to the almost icing like creamy cheesecake filling.

Couldn't have expected a better meal. The service was excellent and friendly as well and I would definitely...

My husband and I love sushi and Asian cuisine. Tonight we decided to go back, 2nd visit to Sakura. Our first experience was very good, sushi was wonderful. However our 2nd trip complete chaos. After being seated and waiting 15 minutes, before anyone came to our table. We ordered our drinks and order. As you can see from pictures we did our typical order. A lot. Soup, a seaweed salad(that didn't come) appetizers. Sushi and Dinner. Dinner came out first. Then the monsoon of everything else. The miso soup, which server had to be reminded came out last, with "I didn't hear seaweed salad". The unagi, my favorite. When I say favorite I mean that is a staple no matter what sushi restaurant we ever go too and believe me we have been from VA Northward and Southward to other States. This was awful. The unagi was slimy both pieces. When I brought it to the attention, I was told bone, huh. No it is slimey. Lesson learned from past experience slimy don't eat. Our server, well what can I say, other then dumping the entire order all at once. Was condescending to say the least. In her own world. Larissa, when bringing check said "hope to see you again". My husband replied no, not for a long while. Her dismissive and again condescending tone was enough. Would think twice before visiting. Hopefully time will again...