Sapporo Japanese Restaurant — Restaurant in Waynesboro

My wife and daughter tried this restaurant about 6-7 years ago. They were not impressed then. Too bad the years haven't changed much since then. Yesterday we had a craving for some good sushi, and not ambitious enough to drive to our regular joint in Hagerstown, we decided to give Sapporo a try.

We were early and the first patrons in the place. We were greeted by a personable young man -- just recently hired -- who showed us to a table for two near the kitchen noren (entry drape), which was fine with us. Ordered hot green tea and were quickly served a genmaicha in a French press pot -- unique and clever. Tea was delicious. Next, in quick succession, was the ubiquitous small house salad (essentially iceberg with a ginger-type dressing), miso, and our appetizers of fried beef gyoza and a small order of negimaki. Both appetizers were okay. The gyoza was a little too crispy, while the negimaki beef was somewhat stringy and tough.

For our mains, my wife had two rolls: salmon and eel/avocado. The salmon was okay but not overly generous with the fish inside. There was way too much eel sauce on the other roll. Nevertheless, both were tasty. I ordered the sushi sashimi combo from the menu -- chef's choice of fish. The nine pieces of sashimi were thin slices of salmon, maguro, and some white fish (shiromi). These came with single sushi nigiri of ebi, sake, maguro, and shiromi. All-in-all a very meager serving.

Our total bill was about $85 and change -- $100 including tip. Extremely disappointing considering the portions served and the relatively cheap cuts of sushi and sashimi we had. The combo tray alone was $35! Even in this era of inflation, that was a bit steep.

Again, our server was very friendly and casual (perhaps a little too casual), however we often felt very rushed -- despite an empty venue. All of our non-fish starters were all served at the same time. We had tea service, house salad, miso soup, gyoza, and negimaki all on our small two-seat table at the same time, along with our small plates, tea cups, and the ubiquitous bottle of shoyu. A bit much to say the least.

Prior to leaving, we expressed thanks to the sushi chef / owner in the back of the house (no sushi bar).

Probably not going to return anytime soon. Too bad. With first-time customers, it would seem that you would like to leave a good impression. Didn't happen with the somewhat miserly offerings and the paucity of...

A few things to know about Sapporo Japanese Restaurant. First off I’d like to mention that I grew up in Los Angeles, lived in NYC for 10 years, spent a few years in Nashville, Philadelphia and Atlanta. I’ve experienced more food/ restaurants than most people.

My wife and I were in Waynesboro for our weekly trip to Lowe’s and we decided to try out something new in town. I saw there was a sushi place that had a 4.8 rating in downtown so obviously it was a must try. My God..

We were greeted by 2 very eager to please young gents who sat us down right away. They were very helpful and gave some great advice on an appetizer. We decided to try the fried Gyozas. As soon they came out I noticed the texture and smell. These were not your average Gyoza, these were a Korean Mandu infused Gyoza. Absolutely floored I realized this place was an oasis in taste lacking central PA.

So we followed thru with ordering sushi as we came for but almost everything on the menu that wasn’t sushi was screaming at me! Sitting there in our wait (the appropriate amount of time for sushi prep) I saw a bibimbap dish stroll right by… -I’ll be back for that… The sushi, 🤌 central PA HAS SUSHI!!! We ordered 5 rolls as you’d usually need to do at a central Pa sushi place, ended up having to box up almost 2! Jam packed with flavor and all the texture in each individual roll.

As we were winding down we had the pleasure of talking with Nikki the owner. She came by to check in on us and was the sweetest she could be. Very proud of her business she shared some of her accomplishments and awards with us. Told us a bit about herself and her daughter who’s a culinary artist. Very glad to have met her and got to experience her little restaurant.

Please note from comments that I’ve read here- Anyone that knows sushi would know that this is the perfectly sized restaurant. The staff was delightful and were extremely accommodating, glasses never half empty. The person who left them a 1 star is a child throwing a temper tantrum.

Thank you Nikki, can’t wait...

I was recommended Sapporo by my neighbor when I first moved into town about four years ago. Coming from a major city with countless affordable and high quality sushi options, I was not sure what to expect. While Sapporo is definitely on the pricier side, it has become something my family and I consider a special treat and it is always worth it.

Over the years I have tried a wide variety of items here including sushi, sashimi, raw dishes, chicken katsu, and bibimbap. Everything is consistently fresh and beautifully prepared when dining in, though I will say that when I have ordered food to go, especially non-sushi dishes like the chicken katsu or bibimbap, they have not been quite as good as enjoying them in the restaurant. For me, the dine-in experience is where Sapporo really shines.

What truly makes this place stand out is the owner, Nikki. She has proven herself to not only be an excellent business owner, but also a genuinely kind person. Nikki always goes above and beyond to make sure her guests are taken care of, and she is more than accommodating with adjustments based on preference. That personal touch makes every visit feel welcoming and memorable.

Sapporo feels like a true hidden gem in town. It is not the kind of place you would expect to find here, and yet it continues to impress with both the quality of the food and the warmth of the service. The only small thing I have noticed is that the tables can sometimes feel a little tight, but that is not really something within their control and it has never taken away from the experience.

I am so glad my neighbor introduced me to it, and I recommend it to anyone looking for outstanding sushi paired with genuine...