Sakura Japanese & Sushi on Stratford Road — Restaurant in Winston-Salem

Having just delivered my son at the hospital, we celebrated over sashimi at Forysth Medical. I had been CRAVING some for the past 9 months that it was such a big deal to me to get my hands on some immediately.

My husband originally ordered from Umi for the birth of our first child two years ago and decided to try Sakura this time, which was significantly less expensive. We weren't disappointed.

The sashimi tray provided quality cuts of thickly sliced, most delicious fish. I was surprised that I actually felt full when I finished! And compared to other sashimi plates in the area, as I've tried many, Sakura has been the best bang for the buck. I ended up ordering twice before leaving the hospital for our one-night stay!

My husband had great things to say about their chicken katsu and sushi as well and I'll take his word for it. Having been in tow for all my postpartum food craving catch-ups, he's had his fill as well.

Just an FYI, their dining space is closed due to COVID, but their drive-thru in the back is open for pick-ups. I appreciate that they're working to keep their staff and customers safe in this way, especially since they're dealing with raw food like sashimi that I'd want to stay as clean as possible...

Where to begin? We ordered the steak and lobster, and what we were served shocked us. The steak was overcooked and came pre-cut, telling us that it probably came store-bought from a bag. This was made clearer to us when my lobster came in small pieces as well, stuffed into a shell that was probably bought separately, it’s original meat already eaten by a luckier person than me. The lobster pieces also tasted nothing like lobster, go figure. The vegetables that came with the entree all clearly came out of a can as well, what a shock. The sushi we ordered was admittedly higher in quality to the steak and lobster, but the crab meat that came with the California rolls we ordered was clearly fake. Another disappointment to add to the pile.

So, what did we pay for this sub-par meal that I’d feel bad feeding to my dog? $50

This is our first (and last) time dining at the Sakura restaurant chain, I hope for everyone else’s sake that this particular restaurant is an aberration and that the others are amazing, I somehow...

Sakura is definitely a go-to staple for Japanese cuisine in Winston Salem. During my visit, I had the pleasure of dining at the sushi bar and had an amazing time with Jerry, the sushi chef, who has a great personality and a love for his craft.

I'm a lover of all things sushi, and I enjoy challenging chefs to create their own unique and special dishes to broaden my experience. Jerry knocked it out of the park with his "Daniel Roll" which he created for a long-time patron of the restaurant. Exceptional presentation and wonderful flavor combinations!

The staff was very attentive, and the food was well prepared and flavorful. The business has been around for over 20 years, so they're doing something right!

The building and decor do show a little age, but it was still comfortable, relaxing, and clean.

Do yourself a flavor and go see Jerry and the staff at Sakura for a dining experience you'll enjoy coming back to. I'm certainly looking...