I've been looking for a hibachi restaurant for so long and I'm glad I found Sai Gai. This place is…read morereally intimate. You would drive by it if you go to fast. It's across the street from Harris Teeter in Wards Corner and next door to Walgreens. It's is a super cute and sooo good! I ordered the shrimp & chicken. The boyfriend ordered shrimp , steak, and chicken. The portions are large that we had enough to take to lunch the next day. The dinner entrees are served with soup, salad, and rice. As the sushi lover I am, I ordered a side shrimp tempura. It came out smelling really fishy, but it was still great. The service was great. They kept the drinks (water, sprite , and hot tea) flowing. We will be returning ! 1000/10 recommend.

I hate to be that girl but this place was ok. I stumbled upon this place while looking for some…read moreplace to eat on my lunch break around noon. Upon first opening the door the place smelled like they mopped with dirty mop water. I was hungry and I was pressed for time so I went in, I was greeted by 2 people. They were nice. I tell them I wanted to to place a to go order, and they gave me a menu. I ordered the hibachi shrimp and soup. The prices were reasonable, it was $11.95 plus tax. No customers came while I was there. I was the only customer in the building which is rare for lunchtime. The food took about 20 minutes. The food was ok. My shrimp were over cooked. The fried rice had no flavor. I don't think I will be returning.

SKIP Kotobuki in Norfolk - Worst Sushi Experience EVER…read more Kotobuki in Ghent is a disaster. I gave this long-running spot a second chance, after a poor first experience, and it was a mistake. A friend insisted we return, and the service was shockingly bad, the sushi was subpar and the overall experience was the worst. From the moment you walk in, Kotobuki screams neglect: dead plants, servers dressed like they're doing yard work and a pervasive smell of old fry oil. We had reservations for the "traditional Japanese" sunken-table room, where we removed our shoes and climbed into our seats. One dirty pair of slippers sat at our table, while a random pair of construction boots lay abandoned nearby. The "ambiance" was completed by 70s soft rock -- Lionel Richie instead of "traditional Japanese" music. Our server took my order for a dirty Stoli martini, then disappeared for an absurd amount of time only to return and say they couldn't make it -- with no explanation. We hunted through the limited menu while our server vanished completely. The owner eventually stopped by, and I had to specifically request a sushi list. Tired of sitting cross-legged, I briefly put my feet into the pit under the table. Rather than place my bare feet on the filthy floor, I slipped my shoes back on for a moment. That's when the owner's daughter stormed over and aggressively accused me of saying, "Screw you and screw Kotobuki -- I'm not following the rules!" She launched into a rude, insulting lecture about "Japanese custom" while I sat there stunned. I immediately took my shoes off again, just to de-escalate, but the evening was ruined. No customer should be verbally assaulted over something as basic as not wanting bare feet on an obviously dirty floor. In an awkward position, not wanting to ruin the evening, I ordered my food. The sake was watery and flavorless, the house salad was sad, wilted iceberg lettuce drowning in bottled ginger dressing, and the sushi arrived lukewarm with questionable rice that called for a palate blinding amount of wasabi. It was boring, poorly prepared, and far below average. This was one of the worst dining experiences I've ever had. Hand to God! Had this not been a special evening with a dear friend, I would have walked out the second the owner's daughter chastised me at the table. Management at Kotobuki clearly doesn't care about customer service or basic standards -- especially when family members are allowed to treat patrons this way. "Japanese tradition" doesn't excuse poor hygiene, rude staff or substandard food. In America, we have health codes for a reason. If you want decent sushi in Norfolk, go literally anywhere else. Kotobuki is just a lazy dive. There's nothing special on the menu, very little sushi selection and nobody seems to care. If you choose to ignore this warning, lower your expectations folks, you are about to be disappointed. The only thing good about this restaurant, is the opportunity to tell you how much it sucked.

Delicious!!!! This place is quaint and the food was good. They were able to accommodate my…read morepreferences and the have a great selection of sushi. I enjoyed it so much that I'm currently sitting in it now. The service was spot on. Very personable and provided not too much or too little attention while I was dining. Highly recommend

Went here Wednesday around 5 PM after doing some grocery shopping nearby. No customers inside, so…read morewas immediately able to order. This was my first time trying iron grill, so I was excited to see what it was all about. I decided to try the steak and chicken hibachi (8.5/10) I think it was pretty tasty and flavorful, only thing was I felt like the portion of meats could've been a little more compared to the large portion of rice and they loaded the vegetable portion with a bunch of onions; whereas, I would've liked more zucchini. I also tried the iron grill roll (9/10) I thought it was very good and would get it again. Didn't have too long of a wait for the food and you could see while waiting that your order was being freshly made and prepared, so that was a plus. I'll totally be back again to try more of their rolls and other hibachi combos. They also have teriyaki combos so I would like to see what the difference is regarding flavors. My overall rate of experience : 8/10

Extremely fast service but the food was mediocre. I guess I prefer my "hibachi" a little more…read moregrilled. The meats didn't have a hint of that grilled meat flavor and that was dissapointing, it's almost like boiled chicken with teriyaki sauce.

We've been seeing TikToks about this place so my husband and I decided to finally give it a try! (I…read morethink he tried it when it was located somewhere else, but we went to the new location.) Ofcourse when we went, they happened to be closed (it was during their normal operating hours, but i think there was something specific happening for them at that time) so we went back that evening to grab some takeout. When my husband came home with the food, it was still nice and hot. we both got the chicken and fried rice but I got the spicy one. they both tasted great! I was a little surprised by the prices and the quantity - good, but not OMG. I think it's because we just had the chicken and fried rice from the mall and their prices were the same but their portion at the mall was a bit more. both tasted great and I would recommend trying it, but I wish the portion size for our takeout was a little more.

Fresh and hot as always . Best Kobe beef and rice I've had in virginia . Check this place out !!read more

This is one of the best ramen places I have ever been to. Place is very comfortable, love the…read moreartwork on the walls and the Japanese theme inside, and the food is super delicious. Couldn't recommend this place any harder, the staff is very friendly and inviting and constantly coming by to make sure everything is in order. 100/10

Really good food! The service was great! This was our first time here and we will definitely be…read moreback!

This establishment has terrible customer service and discriminatory practices. Their posted hours…read moreclearly state that the last call for dine-in is 9:00 PM and takeout until 9:15 PM. However, when I arrived before those times, I was met with hostility and unprofessional behavior. The employee, Michelle, was extremely rude and unwelcoming. When I asked to speak with a manager, she told me there wasn't one available. When I requested the manager's name, she claimed she didn't know. I then asked for the owner's name, and again she said she didn't know. For a first-time customer, this was a completely unacceptable experience. I would not recommend this place to anyone.

I travel to Japan for work pretty often. There's so much that Kappo Naro Ramen gets right about…read moreJapanese cuisine but the most important is the ability to come in on a cold winter night and get the most savory comfort food available at a great price. From the entryway, you're greeted with a cozy atmosphere and friendly staff. The menu is full of Japanese classics and ramen, this visit we got classic bowls - beef and fried pork cutlet. Both were superb and perfect for this cold night - and importantly authentic to their comfort food nature, uncompromising on flavor. Id be remiss to not mention the great portions and the ice cold side salad served before our mains - complimentary with a rice dish. So good! Can't recommend the place highly enough!

Great service! Everyone was so nice, food came out quickly and everything was so fresh. Quiet…read moreplace, cute interior. Will be back soon!

Not sure how the reviews show high ratings for the ramen. The miso ramen was okay, super heavy on…read morethe miso so the taste was overpowering. The whole ramen was so "home made" that it wasn't appetizing to look at. No nori, the pork was fatty. It was 3 stars at best. The shrimp tempura roll was better. Service was friendly. They offer cash discount.

I may have had too high of expectations for Sakura Express. There grand opening is still going on…read moreuntil 8/20 with 20% off. When you walk in the place looks so pretty with all the Sakura flowers and art work. For dinner, I ordered chicken and shrimp teriyaki with mixed veggies and rice. The new restaurant and the grand opening made it so busy. My teriyaki meal was a little mediocre. The shrimp was great and the chicken was alright. The mixed veggies made it too soggy with the cabbage with the broccoli. In addition, I also ordered a sweet potato roll. The sweet potato roll was the star or my meal. I really enjoyed the roll and it was the best out of everything I ordered there. I would like to return for their lunch specials and try them again on a less busier day.

Sakura Teriyaki & Sushi Express launched its Grand Opening in the heart of Ghent's Colley Avenue on…read moreAugust 2nd of this year. Stationed to the immediate left of the historic Naro Theater, it took over the spot formerly occupied by Fruitive, a plant based health food restaurant that still has a location in Virginia Beach. This is the first restaurant I have tried bearing the Sakura name. There are several others in our area, and their cashier told me this one is solely owned and independent of the others. Its name has been shortened to Sakura Express on their Yelp page. Their employees have been wearing caps etched with the Sakura Express name. A Sakura Express location is also listed for Suffolk that has a much larger menu. The current menu here is very limited with no sashimi, nigiri, or desserts offered at this time, and which are available at their Suffolk location. When I asked the cashier if their menu will later be expanded, his reply was "I'm not sure." This is a no frills operation, and their offerings are served in disposable containers. There is a counter space at the right as you enter with plastic utensils and sauces wrapped in plastic. Most of their business is take-out. For those who want to dine in, there are three two-top tables in front and three four-top tables in the back with a few additional bench seats provided. They were offering a 20% discount during their Grand Opening period through to August 20th. After four dine-in visits, I have tried the following: SHU MAI SHRIMP DUMPLINGS: Ordered from their list of Appetizers, a total of 5 dumplings was cited, but I received an extra one to make it 6. I was craving some tender steamed Shu Mai dumplings with some of the pink from the shrimp showing through. These were served with a fried crusty texture with the shrimp being completely ground with no visible pink. Their shrimp flavor only barely came through. My Rating: 3 Stars. TUNA ROLL: This one was ordered from their list of Classical Rolls and came in 8 pieces. They were prepared in traditional hosomaki style with the seaweed on the outside in small bite sized pieces, which is always my preference. The ratio of rice to tuna and the warmth of the rice were just right. The seaweed came apart on some of the pieces, revealing a need for tighter construction. The wasabi displayed a bright neon green tone and delivered a nice kick. Overall, this roll provided a very pleasant taste experience. My Rating; 4.5 Stars. SALMON ROLL: This one was also ordered from their list of Classical Rolls and also came in 8 traditional hosomaki style pieces. The ratio of rice to salmon, and the warmth of the rice, were both on target again. Unfortunately, the pieces emitted a fishy odor, which killed their overall taste experience for me. My Rating: 2 Stars. VOLCANO ROLL: Deep Fried Crispy Roll, Tuna, Crab Meat, Salmon, and Avocado with Spicy Mayo and Eel Sauce on top. This one was ordered entirely by my mistake from their list of Specialty Rolls. I do not like any kind of sushi roll that comes fried and includes mayo. It came in 6 pieces, and I ate two of them. As expected, they didn't agree with me. I boxed up the rest and laid them atop one of the trash barrels outside, in case a homeless person might find them. No Rating. Again, this one was my mistake. RAINBOW ROLL: This was a California Roll with Tuna, Salmon, Avocado, and White Fish on top, which was Red Snapper. This was another entry from their Specialty Rolls and came with 6 pieces. The California Roll was the first Uramaki style "inside-out" roll invented in the United States with the seaweed on the inside instead of on the outside. The Rainbow Roll is an enhancement of the California Roll. I ordered this one for its attractive presentation and rainbow like colors. The Avocado was a bit mushy for my tastes, but the flavors of the other ingredients same through well. My Rating: 4.5 Stars. CHICKEN TERIYAKI: Listed under their Teriyaki offerings, I ordered mine with noodles instead of rice at a one dollar upcharge. A few mixed veggies, mainly broccoli and cabbage, were included A generous portion size was provided. The flavors from the chicken and noodles came through nicely at first but diminished rapidly. The teriyaki sauce settled at the bottom of the container was too watery for my liking and left an aftertaste. My Rating: 3 Stars. My average food rating came out to 3.4 stars, which I rounded down to my final 3-star rating and will stand for now. My rating is about equivalent to a grade of C-Plus at this time. Their staff members are young, friendly, and very conscientious about doing a good job. Hopefully, quality and consistency will improve over time. They are also facing stiff competition, as Ghent has two excellent and well established full service sushi spots nearby on 21st Street. With lots of busy foot traffic along Colley Avenue, I wish them the best of future success at this location.

Food and service were amazing; salmon belly melts in your mouth. The ambience was calm and…read morerelaxing, perfect for date night.

Excellent food, incredible service, beautiful setup. Sushi is not just food here, it's an art. I…read moretried a couple rolls paired with a pot of green tea and everything tasted fresh and delicious. I look forward to coming again and bringing some friends next time!