Conveyor belt sushi; relatively large menu for a la carte hot dishes; good and friendly service (though we had to ask for chopsticks); cozy decor. Choice available for table seating or for "bar" seating (at the conveyor belt). The wait staff spoke mainland Chinese. Menu is in English and Chinese (but not Japanese). There are reasons to think this place is owned by Chinese. Dishes are ok but not authentically Japanese. read more

Sakura - Japanese Near Me - Belfast, BFS

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I visited Sakura, a Japanese restaurant located in Botanic Avenue over the weekend. This was only my second visit and since starting a vegetarian lifestyle this year I wanted to find out how their food fared for vegetarians. Being a sushi bar the vegetarian options did initially appear a little limited and sadly Sakura do not have a separate, dedicated vegetarian menu which is unfortunate. However, our waiter did advise us that the Chefs could do any dish on the menu as vegetarian, so that was a huge bonus. Nonetheless, clearer 'suitable for vegetarian' labelling on the menu would help. We opted for deep fried avocado and tofu tempura roll starters and mains of stir fried ramen noodles with mixed vegetables. The food as absolutely delicious and fresh tasting, wine (pinot grigio) lovely and service impeccable. I did notice a 'Chinese Kitchen' section towards the back of the main menu which included options of mixed vegetables with black bean, Szechuan, satay and salt and chilli sauces. I'm looking forward to a return visit and to trying out Sakura's lunch and take away menus as the food was scrumptious. Plus the restaurant itself is beautiful with Japanese décor, relaxed atmosphere and reasonable prices. read more

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I bloody love Sakura! Enough said... No, go on? Oh ok then... When I set foot in the place about 7 years ago I loved it and when I visited last week for the first time in ages, it was nice to see nothing had changed. The lay-out and feel is, to me anyway, very welcoming and what I imagine an authentic Japanese restaurant to be like. The staff are always very friendly and welcoming and if you are a sushi/Japanese restaurant virgin they tell you the lay of the land. I like to sit at the sushi train to eat so you get the dishes right as they come out of the kitchen and you also get a better view of the Japanese chefs preparing the food in the kitchen! Basically, the idea is that there are 4 different colours of plates whizzing, well, crawling rather slowly so you can make your selection, along on a sushi train and you lift any that tickle your fancy and mix them with a splash of soy and a large lump of Wasabi on your plate and keep the coloured bit of the sushi plate which you later use as a type of receipt for what you ate...! Sakura opens at midday (1pm at the weekend with a 10.30pm close) and from then until 5pm during the week the sushi is cheaper, a type of Lunchtime happy "hour" deal with the blue, red and yellow dishes (not sure if the colours actually mean anything besides price) are £1.90 each and the green £2 each which is very reasonable for the quality of food you get. My personal favourites are the chef's maki roll, spicy tuna hand-roll and the Red Dragon rolls (prawn and crab). After I have had some sushi I usually like to get a hot course too and here you really can pick almost anything on the menu and you will like it and the staff are also good with explaining what is in all the dishes. The menu is very expansive with more options available in the evening and choosing really is a chore for me but you can't really ever go wrong with chicken in Teriyaki sauce and noodle or a good prawn kimchi. A main course will usually be about £8-£10 with the seafood dishes being a little more expensive but trust me it's worth it... Can't speak more highly of the place and if you speak to the chef he can also prepare gluten-free options and they also have a takeaway service. Will be a customer for as long as it stays open which will be for a long time. read more

Sakura - King prawn teriyaki with stir fried udon noodles - Japanese Near Me - Belfast, BFS

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Popped in tonight on a whim. Got seated right away and the staff were lovely. We were offered the choice of sitting at the sushi bar in the middle or a table. Decided a table would be best or we might still be sitting there. We decided on avocado and soft shell crab rolls. Rainbow rolls which had spicy salmon, cucumber and assorted seafood. Tri colour rolls which were king prawn and eel california rolls. All consisted of six pieces served with wasabi, pickled ginger and soy sauce. Last but not least we chose the chicken yakitori skewers served in a sticky glaze. Everything we had picked was of outstanding quality. I must say I found it better quality than zen and I love that place too. I'm not great with chopsticks, I got a quick lesson on how to use them but gave in pretty quickly as I was hungry. Definitly a must if you like sushi or sashimi. Can't wait to go back! The picture may not look like very much but it really fills you up. read more

Sakura - Our selection for the evening...will be back soon - Japanese Near Me - Belfast, BFS

Decent place. Mainly for sushi. Think that's where this place comes into its own. We opted not for the sushi. My chicken in ginger and cashew nuts was lovely. The suave was not heavy or stick. Udon noodles where also nice. Dumpling for starters was moist and had good flavour. Good size portion. Prices are on the expensive side. My main was £10.50 or so and didn't include a side. My mum and sister had fried chicken to start. Wasn't very impressive. Good service. Authentic decor. Seats are quite low for the tables. Would like to try the sushi to see if it's the thing that brings people back here. read more

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Been here a few times and every time is great, food is great, service is great and as Belfast prices go, pretty great. This time we where here for a birthday party and had s nice big table upstairs for a bit of privacy and with the company I was in, it was maybe a bit of peace for the other diners. We had a group of 8 and a 3 year old. I know it's not the done thing but we usually bring food for our wee fella and this restaurant were brilliant, not only where they understanding but they even provided a plate and fork for him. We had two servers dressed in what appeared to be traditional Chinese/Japanese dress. They served us all night, clearing the table and making sure our glasses where never empty. The menu is quite big but explains itself quite well, breaking down the different types of sushi and other appetisers even explaining that they can be eaten as a snack, starter or part of the whole meal. The menu then has some Chinese dishes and Japanese dishes and the servers where more than glad to help with suggestions and explaining some dishes. We ordered plenty and the whole thing ended up on the massive Lazy Susan(hope this is right) in the table. A great restaurant for a meal for two, bigger party's or just a quick snack. Quick note they do have the conveyor belt with the sushi and other dishes moving around, we never got to try but with a super experience we now have a great reason( along with everything else) to head back. read more

Sakura - Delicious starter - Japanese Near Me - Belfast, BFS

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I'm not a huge Japanese food fan, but from time to time I like a bit of sushi in my belly. That is my girlfriends influence I think because she simply can't get enough of the stuff. Because of that I am a bit of a snob when it comes to sushi and kinda hate the places that you pick the stuff off the conveyor belt. My lady says that they shouldn't do that because it doesn't keep the sushi fresh and that really put me off. The service and prices here are both pretty good. You will be able to pick up a decent bite to eat for about £10 which is pretty good for how much you'll get. Also, the staff are really dead on and friendly and always able to help if you have any problems with the food you're not quite used to. If you have the cash you might as well go to Zen to be honest. read more

Sakura - Japanese Near Me - Belfast, BFS

What a fantastic Japanese restaurant. Food was outstanding & the staff were just lovely. Nice surroundings too & the menu choices were many . I would highly recommend this little gem , you will not be disappointed. read more

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Some of the sushi is ok. There is sugar in things there should not be sugar in. Mediocre overall, I'm afraid. Perfectly nice service.

The food is a delicious mix of Japanese and Chinese cuisine. Real, authentic dishes made with passion. The selection of both sushi and main dishes is great and not just your standard Asian cuisine. However, the staff always seem to be a bit humourless and not very forthcoming, but that doesn't really bother me personally. Anything tempura is worth getting! read more

Regular visiter at this restaurant: Good quality Japanese food at a very reasonable price! read more

The waitress was not nice at all. I'm not sure if she was having a bad day or what but she wasn't welcoming at all. Food was ok.

What I love about Sakura is that they not only serve excellent sushi, but offer a great variety of Japanese food too. As not all my friends are sushi lovers like myself, this still makes a great place for a grand night out. The last time I was here we were a group of 12 and had one big table upstairs. With such a big group of people it a can be tricky at times to get all orders on the table at once, this was definitely not the case at Sakura. The staff did a brilliant job as the timing of all our starters, mains and deserts arrived couldn't have been better, nor did we have to wait long to have our glasses topped up. The food looked and tasted amazing and with a selection of sushi, seafood, duck, beef and chicken served in a variety of Japanese sauces, anyone should be able to have the most enjoyable evening here. They offer set menus at £15.00 or £20.00 per person, so it doesn't need to break the bank either. read more

Sakura - Japanese Near Me - Belfast, BFS

Such a great restaurant. An incredibly diverse menu and at a great price. Japanese dumplings are a given get them every starter. Currently working through their mains. They're all amazing! read more

Sakura - Birthday bashes as standard. - Japanese Near Me - Belfast, BFS

Sushi is good and well priced for lunch. The train always seems a bit scarce in the evenings though without much selection but you can order from menu. The hot dishes aren't great, stick to sushi. The staff are always attentive and it's a nice venue. Try to book upstairs as its lovely. read more

Never been here before but had my first experience today. Had an authentic feel to the restaurant and the food was lovely. Could have spent all day there tasting and enjoying a few beers but unfortunately work took priority! If you get a chance and like sushi take a few hours and enjoy yourself. read more

Sakura - Japanese Near Me - Belfast, BFS

Sushi at it's finest is the only way to describe this place. Sakura's main selling point for me is the sushi train where you can plonk yourself down, order a drink and pick and chooses at whatever comes your way. The tuna rolls are great as are the prawns and octopus! Prices start at just £2 and it's a great way to get your foot on the sushi craze sampling bits here and there! Sakura also offers main meals and these include the non raw king. I love their black bean stirfry! Its served sizzling and full of flavour! The staff are great and you can also get take away boxes of such - 8, 12 or 16 pieces. This place offers it all and more and situated in the heartland of student ville- it's a winner all round! read more

Sakura - Japanese Near Me - Belfast, BFS

Yumz! Sakura is a great spot to hot in Belfast if you're feeling Japanese!! (oh dear, wharra bad joke). Erm, anyway they offer a fabulous range of fresh sushi and a wide range of Japanese dishes. I looooove sushi and used to go to sushi joints in Dublin all the time like Yamamori. Mmmmm. Belfasts version is located on the hotbed of activity that is Botanic. It's really fun picking out what type of Sushi you fancy from the production line thingy. Even if you're not feeling adventurous, there will be something to suit your taste. Picking sushi up using chopsticks usually ends in disaster for me. It usually ends in me dropping it and splattering myself with soy, or only being able to eat it one grain of rice at a bloody time. I always get frustrated and just ask for a fork. The last time I ate sushi I actually took to skewering the sushi on the chopstick and scoffing it that way. How uncooth! All in all, Sakura is an interesting place to eat with reasonably priced food. read more

Ordered a teriyaki meal that was not edible, and cooked incorrectly. I was served sweet and sour. They never offered to give me the meal that I ordered or a replacement and made me pay for an incorrect order! Very bad service read more

I loved this restaurant. It has a nice simple atmosphere and the staff smile and make you very welcome. The service is excellent. The food is delicious. The Plum wine is to be highly recommended and the lunch special of miso soup, four plates from the sushi conveyer and green tea is excellent value and very healthy. What's not to like. Even if sushi's not your thing, there is plenty else to choose from. Enjoy! read more

This restaurant serves good sushi at reasonable prices. The atmosphere is excellent and they are open late (for Belfast-until 1030). All of the dishes I have ordered have been good, and though their dessert menu is comprised entirely of western dishes, they are all tasty. read more

Sakura is a lovely Japanese restaurant at the top of the popular Botanic area. The decor feels authentic and there is a sushi train as the focal point of the restaurant. Sakura offers great lunchtime sushi deals and deals during the day for those who enjoy a healthy alternative for their lunch break. The main menu offers a wide range of sushi, sashimi, and delicious hot Japanese cuisine. The dumplings are a satisfying starter and the teryiaki salmon and vegetable tempura is a truly pleasing main. The staff are very friendly and accommodating. You will definitely enjoy yourself dining at Sakura. read more

My favourite, favourite, favourite. There aren't enough restaurants like this one in Belfast. It is sorely in need of them. As a real advocate of 'Yo Sushi' in England, which I visit every time I go over there, Sakura is the closest you will get in Belfast. Open from lunchtime onwards, and situated in the bustling Queens University area, they offer sit-in or takeaway sushi, which are as reasonably priced from £7 upwards for fresh, gorgeous sushi that is always perfect. They are flexible too - if you don't particularly like the cuttlefish sushi that comes in the box, they will replace it with another of your choice and so on. The service is always excellent, with the wait staff polite and helpful. They've even brought my takeaway box out to me in the car while I waited in case I got a parking ticket! As for eating in, there is a mammoth choice of food, which is excellent when you consider not everyone is a fan of sushi. My husband avoids it at all costs, and yet there is a plethora of other dishes for him to choose from, such as noddle dishes, tempura, and the obligatory honey chilli chicken and sizzling beef in black pepper sauce. They have a good wine list, as well as gorgeous cocktails (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) and the atmosphere inside during the evening is quiet and cosy, a great place for a night out with good friends or your other half. Highly recommended. P.S: Don't worry if you can't use chopsticks, they will give you a fork! read more

It is a great space. Maybe the best Japanese restaurant in Belfast. The price is okay. Not too expensive, not very cheap. read more

Great location and friendly staff. Worth going to if you want to try something different in Belfast. Try the Octopi for something different! Its on the starter menu the last time I went. read more

Lovely choice of sushi from the conveyor belt makes you feel very greedy, but save yourself for the main. I had Japanese style roasted pork in curry udon noodle and loved it. I have been a few times and found tables at the side nice for couples, around the sushi train is busier and you could be very close to other diners, so less private. Restaurant is lovely and always understandably full. Staff are friendly. I want to go back right now! read more

Best sushi in belfast. I am addicted to this place. Mango prawn and golden dragon rolls are my fave

Love love love this place not only does it do sushi it also does Chinese food. To Start I usually opt for the hoisin duck rolls and to follow the chicken teriyaki with steamed rice. Alway delicious, staff are attentive and friendly. My favourite drink when I am driving had got to be the Shirley temple. read more

Very yummy sushi and great deals. I subracted two stars though because once I was there with a friend, and she was paying by card. My friend then moved to withdraw the card, but the lady at the till thought it was withdrawn too early, so she immediately grabbed my friend's wrist to stop her taking the card out! Physical contact between a staff member and a customer is an absolute nono. read more

Love love love this place! The food is fresh, the sake is warm and the beer is cold! Loved my experience here picking and choosing things I would never have dreamt of, def worth a visit! read more

An excellent restaurant, featuring my favourite sushi bar, which I regularly enjoy for lunch. If you like Japanese cuisine - highly recommended. read more

Well I have been there a lot. But last time it was a little bit weird and really disappointing. Tuna makis were not good and too spicy. Not really good for the tummy. I have also had rainbow rolls and hoisin duck rolls. They were not bad but not as usual. I still recommend this restaurant as they usually doing a very good cooking! read more

The food is good, prices are low and staff is helpful. It has everything that i require from a place in order to have a lunch there regularly... read more

This is one of Belfast's recent additions to the Japanese restaurant scene, opened a few years ago in the student populated Botanic area. I've had a love of Japanese cuisine for sometime. My first venture was a pre-packed Tesco offering which was, lets be fair, truly awful. However the basic elements were there, it was certainly a sturdy place to start. Sakura has a plethora of different pricing structures. They do set lunches for around £8, an extensive mix of Asian dishes and of course the sushi train! It is a pleasure to behold the multitude of colourful offerings making their way past you. It essentially works as a sushi production line and generally includes such delights as nigri with salmon, crab roe, clam, tuna and other selected fishy offerings. Rolls of varying types too, I had to be careful as ironically I do have a minor to medium allergic reaction to white fish.... no sea bream for me then! All in all an interesting little joint. Myself and my girlfriend had lunch one day with accompanying dry rice beers. The second visit was a quick venture in after seeing something forgettable at the cinema. Friendly staff, good food, reasonably priced. Worth a shot. read more

Excellent Sushi, and at a very good price. The staff are extremely friendly, and they're particularly good with kids. Definitely one of those places that you'll want to keep on going back to. read more

Living nearby, I have opted for Sakura several times over the years and the service has remained consistently attentive and polite. Albeit my stays are relatively brief: enough time to sit at the sushi train (the train, yes, always sit at the train), eye up the selection of colorful plates, seize a couple of them, and murmur "No I don't need a knife and fork." between mouthfuls of fish, nori seaweed and tofu. If sides are required they are usually prompt, well-presented and tasty, though a drop less oil on some noodle dishes wouldn't go amiss. The range of drinks is a plus. I've yet to find another place in Belfast which has a good sake (hot or cold) alongside their available beers, European wines and spirits. If you're in during the lunch hour I would not recommend the Japanese tea despite it being cheap: you will be sitting there for the best part of an hour sipping what seems to be hot water and lawn-grass, when there are much more exciting things on offer. Don't get me wrong, I love green and herbal teas, but they must have some taste. The vibe is relaxed and pleasant; as I said the staff do not keep you waiting or leave you feeling ignored at any time. From coming in at several times of the year I can say yes you may possibly hear their eclectic mix-tape of the creepier Christmas songs (All I Want for Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth, and Propa Crimbo are my favourites)... in the middle of June. You may also find yourself in here bellowing along to J-Ballads after an alienated first-date gone horribly wrong and several bottles of Tsingtao. I say go for it, even if "sushi isn't really your thing", I mean really, how boring an excuse is that? read more

Me and my husband were here for lunch. The craic was okay, a pal had recomened it to us, but we weren't too sure. Howeve, the sushi was great, the staff were nice, but the vibe was all off. What a shame. Go, but with several, not a few. read more

Our go-to place for sushi and Asian cuisine at reasonable prices. The staff is nice and the food is generous and served promptly.

When I was here last week it was my first taste of Japanese food, quite why it ever took me this long to go in is beyond me. But go in I did, at last. I wasn't disappointed. I had seen the little conveyor belt with the pots of sushi going round on it through the window when passing and thought it seemed like a novel way to be served your food. Having said that I didn't actually use it, instead going with the more traditional way of just picking something off the menu and ordering. I tried to pick the more Japanese sounding things as I'm already a fan of Asian foods, Indian, Tai and Chinese and so was hoping for something a bit distinctively different. I wasn't disappointed at all. The sushi starter was great and was obviously very very fresh, which I'm guessing sushi in particular really has to be. The main was delicious too, I had chicken in Kimchi sauce. It reminded me a bit of the Chinese Kung Po chicken, but the sauce was a little less sweet and much lighter and less glary which was a winner. The price was quite reasonable too. All in all great, but for that full 5* the staff would need to be just that little bit more approachable and friendly. There was no real problem there as such and they certainly weren't rude, but there was a noticeable affability missing sadly. read more

Wonderful asian restaurant on Botanic Ave. The only one I know in Belfast to have a proper sit round Sushi Train.