real tiny place. seats maybe 40 people. one japanese sushi chef, a waitress, and a cook in the back. the food is meh. service meh. nothing special about this place. got the bento with tempura and chicken teriyaki and beef udon. the noodles were nice and soft. the broth was pretty plain. got sick of it after a while. in the bento i thought they gave me an orange slice, it was a LEMON! who gives lemon as a fruit? so sour so nasty. tricky people. it was kind of orangy too. not so yellow. yuck! normal prices, about ten bucks for each. comes with free tea. meh, wont come again, theres better places in the area like kai. they dont trick you with lemons. lemony nastiness. read more

Sakura Restaurant - Beef udon! - Japanese Near Me - Alameda, California

This place needs better execution. It took forever for our food to arrive. We waited and waited at least 30 minutes and our food just came roll by roll... The place seems renovated and clean, but it was a bit awkward when my friends and I were placed to sit at a table that was right in the middle of the room while all of the other customers were sitting along the walls. I wish they had better seating arrangements. It was also a bit stuffy and warm in the place, which is not the best thing for a sushi restaurant to keep the fish fresh. The food was not bad. I have to say my favorite is the "Sakura". It won my heart for the night with the beautiful presentation and the taste of the fresh fish and ikura. My friend and I ate it with taking a piece and placed the ikura on top and ate it. It's perfect because the saltiness from the ikura would blend well with the fish without overpowering it. We also got the "Salmon Pizza" which was an interesting concept, fresh salmon on a bed of fried rice pizza crust. Although the concept was cool, we didn't like the taste of the black sauce that it paired with. It tasted a sweet with a hint of smokey flavor, but was too runny and the taste overpowered the fish. I think it would taste a lot better if it was served with a tangy sauce like lemon vinaigrette. Their lion king was also served with the black sauce and was too spicy for my friend's liking. They should include on their menu that this roll is spicy since lion kings usually are not spicy. On the bright side, I liked their sushi rice here. It is cooked perfectly and the fish is fresh (or at least seems fresh). I would come back and eat just the Sakura and probably nothing else. read more

Sakura Restaurant - Salmon pizza - Japanese Near Me - Alameda, California

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My optometry appt got stalled and I was starving so walked in and there was nobody inside, including customers during the middle of a lunch rush. I was about to leave when a very friendly woman came out. I didn't wanna stay and order but I felt awkward about leaving since she was so nice. I got chicken teriyaki and an avocado roll. I don't know what happened but this meal, simple as it was, was a fiasco. Despite being pretty thin (like 1 inch in diameter) the chewy nori did not go all the way 'round the rice on the roll and not every piece had avocado in it, which is the only other ingredient. They were really generous with the chicken but it didn't taste fresh. I had a few bites and started getting grossed out by the taste. I tried to eat some rice at least to get full since plain rice is bland but generally inoffensive. I am sorry to say it was the worst part. I have no idea what happened but the rice smelled and tasted exactly like an ashtray, like truly like cigarette butts. When I got home with the takeout, my boyfriend asked for my leftovers and said the same thing about the rice, which looked completely normal. I am giving 2 stars because I hate to bomb on a restaurant with nice people but the food didn't sit well with me. I didn't puke but I spent a lot of my evening sitting on the bathroom floor next to the toilet 'cause it felt like it was gonna happen. read more

Their special (volcano, dragon, godzilla, rocknroll) rolls looked better than it tasted. I only enjoyed the dragon and rocknroll specials, the others didnt taste good to me nor my friend. Their service was good. My lesson was to never order deep fried sushi from any place ever again. I'd probably not go there again due to the many better sushi restaurants within walking distance of that one. read more

Popped in for dinner. It wasn't all that crowded, but there was a decent crowd. We hoped that was a good sign, but apparently not. The service was very slow. And when our sushi arrived it can really only be described as "meh." The fish was fine, but the rolls were sloppily put together and not rolled well. Given then number of other sushi options around Park St that are much better, it's safe to say I won't be returning. read more

Wife and I had dinner here last night. Food was very good. We hadn't been here since the remodel. There are many choices for sushi and just never got back. We had the rose roll and some nigiri and the portions were very good. We also ordered the volcano which looked great but I think may have been overcooked. Service was good and attentive. The place was full but without a line so they handled it well. We will return. read more

Decent sushi and such. Sushi pizza is always good. Nothing else really pops in my opinion. The lion king is okay. Maybe a little over baked or maybe the sauce was not to my full liking. Lion king: B- -Lion king critic read more

Not closed- remodeled and reopened for business with the same great staff and food. Love all of their veggie options too. read more

Sakura Restaurant - The newly remodeled Sakura - Japanese Near Me - Alameda, California

I love the sushi here! The people that work here are very friendly. The prices are decent. The rolls are the perfect size. Who wants a rolls you have to gnaw on and get seaweed all in your teeth! Not me. The poki is the best, I always order it. You get your bang for the buck with a bento box... plenty of food! over-all the bomb DOT com! read more

there's only a few tables and a few seats at the sushi bar.. entree: hirame, hamachi, toro, sake, maguro (3.75-4.25) amaebi(6.50) hirame and toro wasn't in the house. warm sake (6.50) wasn't chosen because it was pricey. the portions were pretty big. would recommend this place for value. sushi fresh and passable but not the freshest. warm sake (6.50) is pricey here. read more

UPDATE: Okay, so this place was great, then just okay, and the last time we ate there it was very good! I'm a sashimi fan and very fussy about the quality of fish. We ate there for lunch on a weekday and found everything to be extremely fresh! Service has always been great and portions generous. read more

This is a nice, quiet lunch spot. Lots of rolls, bento box combos and reasonable prices. It's quite small, so it might be challenging to get in during the evening hours. Lunch time was empty, which was just what my girlfriend and I wanted so we could catch up and not have to yell to be heard over other diners' conversations. read more

These guys provide good, trust-worthy sushi and your basic "japanese" fare. I can't say too much bad about them. I think their prices are too high because they're a step down from some of our better, more authentic, sushi joints. Part of what you're paying for when you pay a lot of money for sushi is the atmosphere. That doesn't include a lot of loud, boisterous Chinese chatter between the workers and the family or friends they're feeding at the sushi bar. If I wanted that I'd go to a Chinese restaurant (which I often do!). That being said, they're very nice folks and the food is usually good. Not great, but it never sucks (I'm talking to you, Katsu!!). Most important: the fish is ALWAYS fresh (I'm talking to you, Katsu!!)! read more

There's so much Japanese food in Alameda. You've got to be doing something special if you want to stand head and shoulders from the rest. Sadly, Sakura tends to just be another face in the crowd. This is one of those situations where I wish I could give a half star and give them a 3.5, but I'm definitely rounding down cause they're not a 4 star joint. I got myself their Katsu Donburi bowl. It tasted okay actually, chicken was very well cooked and crispy. It was pretty much just chicken katsu over rice. I got exactly what I expected. Salmon pizza is definitely a pretty novel idea, and I thought it tasted just fine, but it wasn't anything special. Other than saying, "oh hey I ate sushi pizza", it wasn't much to write home about. That's the main problem with this place though, because everything here is just okay. First bite of the katsu had me thinking, okay. Salmon pizza was, okay with a slight shrug of the shoulders. My friends fried rice was okay with a nod of the head. Like, the whole thing was just okay and my socks were not blown off at all. Atmosphere was pretty nice actually. Kinda felt like a lounge in there with the mood lighting and the dark windows. Anyways, I probably wouldn't come back here to be honest. There's so much better in Alameda, and I'd rather eat at one of the better establishments than just be stuck with A-OK Sakura. read more

First time here and definitely not the last!Enjoyed our bento boxes of teriyaki chicken, salmon and gyoza! Our guests enjoyed their sushi and sashimi as well. Friendly server and plenty of room for my Dad's wheelchair. read more

I've updated my review. Since they moved into their new location a while ago (a few years ago? - I don't know because time flies), I've not been quite as thrilled. The sushi is still good, in my opinion. But the atmosphere and service are weird. The new location looks fancier when you walk in, and there are more seating options than the old hole-in-the-wall place. But the old place was cozier. Now it is kind of the opposite of cozy. It is dark and modern - like maybe a black floor and metallic chairs if my mind's memory picture is right, in a big open high-ceilinged room. Every time I'm in there it is freezing and there is a cold breeze, with the exception of the one time there was a hot breeze. Also there is a bad smell that comes from the back - I think it is the cleaner they use, mixed with a funky smell either from the restrooms or the kitchen garbage. I'm not saying it is dirty. But sometimes spraying strong antiseptics in areas that produce a lot of dirt can make that smell, even if it is "officially" disinfected. Maybe a better soap and water wash is needed first before disinfecting? I'm not sure. Anyway, it is not alarming enough that I would never eat there now, but it is definitely less pleasant. I will say that I have a very sensitive nose and that what bothers me does not always bother other people. Prices went up when they moved. Also they still did not have brown rice available. Service is inconsistent - sometimes good, not always. It used to be good. I wish I could give 3.5 stars, but I'll be generous with 4. read more

This place definitely has some really fresh sushi at really really good prices. It is easily overlooked since it's so tiny and there is only one waitress and sushi chef. The waitress was super nice though, and even though it wasn't crowded (came around 8ish on a Saturday night), the rolls did take a bit longer to be made but understandably so (repeat: there is only one sushi chef). Needless to say, the rolls were made really well. We ordered the Black Dragon, Spicy scallop (yummm), Kamikaze, and Chirashi sushi. The Chirashi (at $15) didn't have as much fish as the Chirashi in other places (see Ichiro in Downtown Oakland and of course Sushi House), but the price, size and delicious-ness of the rolls here were definitely comparably to Sushi House. Maybe even better. I would recommend this place if you have a craving for Sushi and don't want to overburden your wallet... and if you also aren't coming with a huge group during regular dinner hours. I believe they only had one table that was able to sit 6, and maybe one or two tables that were able to sit 4. The rest (maybe 3-4) are for 2 and the sushi bar only fits 4 (maybe 5). It is really small, but definitely worth it! read more

My friends who are trying to eat in every restaurant in Alameda recommended we meet at Sakura on a Friday night. They promised it was never crowded. To be fair, it is a very small place, with very few tables, and I think we hit it right at dinner time. We hung outside for almost twenty minutes, waiting for a table to open up. Once inside, the waitress was very friendly, and the food came out quickly and efficiently. I got the Black Dragon roll and the Hawaii Role. The Black dragon had BBQ unagi on it, and it was crispy flesh, not really my favorite choice. The favorite seems to be deep fried rolls. Everyone else at the table ordered the Godzilla roll, and their eyes were rolling back in their heads from pleasure. I just think deep fried sushi is weird. I think if you live in Alameda and can walk it, it is probably worth it. Driving from Oakland and trying to find parking on Park St (!) on a Friday night is silly, and we have been to way better restaurants in our area. read more

I recommend Sakura. Definitely order the Lion King Roll, Unagi Pizza, and Salmon Pizza. The food is Very Good. read more

"The simplest things are often the truest"-- Richard Bach. I agree. In life, when things are simple, it's usually right. No drama, no tension, no headiness, no over-analyzing the crap out of something, no excuses. It's pure, clean and just makes sense. I would argue that Sakura offers that experience. It's a smaller restaurant and the menu isn't overly ambition. A few rolls here, bento boxes there, but the food tastes simply wonderful and from the soul. A breath of fresh air! read more

Move over Sushi House - Hello Sakura!!! Well, not really but its up there. About a 3.5! Small whole in the wall restaurant, own by Cantonese people but don't underestimate their sushi abilities! They sure know what their doing!!! There's only one sushi chef and one waitress. There's not wait when we arrived since most people probably go to Sushi House which is over-rated. The restuarant can fix about 30 people at max! It easy to miss and hard to find parking - thus the 3.5 star rating. We had to circle around for 10 minutes before we found a space. Food - Their salmon pizza is da bomb... I've never had anything like it. The pizza is actually crunchy rice on the the bottom with salmon topped on top. You got to try it to believe me. Its DELICIOUS! All the other sushi you can pretty much get elsewhere but a must try is the salmon pizza. I will not do you wrong! :) read more

This is a very intimate restaurant with a staff that is always the same! This sushi chef is WAY TOO GOOD for this location. He should be primo at some hoity-toity restaurant in SF or something. He is THAT good. We lovingly refer to his cuisine as 'sushi truffles' because some of the finer items on the menu just melt in your mouth. So rich! Don't bring a big group here though, I think the maximum capacity of the place is less than twenty. ***************update Dear Sakura, I'm sorry, you know how much I love your sushi, but I cannot possibly give you more than three stars now that I've been to YUME. Please forgive me. We will still eat here often. Thank you for all the good times. Your loyal sushi lover always read more

I did the bento box with Sashimi, Miso Tofu, and Teriyaki Salmon to try a variety of their dishes to get a good feel for it. They all were excellent! My friend has two rolls and really enjoyed both of them, too. First, rarely do the bento boxes offer a sashimi option in my experience. I was very pleased about this. I find a sashimi mix to be the best way to evaluate sashimi/sushi places for a place's seafood as the seafood must stand alone. Often, even in good places, there is some variance in the quality of the sashimi; however, I found each of the four kinds I had to be extremely good. The Miso tofu was very good. It has a nice Miso flavor and the tofu was good. It was a softer tofu, which fit the dish. The salmon was very good and I was pleased with the amount and flavor of the teriyaki sauce. The salad, miso soup, and tea were also all very good. The service was very good. We arrived for a late lunch, so it was pretty quite. There was literally nothing to complain about and much to rave about. Good place! read more

I have to give a 5 stars to this Japanese restaurant , my be and I was passing by to go to a Mexican restaurant that was the plan . When my bf saw it he said u feel like Japanese I say sure. I looked I say hummmmm why not much people there , after I ate my lion king I LOVE it , my bf hardly tell the worker or owner of restaurants that their food is good but last night my bf told the owner ( your food is GOOD) , I guess never judge by the way it look ... I highly recommend this place .... read more

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Our usual Japanese restaurant was closed so we tried Sakura out! We were very pleased with our Bento boxes, the friendly service and the peaceful atmosphere. We will be returning for more Japanese food soon! read more

Well worth trying! The service was excellent, and very friendly (but didn't intrude on me and my book - very important, considering how little time I get out in the world without my kids!) Of course I had no wait, because I went on a Sunday afternoon, so I don't know how it is at other times. If you like rolls, then definitely put Sakura on your list of places to try. I was impressed with the variety of things I've never seen other places (although they have the Rainbow, Lion King and many other no doubt familiar rolls) I tried the Black Dragon Roll (one of several Dragon varieties) and was very happy. I also ordered two nigiri sushi (hamachi and sake) both were very tasty. Plenty of other stuff looked tasty, but I didn't want to explode... I wouldn't say that my socks were knocked off, but I plan to go back again at least a few more times to try other items. This place seems like it could satisfy a Sushi Jones just fine (especially when your favorite is closed!) It sure took care of mine! read more

The best price for sushi!! $2 less per roll than usual and 2x's better and bigger. They have lots of types of fish available, just ask. The setting is very nice too. But beware, the sake is overpriced. read more

So, I've lived in Alameda practically my entire life and I absolutely love sushi. I am so mad that I haven't discovered this place earlier. About a year ago I was home on a Sunday and my mom suggested that we go check this place out since she heard good things about Sakura. I've passed by this restaurant numerous times but never stopped in because the outside just looks so unappealing. Looks can definitely deceive. It's super cute inside, very small with about, I don't know, 10 tables? Anyways, it wasn't really that crowded (one other couple maybe) -- I've been there a couple times now and it's never crowded during lunch time (I can't complain). The waitress is so nice and efficient. Me and my mom ordered like 3 different plates of sushi, udon, and a bento box and it only costed us about $40. I thought the food was really good, probably won't taste like something made in Japan, but better than some other places I've been to. The portions are pretty good too. It's so much better than the overrated Sushi House down at South Shore/Towne Centre. Another time I went with four other people and we ordered 7 plates of sushi -- ran us less than $50. Cheap and yummy sushi? Could it get any better than this? read more

Wasn't impressed with this sushi house. The food was good and cheap but being totally empty on a Sunday at lunchtime seemed a bit odd and to be quite frank, off-putting. With no one else in the place, the waitress focused solely on me which was nice. I had the hawaiian roll and salmon roll which were good but not great. Maybe the ailing decor was what put me off to this place. read more

Good. The menu feels kind of limited, but they'll make you anything you want if it's not on there. Cute place. read more

Sakura Restaurant - Front table view :) - Japanese Near Me - Alameda, California

Newly updated/renovated. The food here is pretty good, and the fish was pretty fresh, however they get minus 1 star for slow service. They did not regularly check if we needed anything, I had to flag them down whenever I needed anything at all. Once we got the bill, I placed my card and nobody picked it up for about 15 minutes. I literally took my check to the front cashier where I stood for another few minutes. Also minus 1 star for the high prices Sashimi. I have been to every sushi joint in alameda, and while I said before that the fish was fresh, it was overpriced, but only the sashimi was overpriced, everything else seemed fair. Would return. read more

We love this place! A little mom and pop joint with really nice people, high quality food, and very reasonable prices. Their sushi is top-notch and less expensive than other places. Used to come here all the time pre-Covid for their lunch bento. Not the best English speakers, which might make certain people upset. We still get takeout there from time to time, and hope go back there for dine-in again soon! read more

Please ignore any of the bad reviews, these people obviously have no appreciation for restaurant workers trying their best to keep up with customers during a pandemic! Have been going here for years and the people working there are always very friendly, the food is great as well. They have great vegetarian options too. Would recommend. read more

I've actually been avoiding sushi because of its impacts on the environment through unsustainable fishing practices. But, this lady is beautiful, very sexy, and wanted sushi - so how could I say "no". So we went here for lunch - her choice. Service was pleasant, reasonably attentive (but I didn't want to be interrupted because my date was HOT). The first couple things we selected from teh menu were not available - half star deduction. Ambience boring - half star deduction (they don't get stars for the sweetie across the table from me). Everything else we ordered was rather ordinary sushi. Date wanted dessert but the selection was lame so we went somewhere else. All-in-all, just another sushi place. read more

This is my favorite place when I'm craving yellow tail (hamachi). Very cheap and the quality of the fish is always fresh. I also had their lion king roll, pizza roll, salmon roll, beef/chicken bento's. The quality of the ingredients are consistent. The teriyaki sauce they use is more tangy than say Kai's, Kamakura or Sushi House. If you're looking for a hole in the wall gem sushi spot in Alameda, Sakura is it. read more

Sakura Restaurant - As of June 2, 2011 - Japanese Near Me - Alameda, California

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We've been coming to Sakura for years now. It's definitely our "regular" sushi place. It's usually not as packed as Kamakura down the street, and the value is so much better for the money. First, the miso soup is served WITHOUT a spoon, like it should be. This way you can drink it by slowly sipping from the bowl. Then, pick up some of the tofu and seaweed with chopsticks. The soup is delicious not being too bland nor too salty which are both easily done with miso. The sashimi consists of decent sized pieces, all with good flavor. The salmon can vary a bit depending if they have gotten farmed or wild salmon. I don't mind though. 12 delicious pieces (3 of each of tuna, salmon, yelllowtail, and white tuna) for under $15. That's a bargain for sashimi. If you like spicy tuna, we think this place serves the best spicy tuna hand rolls. The spicy tuna has great flavor -- it might be a little too hot for some people though. The seaweed has a sweetness that blends well and "cools" the spiciness. We also like that they add a few tempura pieces into the rolls for a little extra crunchiness beyond the fresh cucumbers. We enjoy a few of the specialty sushi rolls. They are the right size for sushi -- close to single bites. I can't stand the HUGE rolls that some gimmicky sushi places serve. Our favorite at Sakura is the Rose Roll with tempura shrimp & cucumber topped with tuna and black tobiko. Yes, we're tuna fans. We like that there is no creamy sauce on this roll. 2nd place goes to the Red Dragon roll which is the Rose Roll but with salmon instead of tuna. The Cherry Blossom is pretty good too. If you haven't been here, we highly recommend it. It's one of the few restaurants that we visit on a regular basis. read more

Went there for lunch with my wife and two young kids. The little ones love cucumber rolls and they scarfed down a whole bunch - no complaints. I got the Salmon Pizza and Spicy Tuna Roll. Really liked my tuna roll and the salmon pizza was fun and unique. The wifey got the bento box. Everyone was happy and the price was right. I work right around the corner from this place and always walked by thinking it was kinda dingy looking. When I walked in today I was frickin' impressed by the food and the service. I would definitely go back here. Knocked 1 star off just because this wasn't a 5 star experience. You know how you know when your in a 5-star restaurant? Well, I didn't get that feeling. But I still had a great lunch with my family. read more

I came here today for dinner my 2nd time here. We were the only table that dined here. I cant believe people are missing out at this place. I realli dont get why this place is not happening. For sure the food is fantastic n extremely fresh n clean n nice presentation. the price is very reasonable too. service is not bad either. i LOVED the oysters i had today. tasty n very fresh. salmon was so soft melts immediately in my mouth. i also had hamachi capriccio which i forgot to take pix. it was ok. I'd be satisfied having sashimi only cuz trying to avoid rice but the others in my party likes rolls! if ya want fresh good raw fish this is definitely the place! good for family n dates as well...dark inside so cud b romantic. no happy hour tho! read more

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Grew up in Alameda and never knew this place existed. Better late than never though as Sakura has some of the best sashimi on the island. The Cherry Blossom and American Favorite rolls both contain a sufficient mixture of delicious sashimi and delightful presentation. Plus, the brown rice green tea upon arrival is the epitome of a warm welcome. Don't talk yourself out of grabbing a bite if you don't see anyone in the window on a Friday night. We almost did and we were glad we stuck it out! Staff is friendly, fish is fresh and prices are reasonable. Happy to have found another one of Alameda's hidden gems! read more

My SIL & I meet here frequently to catch up on each other's dramas. We enjoy coming here because of their friendliness and they make decent food. It's not the best or authentic Japanese food, but they put care into their dishes. Sometimes they can take forever (I have seen several people checking their watches after 20 minutes or so), but it is because the chefs are meticulousy preparing the food. So just FYI, dont come here if you have plans immediately after dinner. read more