It was good food for an unbeatable price! That's probably why it had the longest line. The meal deal even came with twooooo spring rolls and ooooone drink!! For near $!!!! Ok, we were at a baby Party recently. The container was nice and kept the food hot for a very long time, which was perfect while I waited for my partner to get the ramen. But I felt a bit bad for using such thick plastic just once... The teriyaki chicken was good, the veggies were standard, and there was enough food for the price. read more

Sarku Japan - Nom nom - Japanese Near Me - San Mateo, California

I ordered the steak and shrimp, and I ended up needing to add soy sauce and Sriracha for more flavor. But considering it's fast food, I wasn't expecting anything extraordinary. What bothered me more was the service. They call out your number when your food is ready, and an older lady ahead of me kept asking if the order being called was hers. Sam, one of the cooks, seemed visibly frustrated by her repeated questions. At one point, he banged something down and started calling out the numbers much louder. The lady apologized and said she was just hungry. I felt the situation could have been handled with a little more patience and kindness, especially toward an elderly customer. The ambiance is exactly what you'd expect from a fast-food restaurant--casual, basic, and focused on getting people in and out. read more

Sarku Japan - Steak and shrimp - Japanese Near Me - San Mateo, California

They handed me a fork that had fallen on the floor. Hygiene clearly isn't a priority for them; when I asked for a wrapped plastic fork, they rudely refused. There is no need for them to be so unpleasant. I am appealing to the management: the staff needs to be a bit more people-friendly. After all, I am paying for that wrapped plastic fork, yet the employee at the register--whose name is Sam--kept arguing about it. read more

Sarku Japan - N - Japanese Near Me - San Mateo, California

Service is quick and efficient. The line moves quickly. The number item is the teriyaki chicken which I ordered. It comes with rice and vegetables as well. I ordered a vegetable spring roll and my sprite beverage. The ambiance is clean for a food court. They have a great team of staff keeping the tables clean. read more

Sarku Japan - Location at the mall - Japanese Near Me - San Mateo, California

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I was looking forward to coming here every Tuesday for their deal, but they stopped that literally the week after I found out about it! So much angst. There are now no more deals unless you sign up for Sarku Club membership. Sarku Japan is typically a crowded place at mall food courts, usually for the reason that it's cheaper and basic - fulfilling the pleasure of most people's palate. It's also pretty fast and fresh, as they take your order and cook it in front of you. When the cook serves you the protein on your plate, you grab it and help yourself to the plastic takeout bags on the side. I've tried all the proteins and they are all good and tender, and I think they give a decent amount of each. I like the chicken and beef a bit more than the shrimp. Each teriyaki plate comes with steamed rice and mixed vegetables (also steamed, most likely a mixture of broccoli and shredded zucchini and carrots). You can sub the rice for noodles or more steamed vegetables. Yes, the vegetables aren't salted, but a lot of people actually enjoy eating vegetables like that for health reasons. I just mixed them in with the teriyaki sauce already included on the meat and it's fine. The rice is surprisingly very fluffy and moist. If you're in need of a quick, lean, value meal with adequate value and macros, this is a fair choice. read more

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Standard Sarku location. I grew up going to my local Sarku in South Florida, so this was nostalgic for sure. The lines are pretty long since the food is cheap and made in front of you teppanyaki style, and the food quantity is good for the price. Chicken teriyaki is standard chopped thigh meat with teriyaki sauce next to pre-chopped veggies and hot white rice. Don't expect authentic Japanese, but it gets the job done when you're hungry at the mall. Always a wait, but not much other choices around the busy food court. read more

Sarku Japan - Chicken Teriyaki - Japanese Near Me - San Mateo, California

Yes, I recommend you to this place at least once. Friends go here all the time and I always pass on their invites because I was skeptical but yea it's good. read more

Wouldnt recommend. Rice too mushy and doesn't taste any good. And food dont look like the picture. Its okay but there's way better spots at the mall. read more

I was a bit disappointed the last time i stopped by this place. The food wasn't as good as it used to be. I feel like I had food here before that actually tasted amazing. The service is great and the ambiance is cool but they do need to do better with the food. Even the California rolls felt dry and not as tasty. read more

I had a disappointing experience at Sarku Japan in Hillsdale. After ordering sushi and shrimp tempura, I was served only the sushi. When I informed the employee making the sushi, Steven, that I had also ordered shrimp tempura, his response was surprisingly rude: "I don't know about your order of tempura." There was no attempt to assist or check on the missing item, which left a very poor impression. To make matters worse, no soy sauce was included with the sushi. Since soy sauce is an essential accompaniment to sushi, I had to wait in line again just to request it. Unfortunately, the sushi itself was not very flavorful or enjoyable. Combined with the poor customer service, the overall experience was disappointing. Because of this experience, I will think twice before ordering from this location again, and it has even made me hesitant to visit other Sarku Japan branches. Customer service and attention to detail matter, and this visit fell well short of expectations. read more

Sarku, the place to go for cheap Asian-ish food. Food here is mediocre at best. My kids love this place though so this is a great choice for kid friendly fast food. Service is fast. The cooks are making food all day everyday it seems. This is good so you know you're not getting old food. read more

Sarku Japan - Chicken teriyaki - Japanese Near Me - San Mateo, California

Usually when I go there's a woman by the name Vivian that is so rude and this time I found a hair in my food it's honestly so gross

oh my gawd this was the worst meal I've had in a long time. Every single thing in the bento box was bland and lacked ANY flavor whatsoever. The California rolls were a joke, the vegetables were literally steamed and didn't event have salt, the teriyaki chicken was dry and I had to drench it in soy sauce to taste any flavor, and even the gyozas were somehow bland. I thought, "oh it's in a mall I'm sure it's good," WRONG! Just get Panda Express instead. read more

Sarku Japan - Japanese Near Me - San Mateo, California

A classic staple in any mall, Sarku Japan is the thing I go for when I think I want to eat healthy bc their chicken teriyaki plate is only 640 calories. But let's be real I need extra sauce on everything so it's definitely higher. Located inside the hillsdale mall food court, this is one of the more popular spots bc it's a meal that checks boxes. Rice, protein, and veggies. Once you pick your meal, they'll load up your to go box and put the meats fresh off the grill into your box. I think for a meal for under $10, it's one of the most filling options in this particular food court. Is it the most flavorful, not really, but it does what it needs to do when you need a quick and filling meal. The portion sizes definitely have gotten smaller than in the past, so if you are extra hungry, go double protein. read more

Sarku Japan - a meal in a plastic container - Japanese Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Yup, definitely two stars awful. Super dry chicken and awful raw veggies with cold gyoza and fake tasteless California roll. Do yourself a favor and choose any other good court place! read more

Sarku Japan - Japanese Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Whenever I see a Sarku at the mall, that's what I'll be getting as my meal. Sometimes I go to a mall FOR Sarku! I always get the Teriyaki Chicken and if I'm with my mom, she usually gets the Teriyaki Chicken bento box. I usually get no rice, veggies only and they will quick fry a nice portion of veggies on the grill before putting it in my tray. The chicken is juicy, with some crispy edges and it goes well with the veggies. I usually ask them for extra sauce at the end which they always obliged. One thing I have noticed is while the prices have been going up bit by bit, like everything else, their meat portions have also gotten smaller. Still I don't normally order double meat cause I'm full enough from the regular portion that I can get a milk tea afterwards xD haha The only con I can think of is their sushi isn't it. Sometimes they're pre-made so when they hand it to you it's been refrigerated making the rice a bit hard. The seafood is also a hit and miss. So I would definitely only recommend the cooked food over the sushi. read more

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I had a very disappointing experience at Sarku Japan. I ordered a bento box, and the sushi appeared to have been sitting out uncovered on the counter. The salad tasted spoiled, and the teriyaki chicken was served carelessly and lacked flavor. In addition to the food quality issues, The staff was rude and unprofessional, and the overall customer service was very poor. read more

Tried this place for the first time. Chose the chicken bento box. Food did not taste all that and didnt seem fresh. We will not returning to this establishment. read more

I do not typically submit complaints; however, I felt it was important to share this feedback. I ordered the Chicken Bento on 12/22/25 through Uber Eats and was disappointed with the overall quality of the meal. The food did not appear fresh, and the vegetables had a noticeably sour taste, which raised concerns about freshness. Due to this, I was unable to finish the meal. Unfortunately, this experience did not meet the quality standards I have come to expect. (Sarku Japan#340) read more

I'm a firm believer in 2nd chances. Sarku is still bad. 6 years later. Who serves a warm salad? I'm not sure that was chicken in my bento. read more

I'm in here everyday literally on my lunch break if I can't get a plastic fork with my food I'm not ordering shit here be fr I don't want to eat off a wooden spoon. Every other time I come she give me a plastic fork, now they talking about policy is wooden spork. read more

Mall sushi pretty much sums it up. This was the worst Japanese food I've ever had. My teen who eats everything and loves Japanese food ate about three bites and said it was awful. We couldn't eat it and ended up getting a burrito to share from next door (also not great but better). Sushi rolls tasted old, were horribly rolled, and lacked any real flavor other than old seafood. Shrimp in bento box had no flavor except old grease. Gyoza were good. Veggies looked like a frozen mix they forgot to add the seasoning to. Lunch was over $30 for two of us but it was so bad, I didn't even want to give it to a homeless person as I'll often do with leftovers. Gave the shrimp and rice to my dog. Am partially waiting for my daughter and I to come down with food poisoning. read more

Stop here to have a quick bite my coworker and I were starving from a long day of work! We both got the same thing I love siracha in mine! But overall the food was good and light on my stomach so that's always a plus for me! Definitely wouldn't mind stopping by here for a quick bite! read more

Sarku Japan - In food court - Japanese Near Me - San Mateo, California

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I've eaten here before, but I've never had such poor service. I ordered a Beef Rice and while paying I paid more than the amount assuming I'd get my change later. 10 seconds later, the cashier person (man with 1 earring) told me straight in the face that I still owed 1 dollar again. I asked them to count the money but they weren't willing to. I don't mind giving the 1 dollar, but don't lie in my face saying I didn't pay money when I clearly did. I don't think I'll ever order from here again even if I'm starving. read more

awful. awful. wow. had to get a few things at the mall, wanted to try their teriyaki chicken because Kaz downtown is, well, downtown - and I live here. So I ordered the teriyaki bento box - had to wait like 10 minutes for the food to come out - suddenly like 10 orders came out all at once, and I see them assemblyline-ing the boxes of food. They had been waiting on the chicken. I asked for it to go but they didn't give me a lid. It was a scramble to get our food and I thought I'd just eat what I want and then ask for a lid. Took my piping hot chicken teriyaki bento box to a table and sat down. The smell was...I didn't really smell...anything - smelled like vegetable oil, that's about it. I tried the chicken, and while well cooked, didn't have any char or any flavor. The rice was well cooked, not sticky soggy or underdone - but it tasted like Minute rice - low quality and poor flavor. The california rolls were acceptable. That's all I can say. The gyoza were the best part of the meal, and also served hot. The vegetable mash - I have no words. Like a cheap bag of frozen vegetables broken up as if the bag had been used to beat someone up - and absolutely no flavor whatsoever. Soggy. Wow. Definitely NOT a replacement for Kaz. I could only eat half of my food and then dumped the rest into the compost waste. Not worth eating. Felt like eating in the elementary school cafeteria, where everything is bland, because kids don't have a sense of taste yet. Had to go to Sees for a free dessert to get the taste out of my mouth! Worst meal I've had in years. read more

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Let me start this review by reminding everyone this is a food stall at the mall food court. The portions are huge and can come with a variety of toppings. I tend to order the teriyaki chicken (double meat), noodles (extra $) and veggies. This meal generally lasts me two meals. The food is not authentic but the charbroiled chicken and sauce is tasty! I actually crave it frequently! The noodles and veggies can be hit or miss but solid choices. I'm not sure if I'd recommend the shrimp or beef due to price and the taste not being as good. read more

Sarku Japan - Chicken teriyaki with noodles - Japanese Near Me - San Mateo, California

I usually do not make reviews for fast food chains as I typically try to focus more on creating reviews for more mom and pop places, but I will say that every once in awhile I can be a food court guy! And for this brief food court venture, I gave Sarku Japan a try in the Dining Terrace at the Hillsdale Mall. Being recently opened in 2020, the addition of the new Dining Terrace made Hillsdale more of a destination. I still remember the days where the food court options consisted of a Burger King, a panini place, Panda Express, Hana Grill, Hot Dog on a Stick, an ice cream place, etc. Those options weren't very popular, which is why the new food court really helps out in bringing the crowds out. On a Wednesday around 6:45 PM, I ventured into the food court to give them a run for my money. Because it was a weekday, the line wasn't particularly long, but there was a decent amount of people there. This is contrary to their weekend crowds, always being full to the brim. That must say the food they serve is pretty good right....? After looking at their menu for a period of time, I settled on a Chicken and Shrimp Combo Plate with extra chicken for 2 dollars. The initial price of this item is 11 dollars, plus the extra chicken which made it 14 dollars roughly after tax. After paying at the register, I was able to walk down to the right where you wait while they cook your food right in front of you. Boy the food smelled great just standing there, made my mouth water....it was pretty quick, around 3-5 minutes and I was out of there with my food. **Notes: 1) With any of the teriyaki plates, you can request for extra of the item for about 2 dollars more (3 dollars for more shrimp). 2) More about the general dining terrace itself, the seating is pretty sizable with different kinds of seating all around. From booths to tables with lamps to large lounge chairs, the seating seems to promote maximum comfort while eating. Some of these also have great views of the street right below or balcony seats overlooking the North Block. In terms of other amenities, the terrace also has exterior hand-washing stations, drink emptying stations, and fireplaces with heaters to name a few. ** I took a look at my food and pretty much expected what I was going to get from the get-go. There was a pretty sizable plate of chicken, which made sense since I purchased extra chicken. There were about 12 - 13 pieces of small shrimp, which actually exceeded my expectations for a food court. Underneath those were a small spread out medley of vegetables, most likely to pad the meats, and rice. For 14 dollars, you definitely could do better by going to an actual restaurant and picking up higher quality food. But for a food court standard, it was alright. The taste of the food was pretty good....most things considered. The chicken tasted grilled with a subtle sweetness from what tasted like agave, honey, or something similar. It was pretty moist with a mix of sauce and marinade. It tasted great for a what I would call a "basic chicken". The shrimp tasted similar with a sweet flavor and a decent amount of moisture inside. It was softer than the chicken though, which added differences in texture in the dish. The vegetables were pretty mediocre all around with little to no flavor at all, but these vegetables were more of a dividing layer as opposed to being a grilled salad, so it was fine. Rice was fluffy for the most part, pretty similar to your regular jasmine rice. I'd give Sarku Japan 3/5 for their Chicken and Shrimp Combo plate with EXTRA chicken. The quantity for 14 bucks at a food court was a bit steep, but it makes sense since food court food is meant to be more of a quick fill. The food quality was good for what it was worth, which is why I would give them three stars. If you're willing to pay a bit of a premium for a snack or a meal, I'd say this is a pretty good option. read more

Sarku Japan - Chicken and Shrimp Combo with Extra Chicken - Japanese Near Me - San Mateo, California

If I'm around the hillsdale Mall on a Tuesday chance I stop by at Sarku because it's the day they have their special their teriyaki plate for only $7.99 so it's not a bad deal. It's not the best food ever but my best option at the food court I think. A good portion of protein, with rice and some veggies I always request an extra teriyaki sauce in top. Service is fast they are cooking in front of you so that's a plus knowing that the food is not seating there for hours. Normally is always busy. Especially is you go at rushing time. read more

Sarku Japan - Japanese Near Me - San Mateo, California

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I was there on Sunday and order chicken teriyaki and shrimp . Next morning I was vomiting n the runs and everything you can possibly get with food poisoning. I was very ill for a whole week. I will never comeback again. 0 stars read more

I placed my order on the app and arrived at the Hillsdale mall location for pick up at 8:30pm. However the place was already closed, well cleaned up with everyone gone. Its operating hour was supposed to be until 9pm. This is totally unacceptable! They took my money without fulfilling the order. The fact that they closed earlier without abiding by their own operating hours shows that the employees at this location did not give a damn about their jobs. read more

Terrible food. Avoid at all costs. I should have looked at the review before ordering. Ordered beef teriyaki and spicy tuna roll. Both were inedible and had to be tossed. The beef was very cheap cut that they soak in baking soda to make it more tender. The problem is that it becomes mush and tasteless. I'll add a picture. Spicy tuna roll just tasted like heat with no flavor. I highly doubt it was even tuna. Avoid this place like the plague. So gross. read more

Sarku Japan - This is their "beef teriyaki." Took two bites and threw away. - Japanese Near Me - San Mateo, California

I was wandering around the Hillsdale Mall food court. Panda is always a good staple, but I go there too often. I don't know if I would trust poke at the mall. Or tacos. The fried chicken place seemed too bouge... they have a trademarked Barry's Bowl. I've heard good things about the ramen place, but I feel like I have to be in the mood for ramen. Uncle Tetsu is delicious but unfortunately shouldn't be a meal. Out of all the food court places, Sarku had the longest line. Can't go wrong when you go with the flow, right? Sarku didn't disappoint. Their menu has sushi roll, plates, and bento box options, all very reasonably priced. It's a good option to satisfy all post-shopping appetites, ranging from a lighter snack to a hearty meal. I got the shrimp teriyaki with double veggies (subbing the side of rice for extra veggies). It had a surprisingly generous amount of shrimp, and I liked how the teriyaki glaze wasn't too salty or heavy. The veggies seemed like a generic premade stir-fry mix of broccoli etc., but nothing wrong with it. Despite the long-ish line, the ordering process and food service was fast. It's an efficient assembly line and the food is cooked fresh because of the high turnover. The total (pre-tax/tip) was $10.29, which is a pretty good deal. TL;DR - It's like an alternative version of Panda Express. I love Panda! Sarku is a good option though if you are in Hillsdale Mall and want to switch things up while looking for something similar. read more

Sarku Japan is one of the few dining spots that shows calorie information, so that may be helpful for those who need to monitor their food intake. The prices are fairly reasonable - we got a chicken teriyaki roll for $5.09 (360 calories) and they made it fresh to order. The chicken terikyaki roll came with avocado and the chicken had a nice charred teriyaki flavor. read more

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This place is well known as a mall chain and they live up to that. The food here is ok, it's not the best but definitely not the worst. If you come here looking for 5 star dining in a mall food court, you will be sorely disappointed! Their staff definitely is not the friendliest, but they get my order right every time. I normally order the chicken teriyaki meal and I appreciate that it's always piping hot and fresh. I have tried other items and they are all in line with the typical mall food fare. There is a long line most days during peak hours, so plan to wait a bit. Overall, this place is ok. I wouldn't go out of my way to go to the mall for their food but if I am already shopping and need a bite to eat, sure why not. read more

sarku being a mall food court staple...hillsdale mall having better restaurant options versus food court, but needing a quick bite for the kid before a movie...this mall is busier, so the food is cooking and in constant rotation...food isn't sitting as long just warming...teriyaki chicken is sauced heavy, so be specific about sauce or sauce on the side...noodles are dry and marginal...same for the rice or upgraded fried rice...kid ate the fried dumplings which was pre-fried and bagged already...$3.99 for 6 fried dumplings and kid approved... read more

Sarku Japan - 6 fried dumplings $3.99 - Japanese Near Me - San Mateo, California

U ever wanna hop over the counter and knock a rude person? Yeah this that place. The worst attitude ever. The whole staff. They are annoyed that you are there ordering food. Yelling. Obnoxious and rude. The food is the healthiest option in the food court, but the service is the absolute worse. read more

Sarku Japan - Rude customer service - Japanese Near Me - San Mateo, California

It was a busy Saturday but the line seemed to move quite quickly. First they were so slow to my second bento box (chicken). Then their bento box was really flimsy practically folding in half and spilling out half the chicken I ordered. Fortunately (or unfortunately), half of it fell into the tray. Good thing my son still ate it. He was quite hungry. I also ordered two pieces of shrimp tempura. Even under the heat lamp, they were cold. Waste of money. This place is the cheapest option in the mall but you will still regret saving money. Go to Tacos El Grullense instead. Or eat before coming to the mall, but don't waste your money here. read more

Sarku Japan - Beef Bento Box - Japanese Near Me - San Mateo, California

This is a food court stall inside Hillsdale mall. My wife and I came here to have a quick bite and we were surprised with how good the food was. Customer service was solid as the whole staff was friendly. I ordered #4 (chicken & shrimp) and my wife ordered the shrimp option. Food came out within 5 minutes and was delicious. Also they were open about 30 minutes before everyone else. read more

Sarku Japan - Chicken and shrimp - Japanese Near Me - San Mateo, California

We eat here about once per month. Went today and suddenly the portions were literally cut in half. Very disappointing.

Doordashed from here recently as I just needed something quick and decent enough while I was attending to other things. You get bang for your buck here. Generous portions. The chicken actually wasnt dry but rather tender. The noodles seemed kind of clumped together, but that didnt change the fact that it tasted pretty good overall. Sarku of course is not some nice sit down restaurant, so my opinions are based on the fact that at the end of the day, it is mall food... but given that, you shouldn't go hungry if you choose to eat here. read more

Sarku Japan - chicken teriyaki + noodles combo - Japanese Near Me - San Mateo, California