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    Waka Sakura

    4.1 (274 reviews)
    Closed • 11:00 am - 10:00 pm

    Waka Sakura Photos

    Business Info

    WAKA SAKURA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Good for groups
    Happy hour specials

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    Recommended Reviews - Waka Sakura

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    Mary L.

    Visited on a Thursday noon and was seated right away. Friendly staff, we just wanted to try this place out and it was great. I forgot the names of the items we ordered but everything was great, fair prices too. You place your order on the tablet and it arrives on the conveyor belt. Would come back again, highly recommend.

    Salmon Lunch special
    Arnold T.

    Waka Sakura gives you the hankering for fresh and delicious sushi when you're on the go. We stopped by for the lunch special but ended up ordering more since the quality got me wanting for more. We got the traditional lunch and the salmon lunch, both came with soup and salad. We also ordered the chawanmushi, the salmon lover plate, and dried salmon. The chawanmushi melts in your mouth, with the delicate egg full of mushroom flavor. The lunch special is definitely worth the price. Each piece tasted fresh, flavorful and light. What I can I say, it persuaded us to get the salmon lover plate. Service was quick and the food came out on a conveyer belt, about 7-10 min after ordering. Situated next to the relatively new Tokyo Central in Irvine, parking can be a challenge during peak hours so be aware. Will return soon!

    Krys N.

    We have been meaning to come here ever since they opened. At first the lines were just ridiculously long. Kind of forgotten about it, on a whim we decided to check it out on a late weeknight and the restaurant was half empty. The restaurant was clean and modern. The staff quickly greeted us when we arrived and sat us at a booth. We ordered water and everything from the tablet at the table. I thought the prices were quite reasonable. For example, a salmon avo hand roll is only $3.99. Some of the other stuff were priced a bit higher but I think everything rounded out to be of good value. The sushi came via the converter like a bullet train. I would say it was pretty quick, especially considering it was near closing time so we were happy with how speedy everything came out. I thought the fish was pretty fresh, definitely a step up than your average sushi restaurant. We enjoyed our speedy and fresh meal!

    Sushi lunch special
    Mai T.

    I came to try the sushi here for lunch. After being seated, I used the tablet at the table to order. I opted for the traditional sushi lunch special, which was approximately $20. The food is delivered via a belt that stops at your table. Only the miso soup was hand-delivered by a staff member. My sushi consisted of tuna, salmon, yellowtail, squid, tuna tataki, albacore, boiled shrimp, inari, and egg omelette. The sushi was alright but it didn't exactly change my life. When wasabi shows up in a little plastic condiment cup with lid, it gives off a specific vibe that does not exude premium presentation. Going to a conveyor‑belt sushi spot where you order everything from a tablet but then can't pay at the tablet seems odd, doesn't it? That was the bottleneck - having to wait for a person to pay my check.

    Yellowtail and seabream
    Janine K.

    A friend of mine has been raving about the revolving sushi bar at Tokyo Central so I was excited to finally check out the new location closer by to me! The spot is pretty spacious and ordering through the iPad or QR code made the whole experience quick and seamless. What impressed me the most was the quality of the sushi and how generous the cuts of fish were! Everything tasted fresh especially with the seasoned red vinegar rice. I also loved that you can order extras like miso soup and other appetizers to make a full meal. The Salmon Party is definitely worth ordering since it comes with a variety of salmon nigiri and seared pieces. My favorite was the sea bream nigiri because it was firm and had a satisfying texture that I was looking for with a slight sweetness.

    Inside
    Rick S.

    I was really disappointed with the traditional sushi lunch special at Waka Sakura. The rice was seasoned with soy sauce and pressed into a rectangular shape. The salmon and tuna were not fresh (tasted as if they came refrigerated from the supermarket next door). The miso soup was bland and lack flavor. The staff did not interact much as we were able to place the order in the tablet. The ambiance was casual and the food is delivered via a straight track from the kitchen to your table. I really want this lunch to be great but it was not. So disappointed.

    Salmon and spicy tuna hand roll
    Luke M.

    Decided to try this place with my friend after studying, and it did not disappoint! The interior was modern, cozy, and bright, and I love when you can order your food and have it come straight to you on the conveyor belt...it makes the whole experience so fun and convenient. The service was so sweet, and everyone was incredibly welcoming. The prices were very reasonable, especially for the quality, and the fish was extremely fresh and didn't taste fishy at all. Everything was delicious, and I would 100% come back and bring other people here for some fast, casual sushi!

    amy h.

    I like this place! The rice is different from most sushi places which is unique however, it can be a hit or miss some days. I love the sea bream and their salmon party platter!

    Michelle K.

    I came here with a friend back in late November 2025 on a Wednesday evening for the first time - we were promptly seated. We ended up ordering the salmon set and the tuna set. The fish was freshly prepared and the flavors were quite delicious as well. I typically cannot eat too much in one go so I believe that, for the price and amount, this is a fairly reasonable deal, especially for those who crave salmon sushi like I do. I did like the friendliness of the servers and the vibe was nice inside. I hope to come back sometime!

    Jenny P.

    Second visit was still pretty good, just that I felt there was less options compared to the first time I visited.

    Nancy L.

    I came here during off peak hour so there was no wait. The sushi was really great quality for Kaiten sushi, you def get a good value for the price. I really liked the wagyu beef trio and the tuna belly was delicious. The place is spacious and you order through an electronic board and the food will be delivered to your table. Service was great, I will definitely visit again!

    Scallops, salmon and wagyu assorted sushi
    James W.

    Updated review: Great place for conveyer sushi that is freshly made and sent to your table. The conveyer belt system and interior reminds me of Japan. One of my favorite spots that is near my other favorite spot Rol. I love coming here after work on a weekday and it is usually not busy, honestly people are sleeping on this place since the hype died down. The scallops and salmon flights paired with a large cold beer, can't beat it. Plus the ordering system is just fun and makes sense and super easy to use. Pro move is once you are done them head over to tokyo central next door to go shopping. I will keep coming back as the quality is top tier.

    Vanessa T.

    I came with a friend on a weekday for dinner and there was surprisingly no wait. You order from an ipad and the food comes out on a conveyor belt. They have somewhat a variety of items such as nigiri, rolls, etc. We ordered the salmon plate and the tuna handroll. I really enjoyed the handroll and the salmon plate. The handroll seemed fresh and paired well with the green onions. They also use seasoned rice which gives it great flavor without overpowering the fish. I believe its seasoned with vinegar and some kind of umami soup. The salmon plate came with 6 different types of salmon variation nigiri. It was actually very filling and was delicious. The service was nice and friendly. I wouldnt say their reasonably priced, it might be on the pricier side but for the quality...its not that bad.

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    Waka Sakura Reviews in Other Languages

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    Sushi REV

    Sushi REV

    4.2(734 reviews)
    1.3 mi
    Minority-owned & operated
    Kid friendly

    Great quality sushi! We arrived on a Sunday night around 5:30pm, no wait but one side of the…read morerevolving sushi bar wasn't in operation yet since it was during slower hours. We were fine with that and ordered off of the tablet menu. My favorite was the seared salmon and truffle yellowtail! Most standard plates are $3.75. Depending on the sushi, it varies in price!

    I heard the wait time was long during peak hours so I joined the waitlist before I got there…read more Waited only 10 minutes because I went on a solo date to treat myself for a long week. ‍ I was greeted by staff with friendliness and was quickly seated. The area is furnished with wooden decor and lights create a very clean minimalist environment. I ordered some sushi through the iPad but most of what I want came from the conveyor belt. I paired my sushi with a Diet Coke because I was needing some bubbles. I found the rice to sushi ratio amazing with just a small pebble of rice . The rice was also so perfectly cooked and seasoned. I found that my favorite items all included salmon or scallops. Especially the seared nigiri. My only complaint was the mussels because they were the most expensive at $6 for four and they were very disappointing. Slightly fishy and chewy. I like baked mussels but I felt that the mussels were the only item that I felt disappointed I spent money on. I don't like mussels that are tough - baked mussels for me need to be melt in your mouth and slightly firm. These were slightly rubbery and not juicy enough. I would skip the mussels to min/max value. Definitely pricey if you come hungry. Almost everything felt worth every penny. I'm definitely coming back! Be careful though- I spent way more than I intended to because I found myself grabbing more from the conveyor belt. A method I think I'll do next time is just order everything I want on the iPad so at the end I can see the total and I can add or delete based on what I want to spend that evening. I can see everything on one page and deliberate on what items I want the most and delete the rest that don't make the cut. Overall, great experience. 9.2/10

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    Marugame Udon - IG: happyfoodieoc

    Marugame Udon

    4.2(1.6k reviews)
    6.2 mi
    •$$
    Locally owned & operated
    Vegan friendly

    I saw advertisements about the Clam Udon and I was SO EXCITED to try it. I am happy to report that…read moreIT WAS SUPER GOOD. The broth was super clean and light, but still flavorful enough that it didn't taste bland at all. There was also a decent amount of clams, which I appreciated because sometimes seafood udon can feel a little stingy. The clams added a nice briny sweetness to the broth without making it taste overly fishy, and everything felt really comforting and balanced. Definitely one of those bowls that tastes simple in the best way. I'd absolutely order this again, especially if I wanted something warm and satisfying without feeling too heavy afterward.

    One thing about me: I love noodles, and I especially love udon. I'm very particular about my udon,…read moreso I can confidently say Marugame is one of my favorite udon places to visit! I love every udon bowl I get, no matter the broth, but my favorite is definitely the curry udon. I love that you can add so many different toppings to your bowl, and the noodles are always cooked perfectly, never too soft and never too firm. If you're like me and tend to eat a lot, there are also different sizes to choose from, so sometimes I'll go for the larger bowl. You can truly customize your bowl to however you like which is great! If you've never been to Marugame, it's a little different from a traditional sit-down restaurant. You go through the line, tell the employees what you want and then choose your toppings, so your food is ready almost immediately. I'll usually stop here before going shopping, so I love how convenient it is while still receiving excellent customer service. The staff is always super quick about cleaning tables, and I think the inside is super cute and modern. You definitely have to try Marugame if you're an udon lover like me!

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    Marugame Udon - Curry Nikutama - Regular $13.95

    Curry Nikutama - Regular $13.95

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    Waka Sakura - conveyorsushi - Updated October 2026

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