Sakura Japanese Restaurant & Sushi Bar

Tried Sakura on Thursday after hearing about a friend’s great experience. Unfortunately mine left a lot to be desired.
Right off the bat walking in I loved the décor. It really screams that you are in a Japanese restaurant. We were sat and there were a few other tables. Service was kind of slow and it was definitely before the dinner rush. Seemed like one server was running the whole show, waiting tables, answering the phone, and seating guests.
A friend and I ordered three rolls to split. I always get a spicy tuna roll– my absolute fave (basic I know), a rainbow roll, and shrimp tempura roll. The wait on the rolls seemed excessive for the amount of tables. We waited about 30 minutes and then had to rush to make it to the Pacers game. I know next time to set aside more time.
The big turn off was the rolls were not served with a complimentary soup and salad like many other sushi restaurants around town. Our server explained that is only at lunch. The spicy tuna roll tasted warm like it had been sitting out for awhile which was really disappointing. The other two rolls were sooooo big– biggest rolls I’ve ever had. Which to some is a good thing but I literally had to cut mine in half and lost some of the sushi experience.
I will definitely give this place another try– most likely at lunch for the complimentary soup and salad. We did order clear soup to start and it was very good. But caution! Soooooo hot. Burnt my tongue even after letting it sit. Hoping that other sushi on their menu next time can make up for possibly my poor choices in ordering!

Sakura has very pretty tasty sushi, with a lot of variety on the menu. The quality of there fish is very good as well. They make their rolls slightly different than I’m used to, but they’re still quite yummy. The restaurant is a little cramped, and the wait can be long, but the service is decent and the price isn’t astronomical. If you’re looking for a casual restaurant to grab some good sushi, then I recommend trying this place out.

This place is my favorite sushi place in Fort Wayne. In my experience, the fish has always been fresh and of a high quality. My only complaint, which actually applies to most Japanese places in the town, is that they don’t offer large bottles of Asahi beer. I know what you’re saying, just buy two bottles of small Asahi beer, but it’s just not the same!

Great sushi rolls! Enjoyable time with friends. Large portions. Definitely worth a trip to eat there.

Wait was too long.

Excellent authentic Japaneese restaurant. BEST sushi in the Midwest ! Also enjoyed the lobster and the service This is going to be a regular one for us to visit. You will not be disappointed try the relaxing and enjoyable atmosphere

Best sushi I’ve ever had. Seriously world class sushi and pretty much all other items on the menu. Servers are SO nice and fun always!

I grew up in California surrounded by all you can eat sushi places. I was so bummed when I moved to Fort Wayne. Most of the sushi places had very poor presentation, flavor, and atmosphere; until I tried sakura. I was a tad worried when I arrived due to the restaurant being semi hidden by the adjacent dry cleaners but it was extremely different when you walk in. it’s like walking into Japanese culture! I’m in love with the atmosphere here! I’m in love with the chefs display of the food! I’m most definitely totally in love with the fish! I can’t stop raving about this tiny amazing sushi goldmine. So happy my husband and I found it!

I adore Sakura. I’m from Chicago, but now live in Ft. Wayne. This is the most consistently good sushi place in the area. It is always clean & inviting. The. Staff. Is knowledgeable & friendly. The sushi chefs are good about custom requests, like ««hold the eel» or «no avocado ». Not always perfect, of course, but a consistent, dependable, clean, nice place. Wish they had more seasonal specials, and tried some new things. Tokyo Roll is a standout and so is the Dragon Roll.

Not only favorite sushi in Fort Wayne. Maybe favorite restaurant period in Fort Wayne!

Went with a group of 8 from work on lunch. The place was busy but they squeezed us in a long booth. It was elbow to elbow but it was better than waiting twenty minutes for two tables. I ordered Saporro and a small sake. When all of the drinks were brought to the table, I got my hot sake but no cup for it. Was I to just drink out of the vase? So as my sake got cold, I finally found the opportunity to ask for a cup. Server didn’t even apologize. I ordered the steak hibachi and the server didn’t ask me how I wanted my steak cooked. She just moved on to the next person. I’ve never seen that before, nor did she ask me which soup I wanted as I wasn’t even aware soup came with the lunch portion. Well she brought out the clear soup for me anyway which is what I would have ordered to begin with so I won’t complain… too much. Well my food came and it did taste quite good. Not as good as hibachi steak from Koto which I had recently. I guess they are owned by the same people though! At any rate, I left with a full stomach and food was good. Serviced kind of sucked though!

Great sushi and service. I love the atmosphere at this restaurant too. Excellent.

The waiter was impatient and pushy. The salad very wet iceberg lettuce with a tasteless goo on top. Definitely not my first (or second) choice for sushi in the Ft Wayne area. The roll I ordered was heated clear through and topped with a cooked (canned tasting) salmon paste.

I love Sakura. I lived in Fort Wayne for 12 years and this was my go-​to place for 10 of those — basically ever since I first actually tried sushi. I think it’s perfect for a variety of dining situations — quick lunch during work, dinner with the family any night of the week, carry-​out to eat at home, or eating with a big group for any meal. I can count the number of times I’ve had to wait for a table on one hand, and I’ve never waited more than 5 – 10 minutes those times. They are very quick, but I’ve never felt like they’ve been hurrying me to order/​eat/​leave.
As for the food, where to begin? I’ve had sushi in a variety of cities (read: places that have easier access to fresh seafood) and I think the freshness and quality are 100% comparable. Having been so many times, I of course have my favorites, but I’ve tried so many things and have never been disappointed. The beef negimaki (beef tenderloin wrapped around scallions and served in some sort of teriyaki sauce) is excellent as an appetizer. Sometimes I default to the Rolls Combination with Spicy Tuna, Spicy Salmon, and Spicy Yellowtail (only if I’m really hungry, because it comes with miso soup and salad at lunch, too), other times I just go with one of the special rolls. I’d recommend the Hoosier Roll (once a Hoosier, always a Hoosier), Kamakaze Roll, or Tokyo Roll, but the Fire Island, Rainbow, and Rock Roll are great as well. The fried rice they have as a special is a great deal.
Basically, I don’t think you can go wrong here. It has set the bar for my sushi preferences, all around.

I like Sakura slightly better than Asakusa. I’d give it 5 stars compared to other Fort Wayne restaurants, but I have had better sushi in bigger cities.

My wife and I tried the Edammami as an appetizer and had Tokyo Rolls as an entrée. I was still pretty hungry and so we also split a Black Diamond Roll (which hasn’t made it onto their permanent printed menu yet, but will be soon).
Wow!
As my wife and I both exclaimed, I think we have a new favorite!
Without being too shameful in making comparisons:
This was my 3^rd time ever eating sushi. The first 2 times, being at Asakusa (I wasn’t overly impressed).
I have to say, I think I enjoyed Sakura more as a restaurant and eatery.
It wasn’t as crowded, cluttered or rushed as Asakusa. It made the dining experience much more friendly!
The waiter/​manager who helped us was amazingly friendly and patient. He kept an eye on our needs the whole time.
We’ll be regular lunch attenders!

Defo the worst Japanese food I’ve had on this side of the pond. Too salty, greasy, over spiced, over priced. Oh yeah… slow as all hell, too.
Don’t think you could pay me enough to go back again.

I ate here last Saturday for lunch. Good lunch specials, where you can pick 3 rolls for $ 10.95 with a soup/​salad. There is a cheaper option for 2 rolls. Did not think the sushi was terrible like the last reviewer, just average as expected for the Fort Wayne area. Tasted perfectly fine for a healthy, clean lunch. Nice décor inside; but from the outside it looks like it is always closed.

The sushi here has always been the freshest and melts in your mouth. I’ve always experienced a friendly server or cashier whether dining in or getting it to go. Sakura also offers a separate dining nook that complete with taking off your shoes makes for a unique dining experience.

Woooooooooooooooooooooooow! The sashimi here is comically bad — in fact, so was the miso soup, and the salad. I hadn’t eaten all day and it was still terrible.
I don’t even need to review this — the fish had a weird flavor, even the drink was flat…
One good point was the traditional sitting area they had as a separate dining room.