Massaki

Just okay. Its a fun dining experience to have the food cooked in front of you but the last couple of times the «chef» hasn’t done too well. No «theatrics» and one even broke an egg onto a friend’s shirt. They didn’t offer to comp her meal or even discount it despite leaving with a visible spot on her clothing… We prefer Sakura in Staunton more for the quality of the food and since the part we usually come for, the cooking, hasn’t been anything special recently.

I have wanted to try this place for quite a while and wS excited when I pulled in around 8:30 Friday night. The place was winding down and I was looking for some good sushi.
Bottom line is that while the sushi is good the price is high for the common rolls (8 small pieces for $ 13) and the service was slow and inattentive.
I was seated at the sushi bar and had to ask 3 people for a menu while the sushi men were idle. Finally got a menu and when my sushi arrived I had to ask repeatedly for chopsticks, napkins and a dipping bowl.
The guy next to me sat down 20 minutes after me had his order taken first but still had no food by the time was asking for my check.
Meanwhile staff is laughing it up with other patrons not actively being served while apologizing to us for how busy it was… Not a good showing and I think it was all about normal for this group.

Great service great food. You are welcomed by the sushi makers as soon as you walk in the door. Loved the experience. Kids welcome

Simultaneously the most average tasting sushi and most expensive sushi I have ever had.

We ordered several items on the sushi menu, as well as a handful of appetizers, for lunch on a slow Monday afternoon. Our hostess was cheerful but our server seemed to be bored and at times mildly annoyed at our presence (as we were one of the only groups there). We started with edamame and shrimp tempura, which were both plentifully portioned, bordering on humongous. Large thick cuts of sweet potato, zucchini, mushrooms, and onions accompanied the shrimp; they were perfectly fried and not soggy in the least, and shatteringly crisp. The edamame, with tough pods and mealy beans, was less impressive, however.
Our main meal consisted of a hodge-​podge of rolls and a side of fried rice (which in Massaki tradition came in a heaping pile on a 10 inch plate). The fried spicy tuna roll was fairly good, but a bit lacking in the spicy department. Yellowfin with scallion was quite good. All in all, a decent sushi lunch in a charming mountain town.

Best Japanese food in Augusta county. Great service, friendly staff. I would just be careful with small kids if you eat on the hibachi side. The chef puts on a little show and fire is involved. It’s really a great restaurant.

This restaurant in my opinion is the very best for a Japanese Steakhouse! I have been to many including some in Newports News, Williamsburg, and Kyoto in Harrisonburg; this hands down beats them all! The price here are better than most and you get so much food. They have the most delicious sushi as well so if you’re not in the mood for Hibachi they have a separate area where you can order sushi. Our favorite is the Phoenix roll with crab and shrimp. For Hibachi their combination dinners are the way to go. You get so much food and the prices tend to be lower than getting just one protein. My favorite part about this place is you get endless amounts of yum yum sauce and can get it to go (perfect for reheating leftovers). The restaurant is very large so you never really wait long although we tend to like to bring large group of friends when we go and make reservation so we can have our own Hibachi grill. The chefs are all hilarious and entertaining. Great for birthdays or celebrations.

Very attentive wait staff. Great chef at hibachi, entertaining, to say the least. Always go with friends for more fun! Food is fresh and has good flavor. Crunchy Crab appetizer is highly recommended!

Terrific food, and a lot of it for the price! Stopped here for dinner while driving up the highway, I have been to many hibachi restaurants and was pleasantly surprised by the quality of food. The atmosphere is not incredibly impressive, but the cook was funny and pleasant and again the food was very good. Again especially considering the price, I was very happy with the amount of leftovers I took with me.

This is my favorite restaurant in Staunton. I am always satisfied with my food. The price is worth it for the portion size. I am always able to take food home. The staff is very friendly. I go there a lot and I have never experienced bad customer service. They are warm, welcoming and friendly. I would recommend this place for any occasion. Great food!

I was headed to a conference in Knoxville, and this was a logical stop on the way down. I was delighted to have an option that was not greasy chain food at this Staunton stopover. It is located right off of I 81 South, on the way to the Presidential Library, so you can easily spend just a rest stop or the whole day in the area.
Enough about the other stuff, it’s time to get down to the nitty gritty! From the moment you step out of the car, you will smell the hibachi. I regretted opting for maki; I’m positively certain the hibachi would have outshone it. I’m also fairly certain that you should go for the nigiri if you’re in a sushi mood. I couldn’t help but wonder how the chef manages in food gloves: I hate health departments that require those. He knew a fantastic truc for handling the rolls using cello before cutting it, and it was a pleasure to watch the construction.
It was particularly busy when I stopped in for lunch, but I got in and out in about an hour. The service dropped the ball a bit, and it was rather chilly in front of the door. I can’t imagine this is a normal problem at all; it’s been freakishly cold here. I wish they had decided upon proper tea cups rather than the saki cups they had. The whole plastic tea set they use was a big turn off; my green tea tasted soapy rather than soothing.
I had a dragon roll and an eel roll. I am a huge fan of eel, and the eel itself did not disappoint. However, the su was a let down. I felt as though the rice was overworked and underseasoned. Usually the vinegar in the su imparts a nice tang, and that was absent here. The pounding the rice took led to a gluteny mess. These are maki that demand soy sauce. I have ever thought that truly good sushi doesn’t need the notes behind the soy sauce, but is enhanced by the addition. Leaving the soy sauce and the wasabi off here was simply not an option. I was unsurprised the the wasabi was just mustard paste. The spicy mayo had no kick. While it’s usually not firey, there generally is a noticeable hot note to it. I felt that the chef was a bit heavy handed with the sauces. I want to be able to taste the fish: it’s the star of the show.
I realise that they are probably catering to local tastes, but I wish there were truer Japanese options. The décor in the restaurant is lovely.
Some reviewers have said that it’s expensive to eat here. I found the prices to be in line with a normal sushi restaurant, and I did think that the value matched the cost. My meal came to $ 21.98 before tip. The hibachi is certainly an affordable option if one is frugal.

How can I not have reviewed this place? It is one of my favorites. We are fairly close by and go several times a year. They have the little «show at the table» on the hibachi grill. I have seen better, and the quality of the show varies with the person doing it. Some of them are really excellent, but all are fun. But the food is always excellent, the service is always outstanding, everyone seems to be smiling and having a great time, and we always enjoy it. There is enough to take home. I love the Vegetable Tempura appetizer. Everybody adores the Yum Yum Sauce. The owner is so nice and seems to be in good control. This place is clearly a keeper.

Really great food and terrific service. The waiter explained the difference between the sushi and hibachi («the show») and helped us make a choice. Close to our route so it was also convenient. A gem.

Best sushi around by far! You don’t need to drive to c’ville for good sushi.
Owner takes real pride in the quality of the fish. Service is good.

I’m a Spicey Girl fanatic! The chefs that prepare the sushi rolls are very talented and friendly! Not only do we go as a family, but my husband enjoys taking his clients there for company dinners. We love the excellent service we receive! Sometimes, we will get a waitress that just isn’t that personable, but isn’t that everywhere? The only truly negative thing I need to point out, are the appetizers. They are a bit pricey for the scant amount of food, at least for what we ordered, but was it good? YES!

Hibachi style restaurants are my favorite and this is the best I have ever been too. Sushi menu is extensive and the house/​special rolls are great. Ingredients are fresh and high quality. Waitstaff is knowledgable and friendly. Chefs are great. We go here any time we are in the area. Yum-​Yum sauce is the best, ask for extra to take home.

excellent food, friendly, fast service, my kids love it (and they eat free on Mondays!) and lunch is a great price on meals and sushi!

Best chirashi I’ve ever had! But, with that said, our waitress left a bit to be desired. She brought my husbands food out 10 minutes before mine (sat the plate down in front of him and walked off, never asking if she could get him anything else) his order was wrong and it took until after I got my order to let her know… I could go on and on. On a good note, all of the other wait staff seemed very attentive and friendly… we just got a bad egg. Overall, the food was good, but the service was not.

One of the best places to eat in Staunton, hands down. Mangers, chefs, staff are all very nice. Food is excellent. Try the Pizza Roll from the sushi menu, it’s amazing!

Overpriced. Sushi was not great. Sorry, not going back. Wait staff and chef were super friendly though. They get my one star!