Sakura
Darian Nastvogel · 41 Google reviewsSakura — solid, no-fuss japanese in Bucktown. Order the Rolls. Presentation matters here, and every dish shows care. Well-priced, owner-operated. Sarah Pimentel: "There is such a large menu, with great prices and if you dine in, the presentation is incredible" [BYOB]
What 201 diners keep saying
This spot has closed for good. Its reviews stay up for the record — the rankings have already moved on.
What 201 diners keep saying
verbatim, from Google
“I dined in at Sakura and had a truly wonderful time. The chef/owner was eager to have us and was very kind. My party and I were unsure what sushi roll to order, so we one by one described to the chef/owner our likes and dislikes & he helped us pick our rolls. The dumplings and sushi were 10/10. The dim lighting also adds to the ambiance & parking was easy to find. I would highly recommend! Give this place a chance :)”
“My friend and I recently found this little gem. The food is always good and the service is great. Def will be returning back here.”
“The owner is very kind, hard working, and professional. The sushi here was 10/10 and service was amazing. This is a hidden gem!”
“Looks deceive My boyfriend and I decided we wanted to have a fun night and get sushi since we hadn’t had it in a while. We searched for a modest joint within walking distance of Logan square. This popped up as an option, so we headed there. Upon entering the place, things seemed very unassuming. A couple of booths, some of which are unavailable because they are used for take out. Dim lighting, old paper menus, and notably empty. We hesitantly sat by down wondering what we had run into. We ordered edamame and thought about leaving once we had finished the appetizer. As we were searching for a new place to go to the owner noticed and came up to us and said “hey I know when you see a place like this and it’s empty, you don’t usually think the stuff is good. But trust me, give us a chance and you won’t be disappointed”. We took him at his word. I order the chirashi which comes with miso soup and my bf order a couple of roles and a deep fried soft shell crab app. One sip of the miso soup and I realized this place was different. I’d never had such rich, flavorful miso soup ever. Even at much “fancier” and most established places. My bf loved his soft shell crab (his first time ever having it) which came with a lovely soy dipping sauce. Then our mains came and we were stunned not only at the apparent freshness of the ingredients but the beautiful display which I’ve attached in the images here. The flavor of the fish and rolls were delicate, flavorful, and unique. We happily devoured and savored the whole meal. The owner came back. “How was it?” “Oh you were so right”. It was hands down some of the best sushi I’ve had in Chicago. The owner is even more generous. As a thank you for taking a chance on the place he gave us some free mochi. He also told us that this establishment has been around for over 15 years and I’m not surprised. Looks can be deceiving but the service and the food speaks for itself here. My boyfriend and I left with our heart very full. Feeling like we had found a little corner of Chicago that was so special it has to be shared with the world. Looking for a chill evening with fantastic food, please please please check out Sakura Sushi Bar. I can’t wait to go again”
“Hidden gem for sure. What can I say to not repeat the others? Sticks to the hand. Ready for sushi? 3, 2, 1...Start eating like a crazy 😁”
“This is truly a hidden gem ❤️ humble little place, food and service was amazing 10 out of 10. You will not be disappointed. I came here to celebrate my son’s birthday. They even brought him a brownie ice cream dessert 🧁 I was not expecting that, that was the icing on the cake for me. I’m a fan! Thank you so much! I will recommend this restaurant to my family and friends. It is BYOB, which is no problem at all.”
“I really liked how cozy this place is, dining area is small and dim, perfect for our dinner date. The host/server was very friendly and honest; disclaimed that ramen dishes would take longer as it’s cooked from scratch. Highly recommend the veggie rolls here!”
“Not sure why there are two names for this location maybe new owners? Heard about this place and walked by it many times so had to try it. The owner was super kind and greeted us on entry and had some recommendations as well as let us know it’s BOYB. The menu was a little tricky to read he said it didn’t print well but it has plenty of options for sushi and some soups and entrees too. I chose the sweet potato sushi to go and he make it in good time. It was a bit warm in the restaurant and it had a very strong fish smell. The sushi itself was also quite warm I’ve never had sushi with warm rice before it’s always been cold or room temperature. The flavor was ok and I didn’t get sick after so it was all good. Overall I can’t say I recommend this place for sushi but the owner was quite nice!”
“One of the worst food and customer service experiences i've had in the city. We couldn't finish due to looking at recent reviews and fear of getting sick. please do not waste your money sadly. As soon as we entered the smell of fish was overwhelming, the wifi was down and we were asked to pay through zelle before we even received the food. The sushi was covered in all sorts of sauces, unable to identify which is which because they all looked the same,also the restaurant has only dark red lighting, i was unable to see much since everything is black. We requested basics on the menu and were told those were unavailable and the chef looked clueless as to what i was asking for. For ex: thai tea, he said he can do in the back to see if there's a packet of what im talking about and he brought out a packet and a cup of milk that tasted and smelled rotten. I was sick the next three days and this is the only place i had went to eat within the time span. These are new owners that i do not think are qualified.”
“Thank you so much Alfredo for welcoming my partner and I to the neighborhood. You showed amazing hospitality 🙏 Drangon roll was amazing!!!! 🙏”
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