Sakura in Southampton

The food is so good, I love the sukiyaki and the maki’s. Lovely staff and environment too

The staff are extremely friendly, the food came quickly, and everything tasted incredibly good. I would post pictures but unfortunately as soon as any dish we ordered arrived I just ate it! I'll attach pictures next time, but for now just know that I'll definitely be coming back!

Nice Japan Sushi & Tempura food🥰

Great service and awesome Food. The katsu curry don is the best I’ve had in the UK

Good service, reasonably priced

Best sushi in town, amazing staff and service!

Great spot and great food. Sushi and ramen were delicious. Large portion sizes. Restaurant was extremely busy the night we went and staff were all lovely.

I love it so much And I love the service ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Whenever I want to dine out and want the best quality Japanese food I always come here! Even when I befriend someone new, I highly recommend this place to them and try to drag them here 😆 The food is always delicious and the prices are worth both the portion and quality.

My wife and my adult sons have been before, my first time. All good

Food tasted womderful, it came out quick and was served hot. staff were friendly and I got seated quickly despite not having a reservation

Great food! The food is delicious with so many things to choose from. Very welcoming too.

Wonderful restaurant, so peaceful and the food was delicious

Everything was fantastic. The waitress was really good with their recommendations. The lava roll was fantastic!

Just loved it, you know it's good when Japanese people eat in there themselves

I recently visited Sakura with my friends, but unfortunately, we had a very unpleasant experience. We wanted to sit at a larger table because we knew that a small table wouldn’t be enough for us. However, the owner repeatedly told us that we could only sit at a larger table if we ordered a lot of food, and his attitude was quite cold and unwelcoming. In contrast, when a group of British customers arrived, he greeted them warmly, engaged in friendly conversation, and even checked on them during their meal to ask how everything was. None of this hospitality was extended to us. The difference in treatment was very obvious and made us feel uncomfortable. A restaurant that treats customers differently based on who they are is truly disappointing. We won’t be coming back and wouldn’t recommend it to other Chinese customers.

Was in Southampton for the weekend and ended up going twice it was that good. Highly advise the pork donburi and the tonkostu ramen

terrible service and horrible food

The environment is interesting, quite Japanese. The service was quick and good, but the beer was not so tasty and also the food was not delicious.

Lovely food, good service and decent prices

My fav place to go, I go here at least twice a month. The food is great, the team is great and I have never ever had a bad experience here. I love the Crab handroll and the deep fried prawn gyozas and I have it everytime!!! Plum wine is so good and I love to buy the bottle!

My favourite sushi place in Southampton! Always so fresh and tasty.

The best food, the best service and very quick. professional staff and no wonder why it fills up so quick. This place is the best authentic food and the best customer service All my family comes here and have been revisiting for years. I can’t wait to introduce more people to come here

Such a lovely place. All the details are just right.

Beautiful food! Had a lovely evening, staff were very accommodating

Ate here yesterday and I’m pretty sure me and my partner now have food poisoning. We have both been extremely unwell today, and noticed yesterday our chicken starter was slimy/gooey but ate it anyway.. we have eaten in here previously many times and always enjoyed, however this time after being unwell I don’t think we will be returning.

If you love sushi this restaurant is a must.

Very good portion on their set meal. Huge chunks of teriyaki salmon and every component well made. Thanks 😊

The restaurant itself is nicely decorated and the service OK but the food isn’t good. All fried food was very greasy and the Tempura thick and stodgy. I wouldn’t recommend for the items we had.

Always love coming here, the food is amazing and service is great

Food was amazing and the elderly gentleman waiter was so helpful with food suggestions and very polite. Food came quickly was well presented and tasted fantastic. Would definitely go back and recommend.

We went to Sakura a few days ago and the place seemed nice. However, when our food was served we were attacked by a swarm of fruit flies. We had to fight the flies that sat on our sushi. We didn’t want to say anything at the time but my son is now dealing with severe diarrhoea. Being sick because of food poisoning just before Christmas is awful. They clearly had some type of infestation and they kept the restaurant open serving food. That’s horrible! We are now waiting in the middle of the night for a call from the GP. I would never eat there again! And I would advise anyone who decides to eat to Sakura to leave the restaurant immediately if they see flies or any other sign of pest infestation. These guys are handling raw fish, serving sushi and sashimi and they don’t care about health and safety. Appalling! It’s not worth to put your health at risk.

Authentic and delicious food, immaculate service and feels like you're in Japan! Highly recommend, especially the set meals

Went for dinner with a friend. Sushi came out and within 5 minutes, there was a swarm of 5-10 flies that just kept coming and flying around and on the sushi. I told the waitress who was serving us that there are flies around and she came and started shooing them away rather than making an effort to do something about this seriously concerning issue. I then requested to move tables and she hesitated before agreeing after I insisted a second time. We moved to another table, they brought our food and the flies shortly followed thereafter. I felt sick and couldn’t eat anymore. When she came back, I told her the flies all over our food is unacceptable and she said we’re the only table that had flies, no other table, and that we brought them with us. Taken aback by her response, I reiterated that it just isn’t acceptable and most of the sushi was untouched because of this. My friend took away her food (cooked food that the flies didn’t really approach) and she asked if we wanted to take the sushi and I said of course not. She came back with our bill, with nothing reduced or removed and no amendments made to rectify this atrocious food safety risk. I reiterated again that this should not happen and she once again said that it was only us experiencing this and made a joke that we’re wearing perfume that smells sweet. I said I’ve come here several times and this has never happened, and said I won’t be returning again. She took payment with no apology or acknowledgment of the issue, no rectification, and yes I will surely not be returning and am frankly concerned for the food hygiene in this place. I should’ve noticed the 4 star hygiene rating before entering (which I imagine should be lower…) Otherwise, other wait staff seemed friendly and smiled, but still would never ever return at the risk of eating something bad. I took a video near the end where you can see 1/4th of the flies around us flying on the table and food (having calmed down at this point in comparison to the entire 40 minutes we were there). Honestly regret not just getting up and leaving then and there. Horrible experience, and a shame because this place used to be one of the better ones around. (Added pics with flies circled in case the video doesn’t load)

Ordered through uber eats. So fresh so good and delivered quickly and really well. Thanks!!

Very high-quality, authentic food.

The atmosphere was perfect. Besides, food was delicious too.

Going to the theatre, looking for somewhere to eat and we love the Southsea one, they were super quick with the food and was delicious as I knew it would be, we were rushing as didn't have much time, told them and they were so quick and helpful, our go too place to eat

Went for a meal before the theatre. Amazing! Will be back.

Felt authentic, food was good, service was patchy and the menu (800+ items?) was sprawling with no real clarity so maybe research before you go?

International students should not come here. I’m really angry. I brought a bottle of water in today, but the service staff had a very bad attitude and said that I was not allowed to take a sip. I ordered noodle soup, but there were actually worms in it. I took the noodle away and said that I would go to the kitchen to check it out, so I was cheating. Fortunately, I took a photo in advance to confirm that it was a bug. After ignoring people for a long time, I went to ask and explained that it was caused by the weather. Isn't that just bugs? Bullying of international students will not be reported here. If you really want to eat at this restaurant, you must be careful with every bite and look twice before eating to avoid getting bugs into your stomach.

Staff member was not knowledgeable about ingredients used in dishes, even telling us to ignore the allergen symbols next to dishes on the menu because they aren't accurate. We were using them to gauge if any dishes were or could be made vegan as we had 2 in our party who were vegan. However, if you actually have allergies, do NOT rely on those symbols. We ordered a rice bowl which did not have a fish symbol on the menu but it came with fish roe (mentaiko). Please be careful in the restaurant if you have allergies. At the time of booking, their website said they have a veggie menu but there was no such menu. It is not vegan friendly at all. Of course, we don't expect every restaurant to cater for all dietary requirements but we came here because they seemed to offer a variety of vegan dishes (their website saying they can accommodate and even advertising vegan specials on their social media, but it didn't seem like any were available/advertised to us while dining in). We were a family of 5, with only 1 being a man. The staff member was also quite involved in our dining for some reason, saying it's good to have a young man in the group to finish off food, while he was finishing the remaining part of a kewpie mayo mentaiko rice bowl which his sister did not enjoy at all. Note that he didn't particularly like it either but was just helping to not waste food. The staff member also commented on what the 2 vegans ordered, repeatedly saying it wasn't enough food and they must definitely still be hungry. I don't think it's a server's place to comment how much the customers are eating? The amount of money spent per person in the party was relatively equal so it's not like the vegans didn't eat anything at all... If there were sufficient vegan options then trying to find/make more dishes wouldn't have been a problem.

Went as a party of 12 tonight, and had a lovely time! The food was delicious, and the staff members were kind! Especially the gentleman serving us! We will certainly be coming back again! Thank you!

Great place to visit with friends. Felt quaint and cosy. Will definitely return.

Love this place. Food is always amazing. Hell Miso Ramen is lovely. Sashimi and sushi is beautiful too. All other dishes I've tried I highly recommend!

I’ve reviewed before and adored this restaurant. The food is AMAZING. Been visiting for many years and will continue to. However, I’m leaving a low review because one staff member has been rude to my party and I on more than occasion. It’s the middle aged female waitress who wears glasses. Always rude and blunt, got my order wrong because she wasn’t listening then got weird with us when we objected, and she’s extremely stingy with giving takeaway containers. I understand that buying tupperware is expensive but it shouldn’t be seen as an inconvenience when I pay for 3 figure bill. To the owner of Sakura, do something about this employee!

Lovely Japanese restaurant. The food was served very quickly and it was very tasty and nice. The only problem was we needed to wait 25mins to be able to order as the whole staff went on break to have dinner. Otherwise it would have been all good.

TL;DR: Great place to go for a dine out with friends or partners. Delicious food and reasonable prices. Service was also good. Went there with my partner for a nice dinner, and we were pleasantly surprised. From beginning to end, the staff was very friendly and helpful. They regularly checked on us to make sure everything was ok and helped us decide the best courses for our special night. Their portions are very good and the food isn't expensive. My partner went for the Chicken Curry Yakisoba and I Had a Salmon Temaki with Takoyaki and the Mixed tempura. My partner also absolutely loved their Mango Asahi. Absolutely no flaws on the food. Seriously. And to finish the night, we had matcha ice cream and matcha ice cream mochi (all I can say is🤩) We will definitely be coming back when we get the chance.

Lovely food !!! Absolutely love the yaki soba , one of the best I’ve ever had.

Friendly staff who checked on us regularly. Food was good. Nice atmosphere.

Wow! Really authentic and delicious Takoyaki 😁

Just go...the food is soooo good, fresh and beautifully prepared

This is a gem in the middle of town and well worth a visit. The food is excellent and the service is warm friendly and very efficient. They are very kind to my daughter and we will return for more great food.

Best sashimi in southampton. Ramen is also very good, though noodles are not as fresh as can be. Make sure to book ahead as its super popular! Warm japanese vibes.

Always a great experience. Amazing sushi Tasty ramen Great service in a large group.

Friendly staff. Order from most popular menu it is delicious. Hell ramen noodles is highly recommended if you like spicy noodles.

Great tasting food, a totally new experience Japanese dining for me, waiting staff very friendly and helpful in making choices.

I booked a place for 4 people, including a 1yo. The staff were so friendly and helpful throughout. The food was just wonderful! Personal favorites were the lava rolls, dragon rolls and salmon fried rice! Very highly recommend!

Where can I start? Sakura is such a great place to have Japanese favourites and more. The food is fresh and tasty and fair on prices. I absolutely love meal sets that include, rice, tempura, salad, soup, sushi and so much more. This is my winter go to spot. You will leave warm and your heart full. My favourite waiter is Chen, he is the loveliest guy in the world!

The waitresses here are racist，racist，racist. We called the young waitress three times, but she pretended not to hear. We even put our hand in front of her face, and for the last time we said with disdain that someone else had come to serve you. My friends and I will never come to this store again.

Very nice service and delicious food for reasonable price

Absolutely amazing food. The best Japanese food I've ever had and at such a reasonable price, it does not compare to any other places/chains I've tried. The menu is also very large and varied, which allows you to pick the exact specific dish you like. The service was really nice and direct, without the obnoxious parts like checking on the table every 5 minutes. I felt taken care of, but not bothered at all. The atmosphere is also amazing, with both the outside and the inside having lots of japanese-style decor. It's cozy, pleasant and very interesting to look at. 10/10 I recommend

Had a very lovely time in here. I was served the second I walked in and ordered as soon as I was ready. The restaurant is fully decked out in japanese decor which set a great tone for the meal. The food tasted perfect and filled me up without leaving me feeling fat and gross. And to top it off I was genuinely shocked by how low the bill was when i recieved it. Great place 10/10

I have been here a few times and have always had excellent food

Pressure to buy more food, and spend more money. They particularly seemed annoyed that we got soft drinks rather than wine - which made us suspect the mark up was very high

Love this restaurant. Authentic Japanese atmosphere. Good food and service.

Lovely little place for lunch! There’s on street pay & display parking right outside or a multi-storey right behind. Service was brilliant, the lady who took our order was so friendly and helpful and was very attentive throughout our lunch. They’re also very attentive with allergies and made sure to separate things out or recommend alternatives. We definitely ate with our eyes and ordered more than we could finish but everything was delicious! Lovely decor inside and great location with decently priced food!

Very nice place to grab Japanese food in Southampton, both take away and dine in is enjoyable!! Very recommended.

Such a quaint little restaurant and I love it. The food is top notch and the guy in charge is the best kind of crazy. Will definitely be going back.

I like Japanese cuisine, but it's not the same. Thank you

Absolutely beautiful Japense food. We all enjoyed our choices. I had the Hell Ramen with pork ribs. Beautiful and spicy. Will definitely return soon. If you are looking for authentic Japanese food with friendly efficient staff in a relaxed informal setting, this is for you. If you are looking for a formal dining experience maybe not. We thought it was great.

Lovely food, absolutely great service and food prepared very quickly. Had an absolutely amazing time and very reasonably priced.

Very good food, with no wait times, and huge portions.

Great place, with amazing service, better priced than Wagamamas and the food was amazing. We got 2 mains, 2 sushi rolls, portion of gyozas and 2 drink and came to £55

Tasty food and friendly service

Nice place for a date. Booths are nice and private. Food was good although drinks were limited (no vodka).

Good food, good price, good looking old man 😜😜

Incredible food and incredible sexy waiter! Very friendly. Delicious food. You must visit, you won’t be disappointed! 😘😘😘💪

Our family and friends are regular visitors at Sakura as the food is genuine to the Japanese cuisine - it never misses! Cheng always completes the atmosphere and ensures our requests are met. You can tell how hard he tries to accommodate all guests at the restaurant. We love to come here after Church on Sunday but also to celebrate birthdays!

As usual, best oameni and sushi in town. Always a pleasure comming here, I do apologies if we were to loud last time.

Best ramen i have tried ever very tasty and very natural for sure i am going to try again and again

Booked booth but it was given away because ‘very busy’ - not professional ! Waited 30 mins to order. Not going back.

The food is always good..never fails. We come either for lunch or dinner but most fir lunch almost every weekend.

I have been to this AMAZING restaurant for 5 years now and always do my birthday there as well. The only problem is the new Menu and I'm not sure why they changed it as old one was perfect marketing wise.

We go to Sakura at least once a month for a great meal and great value. Their katsu curry is always one of our recommendations and the staff are polite and courteous.

Kind staff, delicious and cheap Japanese food. Love their fried chicken, sushi and fried Yaki noodles!

Delicious sushi and ramen at a very reasonable price. The staff were attentive and polite. Couldn't fault our visit here.

good restaurant , nice ambience and awesome food. It is a bit expensive though

As someone who enjoy sushi so much that it's their favourite food, I have gone around Southampton in search of the nicest place to get it from. Sakura has a wide selection of not just sushi but other food, ramen and bento boxes and fried foods, with a really nice atmosphere and friendly staff. All of the ingredients are amazing and fresh, and the selection is great too at reasonable prices. I would highly recommend going there.

Great quality food, good money for value! Staff very friendly, food served very efficiently. We sat at the back of the restaurant which was louder and hotter, so may request to sit in the front part next time. Went on Saturday night, we managed to get the last non-booked table, so booking recommended.

Very nice food and excellent service.

Food is delicious! You can feel Japanese vibe there. Price are low and portions are very big! Highly recommended!

First time we visited here was an experience I will not forget, great customer service and sat us in one of the booths and the food is fantastic! We shared a pork broth ramen as well as Californian maki which was full of flavour! Lava rolls were also delicious and we also shared a plate of mixed tempura seafood and vegetable. Highly recommend a mango asahi beer as well loved that! The man who served us was so friendly and polite. We visited recently for a 2nd time as we were so impressed with the food and we ordered the same as last time and was not disappointed although my only disappointment was we were not allowed to be seated in the booths even though there were some available we were quite abruptly told there was none. (Personally I think that’s my fault as you can book a booth online and we just arrived as it was a last minute plan) But don’t let that change your mind about coming here, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND you come and try this lovely restaurant out.

Amazing restaurant, the food was delicious and we were served very quickly. The booths are lovely and feel very private and the restaurant has a nice quiet atmosphere, doesn't feel too crowded or loud like other places. The staff are very friendly. I would definitely come back here again :)

Love this place. I always have the same things as shown in my picture. Service can be a bit slow to start with we waited 20 minutes to even get a drinks order

Absolutely the BEST Japanese restaurant I've visited. The food honestly always makes my tummy happy. The staff are always so helpful and happy to greet customers. Food is always high quality and there's so much choice!

Amazing food and excellent services

Food was delicious and good portions, but the customer service is terrible, staff kept trying to take my plates off my table even though we haven’t finished the meal, was rushed to leave the restaurant when they let us order 20mins before they close for the afternoon. They closed at 3 and didn’t let us stay to finish our food which we paid £75 for. They should have not let us in if they expect us to finish the food in 10 mins. The staff was so rude and no matter how good the food is im not coming back to eat here again, shame as it is the best sushi in town.

Such an amazing restaurant! The sushi here is amazing, so fresh and lovely. The staff are super helpful and friendly and the food is so good! My friends and I like to get a bit of everything and share and there is nothing bad I can say about any of it! Would highly recommend coming here.

Probably one of the best Japanese restaurants I’ve been too, they are very kind and always there if you’ll ever need anything there menu has such a large variety with so many options as well as this my partner is a bit picky so will order sushi with a request of some stuff being removed and they are happy to comply very kindly, they have wonderful environment.I go pretty much once a month and sometimes more.