Sakura in Southampton

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

Tasty food and friendly service

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

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

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

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

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!

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.

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

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.

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.

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

Very nice food and excellent service.

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.

Portion of rice tiny compare to meat which they give with... Deserts are with cream from the spray... Food is tasty but nothing ambitious I think it's made for market here in England not original...

To start, the waiting area was two seats by the open door by the bar and freezing so set us up for an average evening from the start. The one in Portsmouth came highly recommended with a lot of dishes we were very interested in, many of them weren't available at this branch. The menu stated they had a separate gluten-free menu, which the staff then told me they didn't have and one of the things I tried to order that said it was gluten-free, wasn't. Thankfully the waitress spotted that before we ate something that was going to make us very ill. They did have gluten-free soy sauce and could accommodate that, which was a genuinely pleasant surprise. The waitress all but slammed our plates on the table when the food arrived, and it was extremely difficult to get anyone for an additional drink or even the bill as they seemed significantly more preoccupied with larger tables. It was alright, I was fed, the food was alright, the price was fair (just short of £60 for two people with 3 starter salads and two sushi mains each with some added sweet tofu and two non-alcoholic drinks). We went elsewhere for desserts and coffee.

Great food. Great service. I will be going again.

Thoroughly enjoyed the food and the atmosphere, especially the lava rolls and the edamame. Raw food was fresh and all dishes were very nicely plated. 10/10 would recommend visiting for good Japanese food!

The best sushi you can find in Southampton. Don’t miss out on the salmon and tuna sashimi, black garlic tonkotsu ramen, lava roll

I live in Portsmouth, where the first branch of Sakura was opened and continues to do a roaring trade to this day. So, on a recent visit to Southampton, I had high hopes for its sister restaurant, and went out of my way to find it. Sadly, everything was just a bit underwhelming. The head waiter was loud and bolshy, which isn't really in keeping with a Japanese ambience. I ordered daikon (radish) maki, and was brought avocado instead. The rolls themselves tasted just slightly less-than-fresh, and weren't particularly pleasant. I could've easily left half of my maki sushi lunch, but too embarrassed to do so, I asked for the remainder of my rolls to be boxed up for takeaway. I was gobsmacked when the waiter appeared a few minutes later to present me with a plastic box and rubber band. I have literally never had to box up my own food for takeaway in a restaurant. No matter; I disposed of it in a skip minutes later. I felt so deflated that I left half a pint of perfectly good Asahi, and left without leaving a tip. I've lived in Japan so I know my sushi...and this wasn't it. So disappointing- there must be better options available in the city.

Amazing food, nice, un-rushed service. I was eating solo as a pre Half-Marathon meal for the annual Southampton races. It was very busy and I hadn't booked but they welcomed me in and asked if I could vacate my table my 8:30, which gave me an hour or so and I was fine with. The menu is very extensive - I opted for a Chicken Karaage - which was by far the best I have had outside of Japan and a salmon and rice dish like a katsu (but with egg instead of a curry sauce). The salmon was amazing, a huge serving alongside a great miso. The food is absolutely delicious and with so much choice, and the service perfect. I would return again and again to try the different options and highly recommend it. If you are thinking of Wagamama's then take the walk here for 100% better food and much better portions

Best sushi in Southampton! Really diverse menu with options for everyone and very reasonably priced. All food was clearly cooked to order and very fresh. I would recommend the yaki Udon and the Gyoza. Will be returning!

Very bad customer service. We felt that we were treated differently because we are not locals. The lady who look like she is in charge is very rude. She told us to wait several times before taking our order when clearly we arrived first. While we are eating she came to us and said “are you finish?” when it is very obvious that we are still finishing our meal. I know they want to have more customers becuase it is a weekend but they should not jeopardize quality service just to earn more. Food is fairly good and wanted to order more but we felt that she wanted us to pay already and leave because there are other customers waiting. Certainly won’t recommend this place.

This place used to be my favourite Japanese restaurant but I hadn't been for awhile. During that time they have changed their menu and I was little dissapinted. They used to have a really wide selection of maki and sushi but that has now been limited to a handful. New dishes, some of them Korean had no descriptions.

Delicious fresh sushi, very reasonably priced. Wonderful attentive friendly service. My favourite sushi restaurant in Southampton.

Food was decent, waiting staff however very rude and dismissing, especially the older lady. Hygiene not the best. I will not be coming back. 👎🏻

One of the female serving us was very rude. The menu given to us was dirty with some fried rice on it. Table looked and feels sticky.

Price is fair, very authentic Japanese dishes. Pay by cash is preferred

Have eaten here a few times now. The food is always absolutely delicious. Best sushi I’ve eaten! The staff are always efficient and friendly, the food always arrives very quickly. Would 100% recommend eating here!

My favourite Sushi restaurant in Southampton. Great food and service. Never disappoints.

Got on uber eats - the most amazing delivery food i’ve ever eaten. Will be buying here every week and definitely visiting in restaurant! Also so fair priced im over the moon.

Such delicious food and the service was quick friendly

They made a snap judgement that we were there to get drunk - (wrong. There are plenty of venues nearby which are much cheaper if we wanted to do that.) Then the service took a turn. They didn't bring out all the courses they promised but still tried to charge us for them. Poor experience.

An absolutely delightful and authentic restaurant in Southampton. Beautiful decoration and swift and graceful service. You are transported to another world. We ordered Tonkotsu Ramen, Teriyaki Salmon, Broccoli Butter, Moriawase Tempura, Sashimi Moriawase, Hanetsuki Duck Gyoza, Tempura Ice Cream and Mochi Ice Cream. Everything was brought out swiftly after ordering and tasted absolutely delicious. One of the beat restaurants for Japanese authentic food. Thank you.

Sakura Southampton Japanese Restaurant exceeded all expectations, providing an amazing dinning experience. From the warm welcome to the authentic ambiance, the restaurant emits a delightful atmosphere. The sushi was fresh and flavourful, and the ramen we had was one of the best we ever had! Absolutely delicious. Sakura Southampton is a must-visit for anyone seeking an outstanding journey through Japanese cuisine.

Came her for my daughter's birthday - staff were great food was amazing. can't recommend it highly enough

1st timers. Had a lovely family meal. Plenty of food & nice people. Diverse crowd which made it more interesting. Would return if in Southampton again. Thankyou.

Amazing experience. Cosy environment, friendly staff and delicious food. Will definitely return.

I had the black garlic tonkotsu ramen with char siu. The broth was very nice and the char siu was good too, the only let down was the ramen noodles itself. Mine and my partners noodles were clumped and stuck together like a block and a bit of my noodles was also undercooked… apart from that I enjoyed my meal still. Had the lychee lemonade drink and that was refreshing.

Really amazing sushi place, authentic and the menu is huge with hot and cold options! very impressed

Wide range of delicious food. Great sake and decent draft beers. If you like Japanese the this place is well worth a try.

The best sushi I have ever had! Such a lovely menu full of tasty and interesting things. Definitely need to come back to try more. And the staff were lovely. Thank you!

Best Japanese food in Southampton,delicious black garlic ramen.will definately be back on our next visit

Sakura Southampton is definitely a hidden gem in Japanese food. The many varieties of dishes served are authentic Japanese cuisine. Most importantly, food are tasty and presentations were very nicely done. Lava Roll and Hell Ramen are the Must try dishes. My wife and I were on holidays in Southampton for 2 weeks and every night, we had our dinner there. Beside the food, we also enjoy the cozy environment and the services rendered by their friendly staffs. Anyone going to Southampton and enjoy Japanese food should include this venue. No regrets!

Really nice food and good services. The hell tonkatsu ramen is the best , and the sushi was amazing especially the lava roll ,spider maki and also the Aburi cheese salmon . The food is serving in big portions. Also getting benefits if you pay by cash. The decoration of the restaurant is also very Japanese style . Overall love it so much. Would definitely come again next time

The restaurant had really terrible food. The restaurant is not proper Japanese, the restaurant is run by Chinese cooks serving Japanese food. In terms of dishes, I was really disappointed with the Kastu chicken, was really sweet and the teriyaki dish had the whole rice dipped in the sauce. Overall really disappointed with the food and the quality. Won’t be coming back

My daughter has spent some time in Japan and she loves this restaurant and it's sushi

Food genuinely excellent. And Japanese can often be disappointing. Atmosphere slightly tired.

Good selection of sushi and great ramen