Good sushi, but rude management. I went to DaRuMa last night and came in to a crowded bar area. A man at the corner seat at the right side (sushi bar) was leaving and offered me his seat. I was there for about 5 minutes and a hostess came over and said (with a blank face), "That seat is reserved. My manager told me to tell you that." No apology and no offer of an alternative seat, even though the entire right side of the bar was vacant. I've been to DaRuMa many times and have sat in that same location - it's never been described as reserved. Plus, I took the seat from a man who had been sitting there. I was angry and embarrassed - it almost felt like they were asking me to leave. Awkward situation very poorly handled by the manager and hostess. I should have left then, but it was late and I was hungry so waited while a couple at the "unreserved" part of the bar paid their check and took one of their seats. I was there for about an hour and the supposedly "reserved" seat was never occupied. I was furious. Neither the hostess or manager ever stopped by to be sure I found a seat or to explain why the "reserved" seat was never filled. I said something about this to the hostess and manager on the way out and got a very insincere "Sorry, ma'am. The people who reserved it never showed." The food was good but the manager and hostess were rude and condescending - even after the fact. I would consider myself somewhat of a regular there, as I live close by and enjoyed the food and atmosphere, but I will NOT go back. I have never been treated so dismissively in a restaurant. The manager and hostess absolutely do not have a customer service mindset and are a poor representation of what I thought DaRuMa was supposed to stand for. read more

I've had spotty service here, however the food more than makes up for it. The ambiance is so romantic, great place for a date. The food, while pricey, is excellent. I have always sat by the hibachi, never table side, and the chefs are always friendly and entertaining. I look forward to every return visit. read more

I started coming to this restaurant again because they improved the pricing and the food is ok. Tonight we were seated right under an ac vent and we were freezing. I had long sleeves and a sweater and still felt frozen from the blast of cold air. We told the server who said he would tell the manager. No follow up. We requested a manager and a guy came who said he was the manager and would see what he could do. Then another guy, apparently the manager, came and treated us horribly. He had a bad and dismissive attitude. The kicker was when he told us sarcastically that we were not freezing because "freezing is when you have ice and snow and you are having frostbite." No... Freezing is when you blast freezing ac air onto your customers, bad service is when your trivialize it and don't give a damn and being a smart ass is what he did. We left and are NEVER, EVER coming back. There are other hibachis in town. To Nikki's answer: did you read my review? It says that this happened "tonight". Perhaps the reason that you have another older review that mentions the same awful manager negatively is because you give cookie cutter copy-pasted responses instead of actually addressing the problem. Good luck with your "manager." read more

We went there on Valentine'd Day and it will be our last visit. First they couldn't find our reservation. They had spelled our last name wrong and found it only because they were able to match it up with the phone number they had for us. Before both my husband and I had 2 sips pf soup they were clearing the bowls. Same thing happened with the salad as well as the rest of the meal. Part of the reason we go is also for the entertainment by the chief. There was NO entertainment from the chief. Barely even a smile.One customer asked for the dessert menu and was told there was no dessert tonight since they had over 500 reservations! The only thing we waited for was the check! We had to wait a good 15 min. for that. There are plenty of good Japanese restaurants in the area and I would highly recommend going to a different one. Also the price was high for the quality of food. read more

Food was excellent. Service was good. Had waitress that had a rough manor but she didn't bother us. Still gave good tip. Food was great

When I went here I was confronted with a sushi menu almost totally filled with loads of tempura and cream cheese, foods I am allergic to. I can't eat tuna, so I substitute it with salmon. Well, guess what, they couldn't substitute it! The food was quite a bit bland, and they should call their spicy shrimp roll a mild shrimp roll. To make matters worse, they got one of our orders wrong and we had to sit around for another 10 minutes. Oh, one last thing, later on that night I felt extremely nauseous and I almost threw up! I highly recommend that you DON'T go to this restaurant. read more

Was surprised with the inside when I walked in the door. Best hidden location in Sarasota. Loved the bar and of course the piano bar. My new fav place. read more

Last night we had the worst service ever at Daruma's! Waited 40mins to be seated from when we had reservation then waited 20mins for drinks. Then by the time we got soup & salad are food was already halfway done. There was no one busting are table for dirty glassware or bowls so we had to stack all are dirty stuff behind us on the floor. We had to keep asking the cook if we could get refills on are drinks. My boyfriend went and spoke to manger and she was very unprofessional saying they had to many large parties and was Understaffed.. which wasnt true. We had a party of 9 for my boyfriend's moms birthday. So after he said something to the manger the only thing she did was comp a ten dollar dessert on a six hundred dollar bill! She didn't even come over to are table to apologize for the lack of service. Are dinner experience at DaRuMa's sucked! My boyfriend has been eating here sense they were located at the quaye for the past 15 years. He said that he probly will not be going back now that it's under new management. read more

This was the most uncomfortable dinner experience I have ever had. We were a party of two seated with a party of five adults, none of which were even remotely interested in engaging with us - not so much as a hello or how are you - not to mention the five children jumping around and playing with their devices. I realize it is not the responsibility of the restaurant to "match-make", but please do not seat large family parties only interested in their own celebration with people interested in mingling and talking with others. The other party came in minutes behind us, yet we were seated and told they were delayed. I suspect they were not happy to be seated with us since not a one of them would even make eye contact with either of us. Over one hour later the chef appeared with great food, and we were compted drinks for our wait, but it was still a disappointing experience. If you are going to spend $50+/pp, go with a group you know. Disappointing for those of who are new to the area and would like to be social. As for those people sitting with us, we wish you happy birthday but- )*$&# YOU! read more

Boom! WOW. I didn't think you could get this quality here in SW Florida. I was shocked. It was fantastic I recommend the duck, steak and lobster All were fantastic and the chef was fun Keep up the good work read more

Don't go unless you like to be cursed at and ridiculed by the restaurant manager. I had to complain to the manager that the waiter had our credit card for 20 minutes and was no where to be found. I had a cab waiting for me outside and I was late. I finally had to get a hostess to track down the waiter who had the cards just sitting in the back. My tone was professional at all times throughout the process. When I got back to the table with the waiter and my credit card, the manager, Ron Butine approached me and told me, "Don't ever F**king come back here again." Later he went on to call me a "loser" and told me that he didn't have time for "people like me." read more

If you want to have the most amazing Japanese food of your life, eat here. It is relatively pricey. It seems the prices gradually increase every time I decide to go (I don't go often for this reason alone) but it's great for special occasions. The chefs cook the food in front of you and do a fantastic job putting on a show and engaging guests throughout the duration of your meal. read more

One of our favorite places, we always sit at the bar and have a great dinner! Sean, Scott and Jason always take great care of us. The food has always been excellent . Never disappointed! Very relaxing atmosphere . read more

First time = last time...only positive was that the staff was friendly...but, it's dark and dirty...when you sit at the chef's table...they cram 10 people together. Not enough room. Lots of kids, eck! Alcoholic drinks were watered down, food was marginal, & their "yum yum sauce" ? No flavor at all! Absolutely not worth 80.00 for two people... I just don't understand why people rave about this place? read more

Very good! Love the Chilean Sea Bass and the fact that there are so many meat options for the teppan yaki. It is also absolutely beautiful inside the restaurant as well. By far the nicest teppan yaki resturant I have ever been to! read more

I've been here three times in the last year. The first time going the hibachi was so wonderful that I just KNEW the next time I had family in town I'd be excited to bring them. When I had a friend visit we came. While the food was fantastic our chef seemed bored or angered that he was working. My protein was not cooked to medium as requested but made overdone. The chef said I wanted it this way... I've never eaten my steak well done. And I thought I'd get shrimp with my rice like all the other guests... it seemed as though he ran out? * and the final time going .... they got my order completely wrong and also served N.Y. strip while being told it's sirloin. I watched as they blended the sirloin with my my that I didn't order "stretch" it and then divided this between 3 patrons...(one ordered sirloin) and then arguing with the "manager" about it. Then being told I would be comped for 2 of the 6 entrees only to see a $4 credit to the bill instead. The food is great if you don't mind overpaying for things you didn't order read more

We love going here for special occasions. The food is great and the environment is a lot of fun. We always seem to get the same cook at our table and he's awesome. I definitely recommend this restaurant! read more

Their food is always good! A lot of my friends when they want to go out for a good meal come here :) I love how they cook the food in front of you. :) I have 4stars because I can't eat all of the food they give - I think it's crappy they charge you an extra plate if you want to share your food. read more

Let's start with the positive - the house salad had plenty of dressing which was quite tasty. That's it. Otherwise, the food was between mediocre and poor, the service was a combination of haphazard, slow and non-existent. Hot appetizers were delivered 20 minutes apart, so a couple in our party were done before the others were served. Two in our party never received their dinner at all. The manager claimed he was short three staffers, but with the restaurant mostly empty, they should have been able to cope. His response to this debacle was woefully short. Could this place be on the verge of going out of business? read more

Amazing service last night for my son's birthday! We have 5 severe allergies and the manager did not have an issue and our waiter was awesome!! Our reservation was early so we knew we could avoid some crowds and issues but this guy went above and beyond to enjoy our safety- same with the chef. A million thanks for a great birthday celebration!! read more

DaRuMa's has become our home away from home. When we first arrived down in Sarasota Asian cuisine was everywhere, but good Asian cuisine was hard to find. I must state that I avoid the place because it was in a strip mall. That sent up warning flags instantly, but a friend told me to get past that and go. The food was amazing from Sushi to the duck, my wife and I just couldn't get enough of it. The staff is amazing, the pricing is fair and we both know when it is a new month because that means it is DaRuMa time for us! Worth the visit, trust me! read more

Worst service I've ever had in a restaurant. They did not make my wife's sushi. All the manager did was to give excuses why they can't provide good service. Since they admit they can't give good service they should just tell people when they walk in the door be prepared for bad service. This would be a zero rating if it was available. read more

Terrible service. 20 minutes for waitress to bring first drink. Food service took almost 2 hours. One meal was never served. Food was mediocre and definitely not worth the wait. read more

The service was horrible and the manager was rude and his behavior was distasteful! The sushi was average at best and the prices were too high. I won't ever go back. There are other sushi places that are much better. read more

Great!! Love the place and the way it is decorated! I had the calmari appetizer and it was delishh. Then we had sushi and it was great! the soft shell crab roll was amazing, crunchy, and flavorfull! the lobster roll was amazing as well!! read more

we went first time it was good portion was good for me. I go again special occasions

Best sushi always fresh, cocktail hour with Art Rollini providing great sounds on the grand piano, and the warmth of the back room make this place the best sushi restaurant in Sarasota ....drinks are good too! That's my opinion as a former NYker foodie! I'm not really a fan of the steakhouse show in any Japanese restaurant so I can't speak for that side of the restaurant...just not my thing. Go for authentic their well crafted sushi and sashimi... Few places hit the mark like this place does! read more

So worth the price! Go in around 9 and you are likely to get a table that is not full on the hibachi side. Wish they were open right now so I could go get some fried rice and filet! read more

Be sure your entire party is in the building by 5:30 or you will be up charged for the Sunset Grill table. Also be prepared for the tip to be added to your bill whether it is earned or not. Food is good but not exceptional. Management is not concerned about repeat business or they wouldn't have been so rude. We won't go back. read more

This is by far the best Japanese steakhouse I've ever been to, excellent service beautiful bar and relaxing atmosphere. Extremely busy on the weekends so we normally try and go during the week. read more

This place is REALLY entertaining!  After my sisters small wedding on a thurs night we all went here to celebrate.  Luckily, we were able to have a hibachi table all to ourselves- AND we were told we could order Sushi while at the Hibachi Table as well (some places are strict about this) so we were really excited to be able to try both.  The waiter, Tye, I believe his name was, was AWESOME- so lively, friendly and patient, went above and beyond for us.  The Hibachi chef was awesome as well, however the food was meh, I was really hoping for more bang for your buck- although the experience was wonderful the food really let me down.  I had the Crunchy Spicy Tuna and apparently I missed where it stated it was "tempura" fried in the description (I would have never ordered it had I seen this), because that's what I got- HATE fried sushi- but I rolled with it, it was ok- also had the hibachi fried rice- it was soooo bland.  Miso soup, though ..it was AMAZING!  So all and all the service was excellent, but the food was really disappointing. read more

We had a reservation and sat table side (at the Landings location). We gave our orders and it took 1 1/2 hours for our food to come. We got one apology from the waitress who said that the sushi chef was backed up. I ordered off the menu and one of the ingredients listed was mixed vegetables, I couldn't find a single vegetable in my entire bowl. When I mentioned it to the waitress she was rude and dismissive and told me there weren't supposed to be vegetables in the dish - which surprised me as the menu very clearly states mixed vegetables. The entire bowl was mostly rice, with maybe a 1/4 of a chicken breast mixed in. The members of our group that had sushi did enjoy it - but with such bad service we won't ever be back. read more

went yesterday, miso soup was to die for. I got the vegetable dinner, it was excellent but very expensive for what it was. Salad was just ok, I would have rather had another bowl of soup. Dinner partner had a sushi plate, he loved it and was stuffed, took the rest home. We did splurge on fried ice cream, I would go back just for that. Everyone was very friendly, but I did not like the pop music playing. I would have expected a nice Japanese instrumental, and the two kids with their mom who were being very loud and obnoxious were annoying read more

I usually dine with my wife and two kids twice per month at this location. On the 12th at 6:00 pm we stop in for our routine dinner, but decided to sit at the Hibachi grill. There were two other couples who joined my wife and two kids. We were extremely disappointed in the mere fact that we sat down at 6:10 for dinner and we were leaving at 6:50. That's correct a three course meal, plus appetizer, and desert took 40 minutes. Image for a second how fast you have to eat to consume that much food in 40 minutes. I left a message for the manager never heard back. I followed up on the 15th no response. It's the 21st and still waiting. Regardless, I will not be dining here again and will advice all my clients of my recent experience. It's unfortunately, we rotate between the melting pot in Sarasota and DaRuMa for the past 4 years. Just an FYI the staff were very friendly and the escargot was delicious as always. Unfortunately, I couldn't tell the difference between the fish soup, ginger salad, or escargot since I was trying to consume all three at the sametime. Great place and we really enjoy the location. However, this was the 4th time we had similar experience. I assume if you spend $250+ for a meal you would expect to actually be able to enjoy your meal. We tried to look past the short fall because my 10 year old daughter love the sushi and escargot, but it's time we find another location. A small suggestion advice your staff to slow down and the manager to actually return calls. That would be nice. Have a great week. Pete S Lakewood Ranch read more

Not living on the coast, It is difficult for me to find good sushi. I'm glad that I visited Daruma while I was visiting Florida. The sushi was extremely exquisite. We also ordered some salmon fried rice which was equally tasty. If you are in the mood for some good sushi this is a good place to go. read more

One of the best Sushi restaurants in Sarasota! One of my few choices for a birthday dinner. Great food and great atmosphere. I only get sushi and sushi rolls there, so I've only eaten in the dining room next to the piano, but I've been there many times. The service can get slow sometimes... but they have great martinis or plum wine! read more

Horrible service from the hostess to the wait staff to the manager. They made us feel like they were doing us a favor by seating us in the restaurant. We waited way too long for the food to arrive and when it did arrive it was mediocre at best. Menu items are over priced for the quality served. At the end of the meal we waited and waited for our bill and finally had to go the entrance and ASK if someone was interested in taking our payment because the waitress never returned to process our credit card payment. The manager was rude and unapologetic it was also clear that he did not like his job. I recommend finding another restaurant and avoid the insulting behavior of the staff. Don't waste your time and money here on a sub-par meal. This place gets ZERO stars - the application required that I give it at least one star! read more

Very poor attitude with the staff. We had reservations and was treated poor by the seating staff and wait staff. Food was very expensive and not any better than any of the more reasonable chains. This places seems like they want to cater to the professional types that come from work for a cocktail and business meetings. Its not for the casual dinner. We were not even invited to go to the bar while we waited. We seemed to not be the desirable type because we just came from the beach and were wearing shorts and tee's. There are so many places to eat that have a much better atmosphere and also less expensive and better food. If you want to wear a suit and tie and dress like your going to the Opra and are OK with expensive and mediocre food, this may be for you. Other wise I would not go. read more

This restaurant is excellent! It's baffling to me why it has 3 stars, so hopefully this rating helps! The service was excellent! We walked in here tonight without a reservation and wanted Hibachi. We had to wait for just a few minutes but they were able to accommodate us! That was so wonderful! My husband loved the sushi and we both had excellent meals! Tons of food, great service and such a wonderful atmosphere! The piano player here tonight was wonderful as well! We will be back! read more

Their service is horrible!!! Came for my friend's birthday dinner and they didn't have enough seating to accommodate us. They ended up seating us right outside the room. For 25 mins we sat with nothing and was never assigned a waitress or waiter. Finally someone came over and took our drink order. After she bought us our drinks she disappeared and for another 35 mins we sat there asking for service from 3 people including a manager . Finally after a hour and 15 mins Anthony came over and apologized and took our order. It took him 6 mins to bring it out after we ordered. He was awesome and he needs a raise . After all this they bring me the bill at full price you would think after all this they would comp us but one of the managers have us 20% off. Oh wow I own a business and I would never make a dissatisfied customer pay for something that I did wrong! I will never come back or recommend anyone to this place l!!!! Horrible horrible ps: I made sure I signed the bill Daffy Duck ‍ since y'all took us as a joke. read more