I was so pleasantly surprised from our first visit at Sakana that I had to make a return trip later the same week. It was a humble reminder that you don't need to go to a culinary destination to find good food. Cheshire Connecticut may not be known for its food scene, however, I found Sakana was a genuine diamond in the rough. My expectations were admittedly low going in. My level of skepticism is always high when I see the "Asian Bistro" moniker, as it is frequently used for restaurants to try to appeal to the masses at the expense of quality by having a "jack-of-all-trades" menu that lacks the technical intricacies and mastery required for specific dishes. Additionally, these establishments tend to follow a "cookie-cutter" menu and offer the same boring dishes you can find at every other Asian Bistro. Even when initially walking towards the restaurant, I had my doubts. The exterior of Sakana honestly looked more like a clinic than a restaurant. Once I saw the menu however, my skepticism shifted towards optimism. For a local bistro, they feature a surprisingly extensive wine and cocktail menu, including premium sake options. I was particularly impressed to find toro on the menu; although it's undoubtedly becoming more of a trend in Connecticut, I was nevertheless happy to see it offered at Sakana as well. Overall I liked their sushi selections and everything I ordered was well-prepared and tasted fresh. We ordered a chicken and broccoli for our daughter and found the chicken tender and broccoli perfectly cooked. That may not sound impressive to those reading, but you'll be surprised how many restaurants fail to execute this baseline dish correctly. The service, although pleasant, was probably the only "weak link" of our experiences here. The quality of service was noticeably inconsistent between our two visits, and they would benefit vastly from having a more reliable and experienced front-of-house team to match the execution coming from the kitchen and sushi bar. Despite this minor gripe, Sakana was a standout. As long as I'm in the area, they will definitely be among the top of my list of places to eat! read more

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Dined in for the first time here tonight. Have had takeout a few times in the past. Ambiance is lovely and the bar is nice as well. Service is exceptional. Our waitress was great. So friendly. Is the food exceptional? To me no, but my parents enjoy it. Tonight we started with crab rangoons. Pretty good. Sauce on the side not very exciting. A chili sauce would be better. I got a sushi roll with White tuna inside and cooked shrimp on top and wasabi mayo. I forget the name of the roll but it was better than the two times I've ordered takeout. Miso soup was also good. Their soup bowls are in the shape of a heart which is super cute. Dad got some sort of a mixed protein dish with brown sauce (had shrimp, chicken and beef). Mom got the chicken and garlic sauce. They both got fried rice on the side. I tried it and it was very bland. Dad also got a salad with his meal and the ginger dressing was not very good. Red coloring to it. Usually ginger dressing is more on the orange side. Dad also got the Malaysian chicken coconut soup to start and it could use a bit more flavor. Was a bit watery. Mom loved her sweet and sour soup. Nice that this place is 5 minutes away. Cheshire needs more restaurants. Def not my fav restaurant in town though. Food to me is just ok. read more

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Went there to see their gluten free options. The menu is well marked for everything that can be made gluten free. Had GF chicken and broccoli in brown sauce. It was pretty good having not had that in forever. They also had GF soy sauce available. Would recommend. read more

Great dumplings. Really great appetizers. Friendly service. Cool insulated bags for take out to keep everything warm

This was my first time at Sakana. I went during Dinner time on the weekend. They open for lunch, close for an hour and open for dinner. The restaurant is pretty big with booths . Pretty casual. My waitress was very nice . Menu was big. So much to choose from and so many Gluten Free options. I went specifically because there was so much to choose from that was Gluten Free! I Ordered a sushi roll, seaweed salad, beef and broccoli ( came with salad) all Gluten free) I wanted more but I was full! So I'll definitely go back to try other things from the menu. Everything is labeled on the menu which Is nice. Everything tasted amazing too! My left overs tasted even better! Prices were very good. read more

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Restaurant has upscale fresher Asian food than most Chinese restaurants. I've only gotten takeout food, but it looks like a pretty decent place inside with a bar and TV. read more

It's my favorite sushi spot, the hibachi grill is really fun for family parties and celebrations. The Owners are so Warm and highly skilled in their craft. Family owned and appetizers. are very creative and fresh. read more

3.5 stars is what I would give if I could. As an update, a few things. I ordered online. Very easy, however, the ready times are off-on the sooner side, which is good in general, but means food sitting waiting longer than necessary. I got the Pad Thai with shrimp. As with the lo mein, a very generous amount of well-cooked, nicely sized shrimp. However, this is not a traditional Pad Thai. It was good, but a bit on the spicy side. Some people may expect it this way but traditional Pad Thai is not supposed to be spicy. It also doesn't mention that it's spice on the menu. The sauce was also a bit too "ketchupy". I also ordered the Thai spring rolls. You get 3 small rolls and a sweet dipping sauce. They were good but again, not a traditional wrapping. It was a bit more sweet and pastry-like, but still crispy. read more

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Food was not very good. Not like Chinese I've eaten before. Was quite expensive for not being good. Very nice people working there.

Love this sushi place!! Always worth the drive ( from branford ) ! Service is always fast & attentive. The rolls are so good! The Mexican roll is a favorite ! read more

Sakana Asian Bistro - What a roll & spicy salmon crispy roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Cheshire, Connecticut

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We had stopped at Sakana Asian Bistro for a delicious meal. The staff was amazing. They were helpful with menu items. I ordered the sushi dinner with brown rice. Very fresh and delicious. My son ordered the Chinese style beef fried rice. We shared the vegetable dumpling. Everything tasted great. Want to try more next time. The restaurant was bright and although it was busy they didn't seem too loud which is always a plus for me. read more

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I heard great things about Sakana, so I decided to check it out for dinner. The space itself is decently sized but dimly lit (at least at night). If you're craving some type of Asian food but unsure of what to get, this is a good place because the menu is extensive (sushi, Thai, Chinese). There's also an impressive cocktail menu that has holiday specials around Christmas. I ordered the Rainbow Roll, Green Dragon Roll, and a few appetizers. The Seaweed Salad was average (but came in a bigger dish compared to other restaurants), but I really enjoyed the Kani Salad. The sushi rolls were above average. Everything was fresh and tasty without too much rice. Even though I came in a group of seven, service was relatively fast. The only strange experience was that the waitress wore AirPods the entire time and was very soft-spoken (so we had to repeat our order a few times). The food came out correctly, though, so this isn't a huge deal. read more

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The place is pretty inside. The service was attentive. I had chicken with black pepper brown sauce which was delicious! It comes with miso, mushroom, hot & sour soup or salad. I had the salad and the ginger dressing was tasty. Many of the meals seem to come with choice of tofu/chicken/beef/shrimp so something for everyone. I will be back but probably only when I feel like eating out. The prices are a little high for just take out. read more

Recently visited with my wife and 3 year old. We were extremely impressed and happy with our overall experience. Our waitress Nancy was absolutely amazing! She got our little guys lo mein out to him very quickly without us having to ask. She was also extremely attentive and friendly. Our food was amazing as well. Our son devoured his large serving of chicken lo mein (no veggies), the sushi rolls were very good, the hot and sour soup was arguably some of the best I've ever had and the black pepper chicken was definitely the best I've ever had. Overall, we loved the food and Nancy helped make our overall experience a great one. We plan to definitely go again in the future! read more

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The food is great. Karen the bartender is very friendly and accommodating. We had a great time and will be back!!

We had lunch there yesterday. Excellent specials and prices were reasonable. Our server was fast and efficient. Will definitely go back!

Went with the family with our 4 &1/2 year old daughter and sat at the Sushi Bar, what an Amazing Experience!!! Dennis was our waiter and was absolutely Exceptional!!! Extremely personable, and the sushi guys were so sweet giving our daughter chopped cucumber made her so happy!!! We ordered Sushi and our daughter ordered chicken lo-main, as Guy Fiere would say " the food was out of bounds!" Beautifully, prepared right in front of your eyes, melted in your mouth so fresh! Our daughter loved her dinner, and we loved our experience! Definitely check out this place, sit at the sushi bar, if you have a chance, and have an amazing time!!! read more

Worst sushi around. The place is decorated poorly. The wait staff has no idea what's going on. The food was garbage

This little gem overdelivers, and deserves more attention than its inconspicuous location delivers. Warm service at the bar, great drinks and creative sushi made for a memorable dinner on an otherwise quiet Sunday. Will recommend to friends and Yelp-ers, and will absolutely come again! read more

Fresh ingredients, delicious food, with great service and ambiance. My favorite is their salmon sashimi, followed by their lollipop lamb chops. Their sesame chicken is very good, I could go for even more sesame/same oil on it, but I'll sacrifice that for the freshness of the chicken, lightness of the batter, and not over fried or cooked in oil that needs to be changed out like other places. I got their wagu beef app and the amount you get is an extremely small portion, but it melts in your mouth. read more

We ordered lunch specials to go . The food was fresh and delicious. The general tso chicken was light and full of flavor. The customer service was great. The food was ready within an appropriate time. We will come back to dine in as the ambiance is probably even better in the evening . It was quite nice in the afternoon and I saw several customers dining in . read more

Best sushi and food I've had in a long time! At the corner of a strip mall, I was apprehensive at first. Once I tried their food, I was hooked. read more

Amazing restaurant! The staff is so friendly and accommodating; I feel like I'm home when I go to Sakana. The owner Tony is so friendly and he takes pride in his food and rightfully so! The sushi is absolutely phenomenal! My go to roll is the TNT roll; which has peppered tuna, avocado, jalapeño, and toro on top, but I've never been disappointed with any sushi roll. Not only that, all the kitchen entrées i've tried have never left me hungry. I'd say the portions are exceptional, I always get full off of my meal while having extra to take home for lunch the next day. I highly recommend this restaurant, and I believe that anyone who goes will not be disappointed with their experience! read more

Sakana Asian Bistro - Fire Dragon Roll: Spicy tuna, Jalapeño, and Crab. On top is peppered tuna, avocado, spicy mayo and sriracha for an extra kick! - Sushi Bars Near Me - Cheshire, Connecticut

I've been a lifelong Cheshire resident and was glad to see this restaurant reopened I've been there many times since it's opened. I had dinner the other day with my girlfriend we ordered three rolls and two drinks. On my sixth piece of sushi I ingested a 2 foot long hair. The bartender watched me pull this hair out of my mouth they cleared my food ask me if I would like anything else and charge me for the rolls with hair. I worked in the restaurant business in my younger years and I understand that accidents can happen. I cannot believe the bartender went to the manager the only issue they were concerned with his where the hair came from which employee. They never had one thing to say to me as far as apologizing and completely charged me for a meal with hair in it I will never return here due to the way the manager and bartender treated me read more

Always good, the sushi is very fresh and they have good options for our toddler. The service is good too. They went out of their way to help us get settled at a booth with a young child. read more

It's off to a great start, very organized Great food, atmosphere is so nice Wait staff is very professional and attentive We definitely recommend read more

The food here is incredible. It's pricey but definitely worth the price tag. The food is always fresh and delicious. We always do take out so I'm not too sure about the service or the ambiance. read more

After Home Village Chinese Restaurant closed in Hamden I thought we'd never have great Chinese food again. Wrong! This place was recommended to us and we absolutely love it. I grew tired of inconsistent food from Jasa the past few years and now have our new favorite place! read more

I called in order late evening only to get there to find out it was never put into the computer. Should've gone somewhere else.

Had to try the new local Asian bistro and although a little pricey, they have an excellent variety to cater for your Asian food cravings. Sushi rolls were delicious and the Chinese food actually had real authentic flavors that I've tasted in Europe and funnily enough, even in Africa in my younger days. Always a warm feeling and a winner when memories are rekindled by tastebuds. There weren't that many people there when we went with family. ( Me, the Mrs and 3 kids) The lady who waited our table wasn't the best and there's a few times we had to remind her of things we asked for. She also gave me the check and didn't come back to get the card. We got tired of waiting and I just walked up to the front to pay. I suppose they started to get busy...but still. The owner or manager however served us a few dishes, made a little chit chat and tried engaging with our 3 year old which is always a lovely, welcoming thing to see. Yummy food, cocktails, good atmosphere and the positives definitely out weighed any minor negatives. Great start Sakana, and we will absolutely return. read more

I had an excellent dinner. The food is exceptional and the staff is very professional. The Cheshire Sushi Roll is my new favorite. And, the fried rice was cooked perfectly. I highly recommend. read more

Good selection of sushi, other Japanese, Chinese and Thai dishes with full bar. Staff is attentive and quick. Ambiance is clean and spacious. Good for groups. read more

Terrible customer service. Won't be back. Not clean. Disappointed as this has been a go to for me.

this is the best sushi that I've had in a really long time very fresh family run business close to the Oakdale theater in Wallingford. The service was adequate. nice place very big. great sushi bar. read more

Sakana Asian Bistro is a great addition to Cheshire! I had the wonton soup and chicken fried rice and both were great. I am always in the lookout for a good fried rice and was NOT disappointed at all! Service was friendly and the restaurant was bright and clean. I will definitely be returning. read more

Would be five stars but not much ambiance, but who cares when everything else is awesome. That said, huge seating - 6 per table comfortably, service is stellar, food is top par! Get the scorpion bowl!!! read more

Food and Service great. Eat here often. The Lunch menu prices are very reasonable and the selection is good.

Amazing food and drink with a beautiful stylish atmosphere. We sat at the bar which is beautiful. Sushi was fresh and delicious and the meats in all the dishes were tender and flavorful . Yummy leeche martinis! read more

Overall, we had a great experience in this new place. The food were delicious. The restaurant are clean & comfy. We will come back. read more

Just enjoyed a wonderful evening at Sakana. The highlight of the dinner is certainly the food. We mostly had the sushi dishes, but the hot dishes at the other tables looked very good. The sushi was fresh and tasted excellent. The staff was very friendly. The one knock off was that the prices appeared a little high. It doesn't feel significantly overpriced, just a little higher than expected ($16-$22 for a special sushi roll) We will most certainly be going again and can't wait to work our way down the menu. read more