So my Mom and I have been coming here since before they were in this location (basically we've been customers for at least 100 years) and in spite of the number of alternate sushi options now available in Omaha, we keep coming back. I mean I live in a city that's kind of choked with solid sushi options but this spot is still my (nostalgic) jam and I make a point to stop here with my Mom whenever I'm around. It's the service that really seals the deal. I'm not just saying that because, um, one of the waiters is straight up "drop your chopsticks and stare"-level handsome. This place has a legit family feel, down to the genuinely adorable hand drawn accents on some of the menus, and the relaxed friendliness of everyone from the cashier to the sushi chefs. Is it authentic nihonryori in any meaningful way? Hmmmmm, probably no, but it's genuinely good food, more than reasonably priced, served by lovely people (one of whom should drop his apron and go pose for cologne ads but whatever) in a cozy little spot. I also feel really comfortable eating raw fish here, and this is Nebraska, so... you gotta have some trust because that could go all kinds of wrong given the state's promixity to any type of ocean whatsoever. I TRUST YOU NOT TO POISON ME, SAKURA BANA! That says a lot. I won't eat just anyone's raw fish in landlocked old Omaha! I love them so much I still rock a Sushi Ichiban shirt from back in the day. They introduced me to green tea ice cream when I was a wee lass! LOVE. They're like family who doesn't actually know that we're family (feel free to invite me to any reunions and feed me, thanks). And they make a damn good agedashi tofu, regardless of geography, and I think that's a big deal. The end. read more

The most authentic Japanese sushi experience in Omaha. This place is not 'trendy'. You won't find neon-colored cocktails or new age music playing in the background here. What you will find is a solid menu of authentic Japanese cuisine, using the highest quality, freshest fish (that can be found in Omaha). Obviously there are additional menu items that cater to mainstream Nebraskans, but the core sushi is very much the same as I have experienced in Japan. If you are looking for sushi like you get it in Japan, give this place a try. It comes pretty close. TIP: The 'sushi for two' is a good deal and is just about the right amount of food for two people. Me and my wife like to order that and then an additional item or two from the a la carte menu. Try it! read more

Yes, this place went through a rough patch like most small businesses do. It didn't phase me a bit. Growing up in Los Angeles with a huge selection of restaurants to eat at, usually the best places to go were the ones that recovered and came back even better. That's what Sakura Bana did and everything is not just fine, but also improved. I lived in Japan for 4 years and in my book, this is the only location in Douglas & Sarpy county that comes the closest to being there. I sampled everybody else around here and they were not comparable to this establishment with their authenticity of traditional dishes and sushi. I am definitely a fan of this place and will continue to bring my family here at least once a month. Now with that said, can we increase the menu with Tokyo Ramen, Honshu & Okinawa Soba and some dishes from Nagano please? read more

One of my favorite places to go in Omaha. The sushi here is incomparable to other places that I have been around town. Every single time I have been here, I have been more than pleased and the service is always fast. The salmon sashimi is melt in your mouth quality that I absolutely love. My friend had introduced me to this place a while back and I have visited here probably more than I should have haha. Can't wait to visit again! read more

There are only two places in the Metro for sushi -- and this was my Very First Crush. I remember going to their first location at 80th and Dodge...before Children's Hospital mowed down the entire block in their expansion. In those days, it was Sushi Ichiban or, #1 Sushi. The best and most accurate name ever! For some reason, their next appearance came with a new name, and not nearly as lovely sounding, in my opinion. :-) The only place to sit (IN OUR OPINION) is right at the sushi bar - their Owner/Sushi Chef, is lovely and engaging if you're across the counter from him. Always there to answer questions about "What is that?" or "Why do you put this in it?" It is part of the experience, as far as we're concerned - we prefer to sit up at the sushi bar! My favorite? It's got to be the Tijuana Rolls - crunchy. Mmmmm. Can't go wrong. I have never, ever had a bad meal or snack at Sushi Ichiban/Sakura Bana. Midtown and busy, it's a favorite with the locals for a reason. read more

This place sucks. I had some chicken teriyaki, and it was the worst I've ever had. It was nothing like THIS: http://s3.amazonaws.com/foodspotting-ec2/reviews/2204280/thumb_600.jpg?1344650340 which is exactly what good teriyaki should be. Not to mention I paid like 40 fucking dollars for some crap meal when I've had teriyaki like the picture above for only about $7. Come on now, look at that picture and tell me it doesn't look better than everything ON THE WHOLE MENU! Great, I'm drooling now... no thanks to Sakura Bana. read more

It's different for sure. You get a lot of bang for your buck I'd you to at lunch time. The whole "close at 2pm" is a bit inconvenient for a lot of people who work around Dodge but as far as the food goes, its pretty decent. The dream roll menu is interesting because it allows you to try different rolls without buying the whole thing. Again, its really a steal at lunchtime. read more

Sakura Bana - Louisiana roll. - Japanese Near Me - Omaha, Nebraska

This is probably the most authentic Japanese food that I've had in Omaha. It may not be the fanciest place in town, no leather lounge chairs, no silver chopsticks, etc., but where else in Nebraska will you find a traditional Japanese eating area with tatami mats? They also give you an oshibori (warm wash cloth) to clean your hands. Small details like this make this place truly authentic. I've had the agedashi tofu, hamachi kama, various sushi rolls, and most recently the beef udonsuki. All are very flavorful with no bells or whistles - just pure goodness. It reminds me of food my grandma makes at home, so needless to say I always come to Sakura Bana whenever I get homesick and want a nice home-cooked Japanese meal. Service is always 5+ stars - very attentive and prompt. Prices are very reasonable for the quality of food and service. All I've got to say is "gochisousama deshita!" read more

I've eaten at Sakura Bana twice. I wasn't impressed the first time, but decided to give it another shot a few months later. My first impression was correct. The sushi is bland. The rolls are loose and sloppy. Granted, looking at Sakura Bana's sushi didn't make me cringe the way Blue Sushi's did, but it just isn't very good. I used a lot of wasabi and soy sauce both times we ate there and that is never a good sign. read more

Never disappointed! Great service, great food, amazing chefs. Our number one sushi/Japanese restaurant in the Omaha/Bellevue area. read more

Amazing- Extrodinary Sakura Bana has FRESH succulent fish, tasty Tempura and Saaa-WEET appetizers. Noodles, beautiful noodles make your mouth water, OH! and don't forget dessert. This food will make your mouth ZING! WOW- Sakura Bana is so good it makes you want to cry read more

Most authentic sushi you will find in Omaha. Never have had a bad experience here! Amazing rolls and friendly staff.

Always a great place for sushi. The last couple of times I've went, they never have snow crab. But that's understandable with covid...my friends and I always frequent this spot. read more

Pleasant lunch this week at Sakura Bana. Menu is huge - overall a good thing - just a little intimidating for a first timer. Waiter was helpful and a pro. In the end, couldn't decide on one thing so I went with a Combo Box. Cali roll and chicken teriyaki were fine. Also came with a small salad, orange, and miso soup - all fine. My companion went with an entree that looked a lot more appetizing. I'd definitely skip the combo box in the future for an entree or sushi. Lunch crowd was light - service was fast. I was intrigued by the special "tea-type" seating in the back. Securing one of those 3 booths for your group could definitely add a special vibe to your evening. Decent lunch stop, I'd be back if I felt like sushi and I was in the area. Solid A-Ok experience. read more

This is THE sushi place in omaha. We are moved here after living in California our whole lives and this beats some of the Bay Area sushi hands down. The sashimi was impressive and for a second this place makes you forget that you are in a landlocked place. It's so delicious, we are definitely making this our regular sushi spot read more

Sakura Bana - The Dragon Roll - Japanese Near Me - Omaha, Nebraska

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This place was voted best Japanese Restaurant in Omaha and I wholeheartedly agree. The atmosphere is nice, and I really like the floor tables they have in the corner. What pleased me the most about this place is the food. I've been to Japanese restaurants all over the country, and they all have the same teriyaki items and sushi menu. The menu here is fresh, and of course delicious. I didn't talk to any of the staff about it, but I get the impression that the chefs put time into experimenting with different ingredients and have come up with some impressive dishes. The service was top notch. Our server was a guy named Il Suk (sounds like a Korean Name), and I'd request him if you can. What really impressed me was the owner came out to chat with us for a bit. We came at the tail-end of lunch so he probably wasn't as busy as normal, but I was still flattered. Bottom line, I've been to dozens of Japanese restaurants all over the country (the side effects of having a Japanese dad). This place takes the cake as my favorite. read more

Lively music and menu of specials definitely showcase variety of more less common fish. Started with the tempura which was lightly battered in panko with a slight warm nutty note. Sushi special was extremely fresh and happy with the chutoro and hotategai. Biggest criticism is that the rice was very dense and chewy (undercooked), and could use a little more acid or rice vinegar. Given the menu and selection I will definitely return to see if the rice changes and pairs better. Unfortunately, for the more delicate pieces, the rice took away from the fish when eaten whole. read more

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This review is for their new location, which was quite nice. I liked the decor, lots of wood--but they did have a few flat screens showing ESPN, which was a bit distracting. Luckily while I was there they were showing softball, so I did not feel compelled to watch the screen, but if you were on a date and have trouble not looking at the game, beware. Went to Sakura Bana for lunch, and ordered two box lunches. For under 10 bucks each, I think it was a stellar deal, and I left feeling stuffed. The food was good, but both the teri chicken and the grilled tuna (from a special) were a bit overcooked. The tempura was excellent and the sushi that came with one of the box lunches was OK--nothing special, but the price was right. Excellent service--that was one thing that stood out here. read more

I bumped this place up an extra star because the service is always very attentive and the food is consistently tasty. Even by land-locked Omaha standards, the sushi is not out-of-this world good, just okay. There is better sushi to be had elsewhere in town, but if you are nearby and have a hankering for some raw fish, this place will fit the bill. They offer most of the standard rolls and sushi you would come to expect, but there is not a real display of creativity in their "unique" rolls. Most of the selections are quite ordinary. They do have an extensive regular menu that offers bento boxes (a great lunch hour choice - allows you to have a selection of sushi/tempura/teriyaki meat/etc.), noodles and soups. Overall, a good place for sushi in Omaha, I just wouldn't drive across town to eat here. read more

The very first place I had sushi in Omaha. Before Blue was in Omaha. The bento boxes are amazing for kids or anyone who would like variety. They're chicken teriyaki is bomb. Their shrimp tempura is delicious. Obviously they're sushi is yummy!! Such a vibe. read more

This is a great place with delicious food. The service is always amazing. One of the coolest things about this place are the tea rooms. Perfect for smaller kids that get over stimulated easily when dinning out. Why am I only allowed to give 5 stars. Really it should be 10. read more

I wouldn't normally give five stars with only one visit, but the sushi here was that good. I've lived in several big cities on the coast, with lots of access to fresh fish, and this sushi is right up there with the best of them. First off, the rolls melt in your mouth - the rice is perfectly prepared and not super glutenous or too dry. The menu has a great variety of traditional rolls, plus some unique variations on favorites. One recommended by our waitress was the Zombie Roll - an inside-out roll with spicy tuna, whitefish, and avocado that was absolutely perfect. For non-sushi lovers, they have a large menu of Japanese dishes. We hadn't had sushi in months, though, so we focused on that (although we did try the gyoza, which was excellent). Ambiance is good - nothing special, but clean, light, and airy. The restaurant is across the street from the Crossroads Mall, so this would be a great place to come after a day of shopping. Also, they do have a more limited happy hour menu, if price is a concern. read more

I love this place! The environment is great and makes you feel like your in Japan! They even have a spot in the back you can sit on the floor or a bar where they prepare the sushi right in front of you. The food is amazing and so much to select from. The staff is knowledgeable in case your not sure what to get.. the flavors are amazing and taste fresh! I've had the soft shell crab sushi roll and a bento box lunch. Both were amazing! I've been here twice already and plan on going back more read more

Not my favorite sushi place in Omaha, but not necessarily anything wrong with it either. Have been here twice now and overall felt the experiences were pretty average. I do think the fish is good quality but on my most recent visit I ordered a spicy salmon type role and it came out with some sort of internal sauce that was way too much like mayonnaise. Service was also pretty slow. After our food was delivered we never saw our waitress again and had to go ask the host for our checks. Salmon and tuna sushi was delicious but due to misses with service and my roll, this place isn't high on my list of sushi places on Omaha to visit again. read more

I'm very ok with this place. I'm not the hugest asian cuisine person but my special lady friend is, so we end up going to various places and seeing what they offer. What helped this place stand out to me is that first off the prices are attractive. Secondly, the menu is expansive and has a good variety so that all parties have something to enjoy. My high praise goes to their sashimi though. Their fish is pretty darn good and the slices they give you are nice and worth a bite! Good portion sizes are always a winner. I will say some of their stuff doesn't work me well but maybe that's just do to my own personal tastes. Service is up and down from Great to ok-ish. That's prolly the only drawback. Other than that...eat up Minions! read more

I absolutely love Sakura Bana. It's my family's go-to when we are craving sushi and that is more often than not. The atmosphere is authentic and the servers are so friendly. Being from hawaii, I took advantage of having great sushi whenever I wanted it. Now we finally have it!! We love nearly every sushi roll they serve and everything tastes amazing. Their sashimi, sushi, bentos are the best in Omaha and we refuse to go anywhere else. Sakura Bana has made us forever customers. read more

The wait staff and the sushi chefs here are wonderful. Get over here for happy hour! Got the chef's special and the sashimi was delicious. This is going to be my new favorite local sushi spot. read more

Sakura Bana - Chef's special - Japanese Near Me - Omaha, Nebraska

What's not to like about this place? Good sushi, good sake, good entrees, good service, good design... just good good good good good. I was a bit surprised walking in the door at Sakura Bana. Judging from the exterior of the building, I expected a loud, large, colorfully lit, modern dining room, but the reality was quite the opposite: a calm, cozy, authentic feeling Japanese restaurant. There is seating at the sushi bar, a number of more conventional dining room tables, and several enclosed semi-traditional rooms where you have to take your shoes off before entering. We were seated in one of the latter, and while it was a very calm place to enjoy dinner visually, it didn't do very much to quiet any of the restaurant's already moderate noise level. After spending some time with the large and wonderfully informative menu, we had some Sushi, Age Gyoza and Crab Shumai for appetizers, which were delicious, and two Yakisobas (one beef, one pork) and a Yakiniku for our entrees. Everything was very tasty, but the entrees did seem to be lagging behind the appetizers and sushi. I wish I had more detail to include here, but, well, sake makes fools of us all. All in all it was a great meal and I'll definitely be back to try more food, and hopefully report back with a little less drunken haziness. read more

The people there are super friendly and helpful. Great food and service. It is my favorite sushi place. I love their lunch combos.

Service is attentive, restaurant is easy to find and conveniently located. The prices are reasonable but I was not wowed by the quality of the sashimi. It somehow did not taste or look super fresh. I think it's decent but not great! I ordered the sushi special which came with 8 assorted pieces of nigiris and 6 small pieces of sushi...it's way more than enough for 1 person, I think. I also tried their caffeine free hot tea. My total with tax and tip was $25 bucks. read more

Second time I have been here and loved their food both times. Not only do they have sushi but also Japanese dishes as well. Service is awsome and the atmosphere is fun! read more

When I go to Omaha which is like four or five times a year. I usually make Sakurabana as one of the stops for meal. I was disappointed about lack of professionalism when I rushed from the airport and saw the closed sign at 8:45pm Tuesday night. The listed hours is open until 9 pm. There was a guy counting the till from the day and told me everyone has gone home. No remaining customer, no one behind the sushi counter. I swung around the corner and had noodles at the Noodles Company. Sakurabana, you are the remaining authentic Japanese restaurant in Omaha. Please do well to survive and keep the hours you claim to be open. read more

I haven't been to any other Japanese restaurants in Omaha, so I can't tell if this is the best, the worst, or somewhere in between. I wish my server had tried a little harder to explain to me the special combos and lunch deals they were having. I ended up ordering something just fine, but I definitely have overlooked the specials section and nobody cared to tell me about that. I think it really depends on your server. The folks at the next table seemed to have received some great recommendations. Oh well. The cashier and the chef seemed friendly. That's always a plus. The taste of their miso soup bothered me. It's very very bland. I've never tasted anything like that, whether it's when I made my own at home, when I was in Japan, France, or other parts of North America. I guess it was accidental? read more

Good service, good atmosphere, terrible food. I really wanted to like it, but to no avail. We ordered the soba, King roll, and three types of sashimi. Basically the broth is flavored soy sauce. The sushi was like tuna from a can. And the sashimi was so bad I have no words. At least their hot green tea was decent. read more

I've been a customer of Sakura Bana for 25 years. This is truly the only sushi bar for me and my family. Truly authentic Japanese cuisine! read more

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I never thought I'd find a restaurant in Omaha that is as authentically Japanese as this place! Of course they have sushi but it's actually good! I love takoyaki and haven't had anything decent since leaving Japan and these were amazing! If you're looking for authentic Japanese food, this is it! read more

This little place off of dodge is more traditional sushi. It doesn't have your crazy happy hour prices like Blue, but the quality is definitely better. Everything is fresh and is made to order, a wonderful carrot ginger dressing, quiet atmosphere, good sake and awesome sushi. read more

Best sushi in town. I ate at all the other sushi restaurants. This place is my favorite. No one serves it with dicon like they do. Great service. Bench seats are cramped. Other than that it's all good. read more

Sakura Bana is the Original Sushi spot in Omaha. So that's cool. I've been there 4 times and enjoyed it better every time. The food and service are great and it's not expensive. For a couple, I would plan on spending $30-$35 including tip for a normal sized meal. read more

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Delicious sushi! The service was excellent and the sushi is the best in town. We stayed late and appreciated the endless green tea refills. Definitely would come back again. read more