I'm not too sure about those other reviews, but I am coming from the view point of someone who has been there more than 10 times. I have come with many different people including a group of four. The decor is very nice and super calming, my only complaint is that it gets a little dark in the back despite how sunny it is outside. The food is awesome, I have come with people who consider themselves Sushi aficionados and with people who are trying it for the first time, as well as people in the middle; every single one of them has said that they love it there and would come again anytime. The service is really nice, having been their many many times, they now recognize me and welcome me very enthusiastically, as well as being able to answer any questions asked they also recommend items if you are unsure. There is only one waiter who kind of creeped everyone out... But everything else just kind of trumps his creepiness. All in all I really love this place. Recommended: -McHenry roll (jazzed out california roll, california rolls with wasabi mayo, and tempura crunch) -Shrimp Tempura Roll (name says it all) -Salad instead of soup, it comes with a creamy ginger garlic dressing that is to die for. - They have really good hot tea. read more

Another fine addition to McHenry!!! Who knew you could get amazing sushi in McHenry! Ate here for lunch last week and it was fantastic. I had the salad with the ginger dressing -- the dressing, outstanding. We had the McHenry roll and the chicken teriyaki, not a complaint on anything. I can't wait to go back! read more

Reasonably priced, totally decent sushi and tempura. Salt & pepper squid is pretty good as well. Bottom line-it's a DELIVERY sushi restaurant in the culinary wasteland that is McHenry. I'm grateful Sakura exists. read more

I realize my bad experience is vastly different from most people's, so I can only guess they were having an off day. However that one off day is all I can base my own opinion on, so them's the breaks. Tried this place on a weekend, late afternoon. They were not busy, yet we were kept waiting longer than acceptable considering there were several servers standing around and only a third of the tables (if that) were occupied. Finally placed an order of hot tea and the server asked us what we would like. I asked for an appetizer and chose to use the English term for it, not wanting to butcher the Japanese pronunciation. She did not know what I was talking about. I've been to my fair share of sushi places and never had this problem. We asked for a sushi menu and again she did not know what we were talking about. Then we learned that one order of sushi only came with one piece. By that time, it had all added up to a bad taste in our mouths that made the prices just not worth it. We decided to just cancel our order. Left a couple of bucks on the table for the tea and made our exit. We will be sticking to Kyoto in Crystal Lake. We have been there on crazy busy nights and never had anything to complain about with the service. read more

First, full disclosure - I know the owner from a prior professional engagement and unfortunately, I am not allowed to say more. But I am also a very discriminating Asian food critic and have had the best of the best Japanese cuisine in the heart of Tokyo itself. But taking out the experience from Japan, this place is indeed one of the best, as measured by a combination of the food, presentation of the dishes, the friendly service (of course, I receive personal attention from the owner every time I dine there), and relaxing ambiance. We have tried almost all the appetizers and half of the entrees. They are each so unique in term of taste and the presentation of the food is just so fun and exciting as it arrives. I'd like to take time out to look and smell, before I dive into the food itself. Like most of the other reviews, this place is worth coming back. read more

If you live in McHenry, this the first establishment that caters to the sushi lovers out here. Sakura opened up earlier this year, and it was overrun by patrons - probably by excitement. When I first walked in, I was thinking, "how the heck do you squeeze all these tables into this small area." My first dining experience, early on, was inside the restaurant. The service was slow but the food was descent. It took 15 minutes to get our first round of drinks about 30 minutes from seating to get our order in. What do you expect on "first day" of operation? They have a menu that includes sushi, which is good (7/10 scale), and offer other options such as thai and fried rice. I have to suggest the fried rice as it is pretty darn good with flavor- it's addictive. The staff was always friendly but seemed over-worked, which is a good thing on opening days. Perhaps they will hire more personnel in the future. One of the things I've noticed is the chef was coming out and servicing the tables. I get it; it was sparse staffed. The house salad is a good starter. It features a simple and small salad in house ginger sauce (pretty common amongst Japanese restaurants). I suggest starting with that. Fried soft shell crab was really well prepared as this is a good appetizer on the menu. Heck, my girlfriend, who is not a seafood fan, loved this stuff. It wasn't the greatest thing to look at, but it did the job in terms of taste, texture, and flavor. Complete your meal by ordering some sushi. Particularly, order a couple of Spicy tuna hand-rolls for two. Then, try the Salmon skin roll, Twin Roll (mmmm...cilantro), Alaskon roll, and Spider roll. I haven't tried any of the dessert platters because I usually do not. Pro tip: Order online because they offer a 15% discount for first time orders. Food is delivered within 45 minutes. I didn't give this place 5 stars because of some service issues and taste. Mind you, I have dined at fine Sushi establishments where quality trumps prices; expect to pay $15-$25 per sushi platter there. However, it has a good balance between the selection, taste, and service. I recommend this place. Personally, I prefer delivery or take-out to subtract the service, at the time, out of the equation. Side notes: It's not the best sushi, but it's the best and only sushi in town. The food is fresh, but some of the seasonings may not satisfy all taste buds. Order online and take it home. Try the special rolls on the menu. My Ratings: Sushi Taste: ****** (7/10) Sushi Presentation: ******* (6/10) In-Dining Service: ***** (4/10) Delivery Service: ******** (10/10) Appetizers Taste: ******* (8/10) Cost: ******* (7/10) Convenience: ******** (9/10) ============================= Overall: 7.3 *My ratings are based on my personal experiences and are subjective. read more

Amazing sushi!! So authentic. The staff was wonderful and helped us order. There was so much food to share. We will definitely be coming back! read more

Outstanding food and service! I order a king roll and I forgot to tell them no masago as I can't eat it. I told them to just give me the ticket and I would pay because it was my fault They insisted on making me another roll. Thank you so much! read more

Horrible service. I had to ask for water, I had to ask for a menu, I had to get up and make them take our order, I had to train the employees how to take an order, and the waitress had absolutely no idea what was on the menu. It was like I was in a Gordon Ramsey nightmare. Moreover, some of the staff were standing at the front of the restaurant greeting people, some of the staff were just standing around looking at the ceiling, and the rest were loitering behind a curtain. McDonalds has better service. read more

Finally a Sushi Place nearby! I have not eatten in the restaurant, but have had take out MANY(too many to count...lol) times already. So far my favorite is the lobster roll, I agree with many of the previous posts, the menu is huge, and if it was slimmed down a little more to focus on japanese food, I think that would be a big plus. Their website to order from is flawless, and I have had no problem with the order times from when you place the order, and your pickup times. Its a great place for the quick sushi-fix.. :) read more

Oh my God. Why did I wait 8 months to try this sushi?? I just had two Boston rolls and a dragon roll and OMFG - they were delicious. Then I get home and check their reviews and see there is a lunch special where I can get 3 Boston rolls for $12! I am in love. We were there on a Monday night at about 8 pm - dead. Great service. I unfortunately live in Round Lake so I'll only be able to get delicious delicious sushi when I have to go somewhere else near Sakura. Who am I kidding... I'll be back at least weekly. Sorry Kawa :( Oh - bf had the beef lo mein, made extra spicy to his specifications, and thought it too was delicious. I've heard never to get sushi somewhere that also has a Chinese menu, but that's not the case here. read more

I have really come to enjoy Sakura. I feel like much improvement has been made since their opening. Decor has been updated, rice texture is better. I still haven't diversified my orders into the Chinese or Thai options, but really enjoy their lunch specials. 9.xx for two rolls and miso, 12.xx for three rolls and miso. Sakura has become a staple for us. Delivery for those inconvenient nights and great lunches midday. My little ones also love the kids chicken teppenaki box. read more

Edited: Bumping up to 4 stars for consistency and excellent quality service. I feel that Sakura has improved their technique when it comes to Sashimi and Nigiri. The cuts have improved. This isn't high quality fish but it's acceptable and I certainly have never experienced bad quality fish from here. I'm a bit of a sushi snob and the only way Sakura could ever get 5 stars from me is by using fresh (never frozen) fish. Other than that, I'm always pleased and satisfied with the service, ambience and food. read more

Had the lunch special carry out. One of the rolls tasted off, either the spicy crab or salmon. Really bad texture, smell and taste. Ended up tossing most of the roll. When we called there was no sympathy from the store, just a promise to look into it. Diner be ware. read more

This sushi restaurant is amazing. I don't usually sit down at this restaurant, mostly get sushi to go, but they are fast and they always get the order right. Thank you for a positive experience! read more

Came in a little late on a Friday night, they were cleaning up, but still prepared our food so fast, everything was delicious! Hot and sour soup, crab rangoons, cucumber salad and the Crazy Boy roll. Yum! read more

Affordable and close. The sushi is pretty good. Never got anything I hated. But it's not the best in the area. I'm hoping as time goes on they improve a few things. The spicy crabmeat/Kani roll had no mayo in it all three times I ordered it. Just fake crap strips. Don't know what that is all about! But everything else has been tasty. I love the order online option. We do that then pick it up as takeout. They always package everything very well and are generous with the soy sauce, ginger, and read more

Awesome sushi, great employees, great prices. The best part about this restaurant is, they don't skimp on ingredients! Never disappointed.

My husband and I visited today for the first time for Valentine's Day/Wedding anniversary. We both love Asian food, so it was great to find a sushi place close to home. Not only was the inside visually stimulating, but the food was beautiful! I absolutely fell in love with their white fish. I couldn't have asked for a better place for an anniversary lunch. My husband said we should let our kids try some of our leftovers, and I instantly snapped NO! I enjoyed it too much to share lol Can't wait to go back and try out more of the options. read more

Sakura Japanese Restaurant - Love on a plate! Absolutely delicious! Sweetheart roll, tuna, salmon, shrimp, white fish. Can't wait to go back! - Japanese Near Me - Mchenry, Illinois

Sakura is THE BEST sushi place in the McHenry area. The hot food is always hot, the sushi is always fresh, and the service is always great. Definitely my go-to sushi place. It's as close as you can get to good sushi, without traveling all the way to the city. read more

Sakura Japanese Restaurant - Take-out lunch special. - Japanese Near Me - Mchenry, Illinois

A sushi place in McHenry!?! No way! My initial visit here was decent. The problem is, I just wasn't that impressed. It has been a few years since my first visit, so I figured why not give them another shot? I wish I would have stayed away because again, I just wasn't that impressed. Quality and freshness are at the top of my list when selecting a good sushi joint. The quality just isn't there at Sakura. Believe it or not, there is a noticeable difference in taste between fresh fish and fish coming out of a freezer bag. This is apparent at Sakura. What the chefs here seem to forget is that sushi making is, in sense, an art form. Some of the rolls are so big and disheveled that it takes away from one of my favorite things about eating sushi, enjoying the taste! Would I eat here again? Probably. The price is good, the food is okay, and the service is friendly. Sakura is everything you'd expect from a sushi restaurant in McHenry. Unfortunately, Sakura is just that... a sushi restaurant in McHenry. read more

So glad we stumbled upon this fantastic find! Newly built or remodled inside, everything looks clean and fresh. Our party of 3 had miso soup, house salad (awesome ginger dressing), dragon roll, crazy roll, crazy monkey, winter roll, and shrimp kung pow. Loved absolutely everything. Service was attentive and very friendly. We will definitely be back. read more

Sakura Japanese Restaurant - Japanese Near Me - Mchenry, Illinois

We stopped in looking for a quick lunch and found our new favorite restaurant. The staff is always friendly. I highly recommend the crab rangoons, the winter roll and the shrimp lo mein. I often buy the ginger salad dressing to take home for my salads. You cannot go wrong. read more

I actually am not sure where to start with this place... The pros is that they deliver and they delivered pretty late into the evening and I think it's only a $4 charge outside their zone. So that was nice since they were about a 20 something minute drive I believe. The cons were that the rolls were not rolled at all. Everything fell apart even before I tried to pick one up. They also crammed every roll they could into one container until everything was smooshed together. Not only was presentation terrible, the food did not taste very good either. I was not able to get a full bite due to the terrible rolling of the sushi. Overall price was okay but the food was terrible. I actually would never go back unless I really was craving sushi and did not want to drive. It's like settling for a cheap meal for delivery. I would never crave this place and will be a last choice. read more

We dont have the typical "Where do you want to go for dinner?" "I don't care." We go to Sakura. And no, I don't work here. If you're like my dad and don't like sushi, that's okay, there are plenty of other options! We are here all the time. My mom and I come Saturdays when we go grocery shopping together, she and her friends come, my boyfriend and I go. The waitstaff is incredible, thank you GiGi and the rest of the girls! They always get out order right, even though I am picky and want to change pretty much everything which I know is annoying but they are always more than willing to accommodate.. I have never had a bad dish here and I've had a large majority of what is on the menu. Angel Wings roll with a house salad is probably one of my favorite meals ever. Their shrimp and vegetable tempura is awesome, the little chive dumplings are delicious. I could go on and on. Just try it. It's the best. read more

I've been here several times and keep coming back. I've also been to Sushi King (right down the street) and prefer this one. What I like - it's always busy enough that the food is getting used quickly and that means fresh sushi, but it's not so busy that you can't get a table. I fill out the paper sushi menu and they read it back to me every time. This guarantees that my "add avocado" won't be missed, or that I won't be lacking pieces. So far, the order has never been flawed. They have good sized sashimi cuts. The rice in the rolls is not overwhelming. the maki options are plentiful. Specifically, here are my suggestions (from what I can recall): the Thai tea is very good - and there's a dollop of whipped cream... mmmm the spicy tuna (I add avo) is the roll by which I measure all sushi places since they all have it, and there are different takes on it. I like the heat level here. Summer roll is excellent check for the monthly special (on the menu front and over the bar) because those have historically been very good. Only one I didn't want again - Crazy Boy. not bad. but average. read more

After driving past this place for a year, I decided to stop in and try it! Boy am I glad I did. The sushi was AMAZING just what I was craving. Nothing beats the service we received from Sarah. She is so incredibly kind and sweet, I've never felt more welcome. I will be coming back here as much as my boyfriend will allow. Such amazing drinks and desserts as well. read more

This is our first choice in McHenry for Sushi. It is consistently good, the service is always pretty good too. I love that they have delivery, and it's nice to be next door to Jimmy Johns and chipotle if the kids aren't up for sushi try the sweet heart roll! read more

I love this place!! The food is amazing, the staff is so friendly and the service is great! I've been an avid customer for a year now and will continue to be for a long time! Normally I get the salmon teriyaki bento box and it's enough food for two meals! The sushi is also amazing! Very fresh and so delicious!! read more

Great service and food. Also friendly staff. Food comes wonderfully prepared and displayed.

I have Not had a bad meal or bad service at Sakuras yet. The atmosphere is great and the dining area is decorated pretty cute. They have paper umbrellas hanging from the ceiling and if you tell them it's your birthday they dim the lights and turn party lights and strobe lights on while they blast "Happy Birthday" music. The presentation and arrangement of the sushi on the plates are pleasing to the eye. Sushi is good. We have tried a few other items on the menu besides sushi and thought those were just as good. Wait/service staff has always been kind and prompt. A little bit pricey but not bad enough to turn me away and I would rather pay a little more for the atmosphere of the restaurant. read more

When some asks for extra sweet and sour sauce with their carryout it doesn't mean to give them 2 containers 1/3 filled. Seriously, l think you can fill the tiny containers up. You're the only place in McHenry County that does this and has such thin sauce. read more

Wonderful food, great staff, nice atmosphere. Really good drinks too. Definitely recommend.

Sakura is a great sushi restaurant in Mchnery county. If I had to give this a grade I would grade it at an A. The reasons why I give this restaurant an A are because of the fallowing: quality of food, pricing and customer service. The quality of the fish here is great it was very fresh tasting and clean. It is a little more expensive than other sushi restaurant, but you are getting quality, so I do believe that the pricing is reasonable for the type of food you are getting. When I picked up my order the front desk staff was very friendly. They greeted me with a smile and handed me my order very promptly. read more

Have had great food and service every time. I specifically like ordering a house salad and fried rice to go, usually calling 10 minutes ahead and it's always ready for me by the time I'm there! Love it read more

Very impressed by the cuteness of the interior and also the quality of the food. We had some rolls, the asparagus beef appetizer, miso soup, and also crab Rangoon. Everything was fresh and fast. This is our new (sort of local) sushi place. We used to frequent Hayashi in Gurnee, but this is worth the drive. read more

Sakura gets a THUMBS DOWN for service tonight! My husband and I have eaten there twice in the past and thought the food was pretty good. Tonight, it was very crowded and we were met by a less-than-professional hostess who didn't greet us warmly but rather seemed put off that we were there. For whatever reason, she seemed attentive to the couple who came in the door right behind us, however. After a few minutes, she came back with menus and proceeded to seat the couple who came in AFTER us - as if we were not even there! Feeling quite put off by such a rude, unprofessional, and inconsiderate act, we walked out. While I understand that nice dining establishments get quite busy on Friday nights, there was no excuse for such behavior. Someone needs to provide that hostess with some proper training - that or she needs to look up the meaning of "courteous". While my husband and I like good food, good service is equally as important. We won't be back. read more

My favorite sushi place in the area! Seriously amazing drink selection and really yummy food. Everyone is always so welcoming and they go out of their way to make sure we always have everything we need. Crab rangoon is delicious and I haven't found a roll I don't like. Their lunch special is a great deal. read more

The food is so fresh here and the restaurant is immaculate. Love the sushi and California rolls. The Crab Rangoon is the best around; fresh and crispy with a generous amount of filling. read more

I will start off by saying I am not a sushi restaurant expert; however, I have been around. I will start off with the positives: I love that they deliver! For so long the only places in McHenry that delivered were pizza places. Their delivery is awesome. Not only were they on-time but you can place your order online (get 15% off on 1st on-line order), which I love because you don't have to worry about anyone misunderstanding you and you can see exactly what your order is broken down to. To me the prices are reasonable for sushi; not cheap but not overly inflated either. I am partial to tuna and usually stick with that for sushi, sashimi, and rolls. I can't complain about its quality; never once have I had a fishy taste or a bad piece. So, I know what I like and that is what I order. Onto the not so good. The service while dining-in is awful. There is a definite language barrier with most of the employees with it seems only 1 server [while we were there] that could understand us and had to relay to the others. I have been there twice and both times our drink order was wrong. They screwed it up so bad the 2nd time they had to re-ring the entire order (if we hadn't caught the error we would have been paying $30 more then we should have). I have to 2nd the opinion of the lady that mentioned the water and refilling it. What is up with that? The woman who was refilling did not speak English and she kept hovering, which got very annoying. They are quick to take away things when you are done but maybe a bit too quick. I mean I literally put down my chop sticks and my plate was almost taken away halfway through the meal. The menu can be a bit confusing and they really need to spell out how many pieces of fish you are getting (I believe they tell you with the rolls). Now as far as the other sushi quality goes, the 1st time there we got the Dragon Plater, I think it was called, which had a variety of fishes. The presentation was very nice but some of the fish was very fishy tasting and 1 or 2 had an odor to them. The seating is cramped, so bad that you are bumping elbows with either servers walking by or other patrons. It had a strange industrial feel to it but it was an orthodontist before and maybe they have a bad decorator-I don't know. I was torn with how many stars to give this place as what I like they do very well and I love it, but I would not dine-in to eat there again. That combined with the bill and drinks being wrong I have to say only 3 stars. Delivery wise I would order what I know I like but would be very hesitant to try something new or take someone who has never had sushi there for the first time. So, for McHenry's 1st sushi place, I guess it was a good effort but could definitely be improved upon. If I had to choose I would go to Kobe in Lake Zurich. read more