My coworker was craving sushi, and this was the only place we found close to us that was still open for dinner. Despite the parking lot being quite full, there was still plenty of parking available, and we were seated right away. The menu had lots of options, which made it hard to decide what to order. I went with the Okinawa roll (shrimp tempura and spicy crabmeat inside, deep fried with eel sauce and mayo). My coworkers ordered the Big Island roll and the chirashi don, and they both loved their meals. My Okinawa roll tasted delicious, but it was a little too oily for me - probably wouldn't order it again. The tea I ordered also tasted very watered down, which was disappointing. Service was quick to take our orders, but my food came out way after my coworkers' dishes. Understandable since mine had to be fried, but I ended up awkwardly watching them eat while I waited for my meal to arrive. Overall, a decent sushi spot with good options - just be mindful of what you order and expect some timing issues if you're ordering different types of dishes. read more

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Fish itself was amazing quality and service was quick. However for the value it's not very good, prices were not the best especially for the special rolls. The standard rolls were not bad though. As pictured the nigiri was amazing due to the fish quality. But the rainbow and spicy salmon roll were good but the rice was a little too wet so they fell apart much easier. And they finely minced the salmon and other fish in both the rolls. Other than that the feel of the restaurant was good. Good ambiance. But not top tier. Overall my family and I would give it a 3.5/5 read more

Sakura Sushi & Grill - Spicy salmon roll, Rainbow roll, salmon nigiri, tuna nigiri - Sushi Bars Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

Food 4/5 - Ordered a sakura boat and unagi don. The sashimi/nigiri in the sakura boat was high quality and fresh, as the texture was soft with no hints of being frozen. The roll was good, nothing to write home about. Unagi don was good, although slices for the unagi were on the thinner side. Miso soup was nice and hot. Price $$ - Price is fair with the portions that are served. Service 3/5 - Service is average, they did make a round to refill our drinks. Ambiance 4/5 - Interior is good with Japanese themed decor. Overall - Had a pleasant experience and would visit again. read more

Sakura Sushi & Grill - Sakura Boat - Sushi Bars Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

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Everything went well. Friendly service and yummy food. We had a larger party (15-ish) that they were able to accommodate to. They were still great with taking our orders, separating bills & our food came out timely. read more

Very nice Japanese restaurant. The only reason why I would only give it 4 stars was cause the poke with onions felt like there was more onions than poke. Other than that the food was good, the servers were nice and attentive. Would highly recommend the bentos that they have as they gave you quite a bit for the price you pay. Overall good place to eat! read more

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The Sakura Roll is one of the best rolls we've ever had. It is wrapped in pink soybean paper and the roll itself melts in your mouth like a fresh marshmallow you delicately place in your mouth which melts into a delicate savory explosion of flavor that you can't get enough of. I could have that roll everyday, all day. The restaurant is BI-ZEE!!!! There are signs all over requesting that you stay only one hour to accommodate the masses. That should tell us something! There was a wait outside as we left. The restaurant is pleasing inside. The service is great, they are kind and courteous and they have it going on! We had a great experience tonight. If you have kids, ask to sit by the window. The planes for the Hilo Airport are landing right overhead, it's kinda cool! read more

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Been here a couple of times and food and service has been great both times! Their bentos and speciality rolls are really good. Will return the next time we're in Hilo! read more

Some might not rate Sakura with 5 stars, but I've only ever had great experiences when dining. They are very consistent and they have a large menu to order from if you're not wanting sushi. I've tried many things off the menu and have not been disappointed. My bf and I eat here at least twice a month or more. The service is always friendly and fast. And the one time we had to wait for a little, they gave us free dessert and another item for free. We always make sure to tip more than 20%. And the new renovations are nice! read more

Food was great and service good. Ambience perfect for a good meal and good conversations with coworkers or friends!

10/10/2024 Sakura Sushi & Grill Waiakea Square Warehouse 200 Kanoelehua Ave Hilo, HI 96720 I went there for lunch on Thursday around noon. The parking lot was well occupied but available, looks like a popular local spot. The interior is a clean booth setup with high dividers for privacy. Service was prompt and attentive. I had the 2 piece lunch special with the Tonkatsu and Shrimp with vegetable tempura. Both had crunchy panko breading and were hot. The pork was on the dry side, the shrimps were huge and juicy and accompanied with purple yam and zucchini veggies. I didn't care for the Tonkatsu sauce which was very vinegary. The Miso soup was thin with a few small tofu cubes and kombu. Overall the food was tasty, plentiful and a good value. The portions of other diners was ample and everyone was taking home containers. They don't have Saba Shioyaki, so I may repeat. read more

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We made reservations, and was seated on time. Food came out quickly. Everyone was very attentive. The restaurant has a dark vibe but the ambiance was nice with the lights. We also ordered a green tea it was yummy. Only thing I was was the salad had more dressing and the soup had a bit more flavor, also the fried rice was a bit underwhelming. Other than that we had a good time. read more

Sakura Sushi & Grill - Pork gyoza & spring rolls - Sushi Bars Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

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Located on the Big Island in Hilo at 200 Kanoelehua Ave. There is plenty of parking. The food was pretty good, but not great. The staff was friendly, but it could have been a bit better. They would bring the order to one side of the table and ask us to pass it down to the other end. Not a big deal, but I think that needs to be worked on. Other than that, we had a great time with family. I just posted a few pics as we had tons of dishes. Alooooooha and happy eating. read more

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I visit Hilo every 3-4 weeks for work to meet with clients. I do my best to try different places for lunch and dinner depending on how my meetings go. The location is close to the airport which I love! Sakura sushi was open late morning after one of my meetings and I was craving sushi before I had to rush to my next meeting. I walked in and was quickly seated. They have a great selection of fish and sushi rolls. I had not tried mango on my rolls before so I wanted to experience the Tropical Storm Roll, and I was not disappointed! The sushi is great quality for a reasonable price. The service was quick, responsive and accommodating. I could only stay for a short while before I had to rush out and the food came promptly as well as the bill. I look forward to eating there again! read more

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Redemption story? Maybe. When we first tried Sakura, it was in the early days of its grand opening. To keep a long story short, it would've remained a 1-star if that were our only experience there. However, since we needed to use a gift card, we figured to give this place another shot. The service was okay at best. Our server was kind, however, not once returned to check in on us throughout the night, which includes refilling our water. Also, he gave us the bill before even inquiring if we were interested in dessert. He seemed to want to shoo us out for whatever reason, which seemed strange as it wasn't as busy as their 60-minute seating time limit rule implies. The food was much better than our previous experience, but I still would only consider it okay at best. I had their beef teriyaki, which came in a flavorful sauce but was overcooked per my requested cooking temperature. I guess I can't be too mad since it's not a steakhouse. The salad dressing was definitely interesting, to say the least, and when I tried my partner's sushi roll (spicy tuna), it was still reminiscent of my first experience there. Not good. Overall, Sakura is an okay option if you're looking for a Japanese fix, but I can name a few other places I'd go to before here. I'm sure this place is a gem for others, but not for me. I'd come back again in the future, but only getting their cooked food items. read more

10 of us came here for dinner after a busy Merrie Monarch shopping day. Food, drink , waitstaff all outstanding. Very high end sushi here , and other items as well like ramen . Price was right , we all sat together and had lots of laughs . read more

This place filled up so fast! Service was quick and efficient, the food was excellent, prices were reasonable, and the atmosphere was bustling. I highly recommend the chirashi bowl! read more

Sakura Sushi & Grill - Chirashi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

Not the cheapest place but great sushi. During busy times, they try and rush you out (there are signs saying meals are limited to 60 minutes during busy times. Service is quick, and again sushi is great. Can't go wrong here. read more

Where should I start the first time that I came to Sakura restaurant it was fantastic and the service is fantastic and food is simply outstanding and I wish this restaurant would give everybody a coupon and give everyone a discount on lunch!!! The lunch is very exciting and the service is great . I love Sakura sushi & Grill and I love it!!! And If you love sushi and you should come to this restaurant. read more

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Love this place. Not sure why the bad reviews. Good food. Great service and decent prices

Delicious food, fair prices but perhaps they could spend more time training employees to be a bit more detail oriented when taking orders and checking to make sure they are delivering what is ordered. Thank you read more

This is a franchise operation of The staff are very friendly and attentive, but the food is so-so. I lived in Japan for two decades, so my taste buds are biased. The tempura was soggy, and the panko batter not very tasty. The contents of the spring roll (harumaki) were also very soggy. Overall, a disappointment. read more

This is Hilo's well-known sushi and tempura location . I beg to differ but my tastes are associated with Oahu Japanese restaurants and similar. It's difficult to find a great Japanese sushi location here. The location and service was great! The servers were helpful and honest! I inquired about a sushi option and he advised that the pieces were very "small". I then changed my order to a tempura combo. The tempura was good but the batter was a bit thick. Assortment of vegetables were: potato, onion, Okinawan sweet potato and carrot. ?? I will not be returning as it didn't fit my personal likings. Others enjoy this place. read more

Food was mediocre at best. It tastes like something you could get on the mainland for half the price. The menu had very little options and no drink menu offered. Wait staff picked and chose who they were getting food for and when, didn't matter who was there first. read more

My husband and I were staying like 20 min away and were looking for a good sushi quick in and out place and this was it. You can tell when a place is good when legit every table was full! We were in and out in like 40 min which was great for us. Food came out very fast, service was fantastic. I highly rec ! read more

The teriyaki beef was amazing came on a sizzling platter and a great cut of beef that melts in your mouth The service is a tad slow so minus 1 star The ambiance matches the food well Lots of options for every taste Would come back for sure read more

Decent Japanese food at a decent price point in Hilo. Plenty of parking outside. Friendly staff and spacious dining room. Sushi is good.

First time trying here. Got the bento c. Loved the flavor and lots of lunch specials.

Everything was great. Food was delicious and wait time was not long at all. Friendly staff.

Overpriced food for such a small amount. Also hostess did not greet me for a while as I stood in front of her for over 5 mins.Shrimp tempura is literally from a frozen section of a grocery store and all food is just warm not hot even the chicken Teri that comes out sizzling. Would not recommend this place. read more

Conveniently located on the way to the airport from Banyan Drive in Hilo this Japanese restaurant is very popular with the locals. Lots of good choices on the menu and their Chirashi is one of my favorites. Potions are good and make sure you try their desserts. Service was awesome! read more

Sakura Sushi & Grill - Miso butterfish - Sushi Bars Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

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Impressed with the thoughtful tactful service and yummy food. I can see why it is a favorite of so many. read more

Sakura Sushi & Grill - Mt. Fuji roll and California roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

The food was great and service was attentive and friendly. The volcano roll was a good size and tasty, and my husband and son enjoyed the teriyaki chicken. The gyoza was also tasty. The only complaint was about the seating. The benches slid around too easily and the table legs were triangle shaped and difficult to get in/out of the bench seat without stubbing your toes. We appreciated that the restaurant was open late for dinner, there's not a lot of late options in Hilo. read more

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They are STILL exceptional! I'm a local & I eat here honestly every month. They have great selection and quality food here. Everything on their menu tastes great and made fresh! The service is great, they don't check on you too much but they make sure you have all you need! The price is a bit expensive but SO worth it. read more

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The food here is great every time and the environment is calm and welcoming. They provide fast and friendly service. Also a plus that in my experience, they keep the bathroom neat! read more

Sakura Sushi & Grill - Sushi Bars Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

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A must for family casual diner. The food is spectacular and it's very keiki friendly. Sushi is on point.

wow! i don't even where to start. i went here for my birthday and this was the best tempura broccoli i have ever had. the tofu teriyaki was phenomenal with the jasmine rice. everything was nourishing and warm, perfect for a rainy birthday. read more

Saturday night in Hilo we wanted to try a sushi place. The hotel we stayed at recommended Sakura so why not? The bar was closed, a short wait for a table. If there is a wait they have you out your name on a list. We didn't wait long. We were seated and brought water immediately. Our server was not friendly, didn't welcome us, didn't communicate well. My husband ordered a sale and I had root beer. We had to repeat ourselves multiple times. We started off with Salmon poppers and Jalapeño yellowtail. I couldn't figure out where the salmon came into play with the poppers because it tasted like tempura fried jalapeño with cream cheese. Good, but where's the salmon? The yellowtail was good, jalapeño spicy! We then ordered the Samurai roll and two spicy California hand rolls. Again, having to repeat ourselves. I've never tasted a salty roll until tonight. No, it wasn't the low sodium soy sauce because the yellowtail didn't taste salty. Both the roll and hand roll were salty. A bit disappointed in the flavor. The price wasn't as high as I was expecting. We pay more back home in San Diego, but the quality is much better in the place we frequent. I failed to read reviews prior to going. Lesson learned. read more

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We visited Hilo for four days and came to Sakura three times! We loved the quality of the fish and the dish variety. The waitstaff was attentive and efficient on all our visits. The ambience is nothing too fancy but it does the job. Good seating and never had to wait too long. The night the wait was longer, we ordered for takeout, Some dishes we ordered again and again: -Tuna Tataki but sub white tuna -Shrimp Shumai -Samurai Roll -Sashimi Salad I miss this place already. Such a gem!!! read more

Sakura Sushi & Grill - Samurai Roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

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Staff and service were fast and friendly. Food was delicious, cheapest sushi/nigiri I've ever had for good quality. The building is serviceable but not ideal. Only drawback was a loud teenager having a speaker conversation on her phone with parents apparently oblivious to discipline, nothing the restaurant could do but they did at least apologize for a rude customer. read more

We've come here many times and the food and service has always been good until the last time. Last time the rolls were sloppy with much rice than usual. And edamame was hot on top and cold underneath. Usually like this place but that was unfortunate experience. read more