Came here for an early dinner on a Sunday. It was Mother's Day so I made sure to make reservations just in case but it was fine. Was able to get a table with no issues. Parking was a bit tricky as they had some sort of event and a lot of the streets were closed off so I had to drive around a bunch of times. Luckily I came earlier than my reservation time. [[HIGHLIGHT]]It was pretty nice weather out so I opted for a table outside but the ambiance is nice inside. Dim setting if you want to sit inside.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I ordered a spicy pineapple margarita for my drink but it tasted like it didn't have any alcohol in it so that was a bummer so I didn't really want to order any other drink. I ordered the spicy edamame for appetizer, but it wasn't spicy and lacked a little in flavor/seasoning. I still ate it as I needed some sort of vegetables. For my food, I ordered my favorite salmon melt! This is a must order when you come. Always a hit! (I dipped my edamame in the sauce and it added great flavor to it lol) They had a Mother's Day special for handrolls and I was tempted to try it but didn't want to be super full, so I got two nigiri's instead; one hamachi and one spicy scallop. Both were so good! I would definitely order it again. Hamachi was fresh and soft. Easy to chew. Spicy scallop was made with a spicy mayo and cut up into pieces. Both were really good portion sizes. I was full but wanted to order more cause they were so good. I was offered the dessert menu but I was full so I didn't order any. Love coming to Sasa. Great service, great food and nice restaurant. If you get a chance, definitely check them out! read more

Sasa - Spicy pineapple margarita - Japanese Near Me - Walnut Creek, California

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third time going to this restaurant that we previously had a good experience at the recent visit seemed off with both food quality and cost read more

Super late review on this but I am extremely disappointed and upset with the experience my boyfriend and I had at Sasa. This is from Valentines and I could say that we are not alone on our experience and service. My boyfriend made a surprise reservation here as we have been wanting to get Omakase together. This is no where near Omakase quality in terms of the food and the service we received. We came early to our reservation, still waited around 15-20 minutes to be seated. We also were not seated in the area that the reservation claimed. Did not get acknowledged or checked up on once. The price being $98 per person not including tip or anything is ridiculous and if we would've known we could get way better quality food somewhere else. In between each course we waited sooooo long! The miso soup was really bland and not even served warm, another was the beet salad which was also bad and just for show. I think the only course my boyfriend and I enjoyed was the toro and that being the only one out of the 9 courses is extremely disappointing. Tables around us were also waiting a while and the table sat next to us (which they turned into a combined table for an intimate valentines dinner) got their courses faster although they were seated way later than us. We had just been waiting so long that we weren't even hungry anymore, the servers didn't know what course we were even on and we honestly were just over it. I understand that it is Valentine's day and it is expected to be busy and hectic, but the fact that there is a set Valentines special menu it is clear the restaurant is aware of the crowd they are bringing in. Ended off finally with dessert that tasted like grocery store bought cake that was so sweet, and to finally get the bill another 15 minutes after dessert we see an added "Valentines Surcharge" ...there is just absolutely no such thing. So extremely disappointed. Terrible service and organization. Food was okay. I really hope they improve this going forward. read more

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Food was great, we had chicken Kara-age, yaki zucchini, yakitori Chicken, Tofu/mushroom, grilled octopus, sasa sushi roll and Joto sake. All delicious. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Ambience is great, love the decor as it's not over done.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Service is excellent, everyone is friendly and working together and we got our food right away; we didn't experience any delay or slowness like what other reviewers have mentioned. We will come back again and we live in Sacramento. read more

This is such a late review, (almost a month late) as I was traveling.. But I still feel that it was warranted I make this... This is regarding their Valentine's Day Omakase Menu. My husband a week earlier texted me that he planned a valentine's day date for us but it was a secret. Day of he suprised me at Sasa, which I thought nothing bad could come from it as we dined there years ago and it was amazing.... Boy were we wrong. We arrived 10 minutes earlier than our reservation (we were the first wave of seating for the evening) seated promptly on the outdoor patio. Then it took about 20 minutes for someone to even acknowledge us. Finally a staff member poured us some water and we waited even longer to have drinks ordered. Our first course finally came and it was a miso clam soup, nothing pretty or elegant looking to it but figured the flavor was where it would be at. First sip, LUKEWARM and OVER SALTED. By this time we knew it was not going to be a great experience. Then our second course came out 15 minutes later, a beet salad with romanesco (which broccolini was labeled on the menu) and the tiniest amount of miso dressing on the bottom of the plate. We were pretty much eating blanched cauliflower with Undressed beets and a taste tester of some white miso dressing. So on and so forth, dishes took forever to come out and they were extremely tiny portions. I don't understand how the items could have taken so long to come out as nothing was really cooked. The sushi could have been prepared earlier for faster expediting. They stated guests could order from their regular menu but were turned down when asked. The served should have been seamless it seems they definitely over booked and understaffed as money was more so a priority over quality here. In the end we arrived at 5:30 and didn't leave until almost 9 pm. Left hungry and went to Mcdonald's after extremely disappointed that we paid $300 for this "omakase." read more

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I ended up at Sasa somewhat by accident. I had originally planned to eat at a dumpling spot nearby, but the atmosphere didn't really draw me in, so I walked over to Sasa instead. [[HIGHLIGHT]]From the moment I stepped inside, I immediately liked the vibe. The space is trendy, lively, and exactly the kind of place that makes you excited to sit down for sushi.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Service started off strong. I was greeted quickly and brought water right away. Unfortunately, the first glass had something inside it... a dark speck that looked like debris or possibly a bug. I mentioned it and my server immediately replaced it. She was incredibly kind throughout the meal and offered thoughtful recommendations. I started with oolong tea, which I usually love for its clean herbal flavor, but this one had an unexpected fishy taste that was a little off-putting. Next was the Black Truffle Edamame. It looked great when it arrived, but the edamame were extremely overcooked and mushy to the point that they almost disintegrated when you tried to eat them. Following my server's suggestion, I tried the Citrus Hamachi. I normally love hamachi with ponzu, but this version includes pink peppercorns, which unfortunately didn't work for me. The flavor combination felt overpowering and the aroma of the citrus sauce seemed off. For nigiri, I ordered salmon and albacore. The salmon was actually the best bite of the night... fresh, rich, and generously portioned. The albacore, however, had a grainy texture that felt unusual. I was hoping to try the toro or otoro, but both were sold out that evening. Lastly, I tried the N. Main roll after asking my server which specialty roll she recommended. The albacore on top was chopped instead of sliced, giving the roll a very mushy texture. It also sat in a thick sauce, and the scallions on top looked dry rather than freshly cut. It's honestly a shame because Sasa has a lot going for it. The atmosphere is fantastic and the service was warm and attentive, but the food simply didn't match the experience during my visit. I really wanted to love this place, but based on this meal, I'd likely explore other sushi options in Walnut Creek before returning. read more

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Always had a great experience with the friendly professional staff and excellent menu. Full bar and great drinks. If you like sushi, among other options this place is worth visiting. [[HIGHLIGHT]]If it's not busy, it's quiet and chill but it can get kinda loud especially if there's a group near you.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Private parking available. It's not cheap. read more

Sasa - Japanese Near Me - Walnut Creek, California

Let me preface this low rating by first saying it does not go for the food itself. On the contrary, the food was really hood, drinks were fine, more ice than the actual cocktail itself. My rating goes for the fact that I was "sneakily" charged a little over 22% gratuity when I KNOW I did not leave that amount on my bill. In absolute disbelief that this would be charged when it was not a holiday or "special" menu of any sort (many reviews note that during Valentine's Day they saw this automatic charge). Service was OK. We sat outside and were immediately asked what we wanted to order, we hadn't even fully looked through the menu. Then, when we did order 1 of the dishes (ceviche) the waitress brought out the roll instead. Luckily it was good. Very pricey restaurant, for 3 plates to share and 2 cocktails each, we paid almost $200. Insane. Definitely not worth that much. I'm very disappointed with this business. I will not be retuning. read more

[[HIGHLIGHT]]Another fantastic meal here on the outdoor side patio.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The food is amazing as is the presentation of each dish. The grilled steak comes with a hot stone that you finish the cooking on at your table. The steak was melt in you mouth quality meat. The California roll is delicious and made with real crab. The shrimp gyoza was outstanding! We inhaled the garlic edamame. Don't miss out on the banana bread pudding with pecan ice cream it's worth every calorie! Great service and friendly servers that help you with menu suggestions read more

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Sasa just started lunch service and it is the new go to spot in downtown WCR. Recently they had a lunch sampling event to showcase their new lunch menu where I tried 3 different items and let me say, every single one was amazing! Let's start with their soft shell crab sandwich. It's a perfect mix of savory, crisp and decadent. Then the ramen tonkotsu, so good on a chilly day, which seems to be every day lately, then finally the jewel of my eyes, Ocean Jewel Donburi: a fresh mix of poke and furikake rice with cucumber and radish to contrast the flavors. I had excellent service from the manager, Anna, who made sure every guest was taken care of. You can tell she's truly devoted to giving her clients a space that is welcoming as well as high quality food. The ube espresso martini rounded off the meal. It was both beautiful and mouthwatering. Get this and thank me later. Now planning my next visit back! read more

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Was super excited to try this place, but was quickly disappointed. Our group of 6 was 10 minutes late to our reservation (grace periods 15) and our table was given away. The hostess was nice enough to take our drink order while we waited, but 20 minutes later, our table still wasn't ready, and our drinks hadn't come. After being seated we were given water and menus, and our drinks eventually arrived. After sitting for another 15-20min a server still hadn't been over to order our apps or food. I ended up ordering the spicy tuna roll, and it came out looking nothing like the pictures i saw online, instead of a full roll it was 5 pieces for $19.... Overall, the service could have been better, and I definitely expected a bit more for what I got. Don't see myself coming back. read more

Ok I'm back after maybe 7 years and Sasa is still a hit. My friends were saying have you been here before? I said yes it's been in Walnut Creek since 2010 and they never noticed it. One mentioned Kathy knows all the new spots to go too lol I'll keep it short and sweet, Built on passion, perfected over time. Still as good as day one. read more

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Been a patron of Sasa since it opened. Because WC has expanded so much, it used to be THE place to be. Classy, eclectic and amazing. I will say tho, I walked around for the first time in a long time in the downtown area...and Sasa still seems to have more class, than most. Unfortunately like all good things, you can't sustain "amazing" forever. It's still good, and the decor hasn't changed too much, which I like. It has character, unlike the clinical feel of most places nowadays. Highly recommend if you can, to always sit at the bar or the sushi bar. You get better service. Food is good, but very pricy. I enjoyed my time, it was very busy but the bartender David did an excellent job servicing so many and still being attentive. Very lovely. I will always have a soft spot for this place. read more

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We came here on a Friday right when they opened at 5 pm and no reservation. The ambiance and decor inside is kinda dark, and the outdoor seating is a bit private and covered. It was a sunny day, and I was hoping for a more open area where it gets more sun and a good spot for people watching, but that wasn't the case, so we opted to sit at the bar. Regarding the drinks, I tried the wine and also their spicy margaritas. I recommend the spicy marg. Regarding the food, overall we liked whatever we ordered minus the pork belly skewers. However, it wasn't anything special that can justify the pricing. Worst was the expensive veggie skewer, which only had one sad small piece of zucchini on it the bartender himself started laughing and said sorry when he noticed it. Overall, I think 3/5 is a generous rating, mainly considering the service and selection of food and wine they have. read more

Sasa - The sad single vegetable on the skewer lol Pork belly wasn't great Beef was good - Japanese Near Me - Walnut Creek, California

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We came to Sasa to celebrate our college graduation. We had a reservation for 15 people, and did not have the best experience. We were seated in their outdoor area, which had a net to protect from bugs! They also had a strong heater to keep us warm throughout the night. The service was incredibly slow. We were there for three hours waiting for all of our food to come, and even then, we had to remind them hours in before our food came. We tried a lot of the sushis, but honestly, none of them were good. They all lacked in the freshness that I would expect sushi to have. It was too much rice, not rolled well---the focus was on being fancy versus tasty. We had to send back some food too for not being prepared properly. Overall, this place is too expensive, the food is not good, and service is even worse. read more

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Date night with my boyfriend often involves going to dinner for sushi. We decided to try a more upscale location different than our local favorite spot. The sushi is on the price your side, but it was very good and the service was good as well. We always prefer to dine at the sushi bar, and this was no exception. We ordered a few rolls, a beer, and some hot sake. The only roll we didn't particularly care for was the spider roll. I usually love the spider roll, but this one had a teriyaki sauce type situation going on and it distracted from the sushi for me. Good flavor, just not what I have in mind when eating sushi. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Overall, this felt like a decent sushi restaurant if you're looking to get dressed up for a date night.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

Sasa - Japanese Near Me - Walnut Creek, California

[[HIGHLIGHT]]Very classy looking place.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Make sure you come with reservations. They have a full bar and a lot of choices on the menu. Very fresh fish. All the dishes were so tasty. Great anniversary dinner for us! read more

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[[HIGHLIGHT]]Beautiful restaurant with an abundance of seating![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]This was my first time here and was surprised to see just how big the place is as it just kept going back and back.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] We ordered the citrus hamachi to share and I ordered the duck buns for myself. The hamachi was such a wonderful and refreshing flavor, unique to me as I've never had something like it before. The duck buns were tasty as well, although wished it had just a bit more sauce. Overall I would say it was a great meal, and the waitress was very attentive and friendly! read more

This review is specifically for the Valentine's Day prix-fixe menu. Unfortunately, it was one of the worst dining experiences we've had, and we would not recommend coming here for holiday events if they are anything like this. We had 7PM reservations and upon arrival, we were asked to wait 5-10 minutes to get us a seat.. they then offered the bar or couch seating for dinner. We declined and requested a table. Thankfully, we were seated within another five minutes. [[HIGHLIGHT]]However, the dining area felt crowded and cramped -- we even saw servers asking guests to scoot their chairs in so they could pass through.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The Valentine's Day menu was advertised as a 9-course omakase for $98+ per person, which initially seemed reasonable based on our prior omakase experiences. Unfortunately, we quickly realized this would not be comparable. Before our waiter even greeted us or offered water, a dish was dropped at our table. Confused, we assumed it couldn't be our first course since it wasn't the Red Miso Clam Soup listed on the menu. It turned out to be the fifth course -- Salmon Tartare in a Vegan Cup -- which we later realized had been delivered to us by mistake. Ten minutes later, our waiter finally came to take our drink order. We then waited about 20 minutes for the actual first course, the Red Miso Clam Soup. In past omakase experiences, each dish is typically explained when served, but no descriptions were provided throughout the evening. Courses arrived inconsistently, about 15-20 minutes apart, and often out of order. Multiple servers delivered dishes, none of whom seemed aware of which course we were on. As a result, we were served two dishes twice. At one point, our server asked if we were finished eating -- despite the fact that we hadn't received nearly half of the courses yet. We informed them which dishes were missing, and they said they would check with the kitchen. It took another 30 minutes before our Amaebi with Golden Fried Head arrived and by this point, we had already been dining for over two hours and were still waiting on three more courses. We asked multiple times about the Half-Seared Toro Nigiri, which never arrived. We were frustrated, still hungry, and ready to leave. Ironically, once dessert was served, the bill came almost immediately. Checking out was the fastest part of the evening. Our total bill came to $261, which included a 22% Valentine's Day surcharge that was not clearly disclosed on the prix-fixe menu. We also left a 20% tip, bringing the additional charges to roughly 44%. We typically don't mind paying this amount for a true omakase experience -- but this was neither the quality nor the service level we expected. We understand that Valentine's Day is busy, but the evening felt disorganized and rushed -- more like a cash-grab event than a thoughtfully executed dining experience. We left 3.5 hours after our reservation, disappointed and still unsatisfied. Not the Valentine's Day dinner we were hoping. read more

Sasa - Japanese Near Me - Walnut Creek, California

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[[HIGHLIGHT]]Loved the ambiance of the restaurant and staff were very friendly and accommodating.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] My partner and i ordered the duck buns, sasa roll, and N. Main rolls. We enjoyed the rolls; sasa roll had a sweet profile and the north main had a creamy, spicier flavor to it and both of them complemented each other well. The only thing that was a bit off was that even though the sasa roll was seared, it was actually a bit cold. Not pictured: duck buns- these were a miss. The duck was tough and no significance flavor-wise. Overall, would give this restaurant a 3/5; while it is nice and staff are wonderful, it is exceptionally over priced for what is offered. read more

Sasa - Sasa roll (bottom), n. main roll (top - Japanese Near Me - Walnut Creek, California

Amazing. I rarely award 5 stars outright- Unclear as to the discordance w av 3.5 current rating We were blessed w the service and dining. The dishes were wonderful to share amongst the 6 of us..for a taste of each. The tuna parfait and citrus hamachi stood out the most. The experience of cooking beef on the stone was great. Loved the spider roll. The happy hour selections of skewers was worth coming early for the sampling as well! In a great central location for dessert out afterwards! read more

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Although I've lived in Walnut Creek for 4 years, I had not been to Sasa until tonight (12/28/2024). Several people I know, including my former boss, recommended it. I took my friend out for her birthday as she wanted sushi. Given the average Yelp rating of 3.5 stars and comments about the food being overpriced, we weren't sure what to expect. However, our experience was much better compared to the negative reviews. I made a reservation on open table and was immediately seated once I checked in. We sat at one of the high tables, which was near the bar and TVs. Even though we were near the bar, it wasn't noisy or overcrowded. Service was friendly and efficient. We shared the octopus and rock n roll. Loved the sweetness of the unagi in the roll. The chimichurri sauce that came with the octopus was quite flavorful and not overly spicy. The two dishes were the right amount of food for both of us, as we wanted to save room for dessert! Although some of the items seem overpriced compared to other sushi spots we've tried, the bill was much less than we expected. Our bill was ~$56, which included the tip. From looking at the pictures of the menus on Yelp, the drinks seemed quite pricey. We don't drink regularly so we had no problem skipping the drinks. However, I noticed that some of the rolls were more expensive than other sushi places. For example, the rainbow roll at Sasa is $25. By comparison, this roll is $15.95 at Hasumi, $19 at Tatsu, and $16.45 at Kansai. The high prices are the reason this review is a 4, rather than 5, star rating. Despite the high prices, I'd still come back for a special occasion. We got the sense that Sasa is known for their small plates, which is great for people who don't love sushi but want to try/enjoy Japanese food. Both of us eat sushi regularly and thought the fusion of different cuisines (like the chimichurri sauce with the octopus) makes Sasa stand out from other sushi places we've tried. read more

Sasa - Octopus and Rock-N-Roll* - Japanese Near Me - Walnut Creek, California

DON'T COME FOR THE VALENTINES SPECIAL. If I could give them no stars, I would... It was $98 pp which isn't too bad if the omakase is good but as a regular omakase consumer, I was VERY underwhelmed. First course, red clam miso. SALTLY. I couldn't even finish it. How do you mess up miso? Did they even taste it ? Second course felt like they just grabbed the vegetables straight from the fridge and threw it over a aioli sauce. I also did not finish it and the manager (maybe) came up and asked if everything was okay. I wish I told her right then and there but I didn't want to be rude since it was only the second course. Then came the third, okra and shiso tempura.... Okra came out soggy and I couldn't even taste the ships since the tempura batter was thick and heavy. What's worse is that the tempura sauce just tasted like dashi water. The nigiri pieces were just whatever, nothing stood out except for the amount of rice each piece had. It's more like a 1:4 ratio and my fiancé said the rice had too much rice vinegar in it. I took out half the rice in each nigiri that was served.... Can you tell where I'm going with this ? Not good. The whole omakase menu felt like chaos. There was no flow to it, no flavors, nothing special. This wasn't even worth $50 if I'm being honest. The waiters and managers kept bringing us the wrong course which was super unprofessional and added to how chaotic the dinner was. My fiancé and I just wanted to get out of there and eat somewhere else. Side note: If you look at the bottom of the omakase menu, the restaurant actually tells us to order à la carte if we're up for it. The table next to us actually asked the staff for the menu but were denied which I find laughable. Why put it there if you weren't intending to in the first place. What's worse ? THE BILL. 22% Valentines Surcharge ?! Yea, no thank you. Never. Again. read more

Sasa - Japanese Near Me - Walnut Creek, California

I recently tried the Valentine's Day omakase at Sasa, priced at $98 per person for 9 courses excluding tax and tip, and was quite disappointed overall. The menu felt padded with several filler items--such as cake, vegetables, and soup--while the sushi portion was minimal, with only about three pieces of nigiri. For the price, I expected a stronger focus on high-quality seafood and nigiri rather than so many non-sushi elements. Additionally, the courses did not arrive in the order listed on the menu, which caused confusion for many guests at our table and disrupted the flow of the experience. The servers did their best under difficult circumstances--the restaurant was clearly overbooked and understaffed for the event, leading to very delayed service and an overwhelming atmosphere. I understand holidays like Valentine's Day can be busy, but the decision to offer a fixed prix-fixe menu for everyone without options to add extra items (or better staffing) contributed to the issues. On top tip was mandatory at 22%. This was one of the more underwhelming omakase experiences I've had in the Bay Area over the past several years. Management might want to reconsider the structure of these special-event menus to better match expectations for the price point and ensure adequate preparation for high demand. Poor servers deserve all of the tip from this botched experiment from Sasa. read more

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Horrible experience on Valentine's day - we finally got a table 30minutes past our reservation time (there was a long line outside all with reservations). Service was horrible, it took 15-20minutes between 'courses'. The 9 course meal consisted of one small single bite each for $100+/person. To put it in perspective, if you were to go elsewhere and order one sushi roll + miso soup, you would be getting the same (or more) quantity of food in 1/8 of the time and likely better quality. Neither waiter or servers acknowledged how bad it was and how long it was taking, they forgot 3 of our courses and continued to keep us waiting (sitting 1.5hrs past our reservation time). We decided to leave only to find that they would already charge for a 22% service fee on top an extremely overpriced mediocre experience because of the holiday. Stay Away. read more

This review is for the valentines day 9 course fixed menu meal at Sasa. I booked this spot because I have been here on multiple occasions in the past and had good experiences in both food, service, and ambiance. My wife loves Valentines and I wanted to make it special for her every single year. Unfortunately, this visit was the exact opposite of what I expected. I booked our spot in advanced for the 7pm slot. We arrive and they had us wait an additional 15 minutes before they were able to seat us. [[HIGHLIGHT]]After sitting down, we noticed that the table was filthy. The cloth was not changed out and was stained by some dark liquid.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] This is a bit understandable as this was a holiday event and things can be hectic. Unfortunately, to our surprise, that would be the least of our worries. It took them 20 minutes to even come back to our table to get our drink order. Then, it took ANOTHER 20 minutes for the FIRST dish to come out to our table. As it turns out, the dish wasn't the first one on the menu, and instead was a random one they happen to accidentally gave our table. From there, we had to wait an additional 20-30 minutes per dish which were jokingly small and we were able to finish in one bite each. Additionally, most of the dishes were out of the order listed on the menu. Luckily, it was pretty easy to tell what each dish was as none of the wait staff told us what we were receiving. After three hours, we still had not received some of our dishes and our waiter came back three times to ask us what we were still missing. After the third time, we gave up and just decided to get the check to leave as the food was so mediocre, it wasn't worth the time to wait for another. On the check, they added a 22% "valentines surcharge" which was not disclosed on their pricing. I found out from other guests, after i had already paid additional tip, that the 22% was actually the tip. So basically we had a zero star experience for close to 400 dollars. This was by far the worst dining experience I've ever had. Food: 0 Service: 0 Ambiance: 0 I don't think I'll ever come back to this establishment and will recommend my friends and family to avoid it as well. After leaving, we felt so upset that we even gave this place our time and money. read more

Great service, Pio our sushi chef was very friendly and welcoming. Beautiful decor and delicious food. Everything we got made our eyes light up, my favorite was the north Walnut Creek and beef skewers. The roll had fresh sashimi, a mango sauce, and crunchy soft shell crab inside. The meat was tender and well seasoned read more

Sasa - Walnut Creek* - Japanese Near Me - Walnut Creek, California

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Y'all should be damn ashamed of yourself. To the owner and alleged mangers, what type of restaurant scams people on Valentine's Day? $300 for a meal that could barely fed a small dog. This omakase went about as well as a bowling ball would swim. Unorganized from the jump with the waiting and lack of consistency with the service. Each course was just ok at best. The scam was the lack of transparency in the description when booking. It's labeled as a 9 course meal without any sort of explanation as to what is to come. To the owner, find the nearest mirror and really ask yourself if that's acceptable as a leader and a business owner for this community. DO BETTER read more

Sasa - Japanese Near Me - Walnut Creek, California

Not sure why Sasa has 3.5 stars, but I really enjoyed my meal, the service and ambience. It's been a while since I last ate here. We ordered the chicken karaage, garlic rice, gyu kushi and salmon melt roll. Everything was so good. The staff were super friendly and helpful and always checked on us. It's still very pricey, but I enjoyed the experience. read more

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I used to love Sasa. It was one of my favorite restaurants in Walnut Creek--a place I'd recommend without hesitation. But after my recent visit, I can honestly say that whatever spark once made this place special has been snuffed out. Let's start with the food. The once-decadent Bananas Foster bread pudding--a dessert that used to taste like it was made by a true pastry chef, infused with real rum, coconut, and freshly baked bread--is now just sliced bread drenched in canned syrup with raw bananas thrown on top. It was lazy and soulless. The steak on the hot riverstone? Gone. In its place is what can only be described as a BIBIMBAP "DIY kit" that completely misses the mark. And across the board, portion sizes have been slashed by half while prices have jumped. It feels like you're paying fine dining prices for food court effort. As for the sauces--most dishes just came with the same generic, overly sweet "eel sauce" (not a great name to begin with), which tasted like thinned-out hoisin. And they didn't even match the menu descriptions. Service? Our server was friendly but got almost every order wrong. And that might've been forgivable if the rest of the experience made up for it. It didn't. The atmosphere only added to the disappointment. It's dark--not romantic, just dim. And at the same time, loud. The last three times I've been, it's been nearly impossible to hold a normal conversation. The space seems to trap and echo every sound, making it feel more like a crowded hall than a place to enjoy a relaxed meal. To top it off, the wine list seems to have vanished. This used to be a spot known for its curated wines and standout cocktails, but now even the bar program feels like an afterthought. Unless someone insists on hosting an event here, I won't be back. And if they do? I'll try to talk them out of it. If that fails, I'll show up, smile politely, and hope the company is better than the food read more

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We love SaSa. Their food is very good, we recommend the Steak on the rock, and the Hokkaido roll. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Vibe in here is perfect-- classy, warm lighting, and pretty.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

First and foremost my partner says they make a bomb ass Lychee Martini. For me it's always tequila and lime juice and/or red wine, pretty hard to screw that up so always good. If you want a table get a reservation otherwise usually seating at the bar which is all good. Faster service there. We have had all kinds of food and all great. The Walnut Creek roll with soft shell crab is one of our favorites. Nice place to hang for the evening. Nice ambiance. Not loud at all so you can have a conversation. Yes people still talk to one another instead of having their noses buried in their phones. I wish they were open earlier in the day. read more

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On the pricier side but food is delicious ! Check them out. Street parking so be wary of that aswell. Salad was amazing and drinks were so good ! read more

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I can't imagine a worse Valentine's Day experience. Complete disorganization all around. No communication at the front door. People piled up, hosts taking guests out of order, no clue who is getting prioritized, completely left in the dark as some other guests are pushier and trying to plead their case from the back of the line, making us wonder if we needed to start fighting to not get skipped. Guests that were leaving were shaking their heads and saying, "what a disaster". We finally get inside, anxious and confused at this point, luckily seated near our reservation spot (thankfully we got in line early 20 min prior to our reservation time) and the host sent us to an outdoor table randomly because we were by the front desk. We were not seated at the bar like we reserved. [[HIGHLIGHT]]We get to our seats and the table wasn't cleaned off. It still had tempura crumbs from the previous party and their signed check was still there.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Waiter checked in. Nice guy. Frazzled. He explained the Omakase arrangement, which was confusing because omakase is sushi 99% of the time, not a bunch of appetizers. 'Service' begins. We wait 10 minutes and a miso soup comes out. Tiny, salty and lukewarm. Tasted like any strip mall Japanese restaurant, maybe worse. Wait another 20 minutes, steamed ROMANESCO broccoli and beets ... not broccolini as written on mayo. Wife's was missing radishes while mine had them. Tempura dish was so over-battered that it made carnival food seem healthy. Each dish with a 15-20 minute gap. No explanation, often requiring a check in by the waiter, "uh, did you get the salad yet?" ... then another runner brings us the wrong dish. Wife's water was replenished with the last couple of tablespoons in the pitcher, I was not refilled. He never came back. The dinner took THREE HOURS. Sitting there with one tiny bite every 20 minutes. Imagine one piece of sushi every 20 minutes. I left hungrier than when I got there. Our server was nice, but no one knew what was going on. Server asked us multiple times which desert we wanted and then after taking forever to get it to us, they ran out of the chocolate cake we ordered. When I went to the restroom, I peeked in to the kitchen and bar area, no one was hustling to get on track. No attempt to make our experience decent. They were pretty eager to clear off the empty table settings and gather the table decorations, though. To top it off, a sneaky 22% 'Valentine's Surcharge was slipped in and the surcharge was taxed!! When I asked what that was, the server said it was the tip. And the food was just ok. Underwhelming, not inventive. Put it in a styrofoam container and it would be 3-star door dash. Our romantic evening was ruined by Sasa's inability to execute a prix fixe dinner in an organized way. No effort to make things right, no comped drinks or dishes, no discount, no apology, no visits from a manager... just a mess that we were expected to deal with. Exhausted mentally and physically after this meal. It was awful. Won't be back anytime soon. Thank god I didn't get a parking ticket from my expired meter that I set for 2 hours. read more

Sasa - Something nasty floating in my water. - Japanese Near Me - Walnut Creek, California

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I was kind of hestiant walking into restraunt. It look extremly high class.. Not looking authentic at all. I'm soooo wrong! This place rocked! The service was great, our waitress is awesome- shr knew her stuff!! And... Most importantly- the fish was soooo fresh it made my tummy cry yum yum!! Its so frigging gooood! I'm licking my lips with delish! Chill ambiance read more

Sasa - Braised beef - Japanese Near Me - Walnut Creek, California

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[[HIGHLIGHT]]Very nice atmosphere.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The quality on their fish was amazing. Very impressed. Will return. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Couch was very comfy.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

This review is based off of their Valentine's Day pre fix menu. We highly recommend not to go here for their Vday prefix menu. The service was incredibly slow, took about 15-20 mins from when we first sat down from when our waiter came over to take our drinks order and a long wait between courses. This was 100% a cash grab event for the restaurant. The portions/quantity of food you are being served is basically nothing. It was 9 courses but the food was incredibly basic and small. They started you off with a lukewarm clam miso soup. Then moved to a 2-piece okra and spinach tempura. Then they served you one piece of sushi for 3 of the courses, to a tiny salmon tartar cup. Then ended it with a decent size dessert. That for $98 before tax and a 22% Valentine's Day surcharge - plain robbery. I understand this is a busy night for restaurants, and I have no problem paying $500 bill (for 3 people + drinks), we are active Michelin star diners, but when you are paying this amount, one would expect good/decent service and not walk out of the restaurant still hungry. We will not return and advise others to stay away for a Valentine's Day dinner. Not worth it. You'd be better off going to any other restaurant to spend your money and where the service is better and not slow. Incredibly disappointed. I do hope management considers all the bad reviews from customers from this past weekend, and make it right! Service: 0 Food: 0 Quality of food: 0 Recommend: no read more

Holy moly, how does this place get away with these prices? I thought I was paying for sushi, not a down payment on a used car. Each roll was at least $22+ and no wow factor as I've could've gotten the same roll for half the price elsewhere --just your average roll at luxury pricing. Our Server warned us rolls would take at least 20 minutes because "trainees" were making them. Cool, so we're funding sushi school now? Ordered three rolls, duck buns, 1 miso soup, and a small sake. The SASA and Hokkaido rolls had a sweet sauce underneath them--not sure I've ever had sweet sushi before, but I wouldn't recommend it. - Bill? $200+ - Service? Not quite sold on the service but they did clear the tables fast like. Never asked if we needed anything or checked in much about water, sake or drinks. - Hunger level afterward? Still very much present. - Vibe? Looks high end at first but it kind of had a "chain restaurant" or Applebees vibe. Would I come back? Only if I develop a craving for overpriced, underwhelming sushi read more

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[[HIGHLIGHT]]We sat in the back patio, which was lovely, and our server was equally pleasant.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Maybe the service had improved since the previous Yelp reviews, however it may have over-corrected. Every 5 minutes there was a new face asking if everything was ok- at least three times before we had gotten food or drinks. Things became less okay once everything arrived. The Otoro Toradito recommended by our server tasted like it had been dumped from a Chicken of the Sea can without draining the oil. I've met less fishy tuna sandwiches. The seared albacore was a risky move. It was another outlier on a Japanese menu that included Scottish Salmon in beurre blanc and a beet & Brie salad. The blob of truffle jelly added more slime than flavor. Finally, the black cod in miso abandoned the miso in favor of a half inch of butter for the fish to drown in. On the up side, the dog gives everything five stars. read more

Valentine's Day dinner was a disaster. People were waiting outside for their reservation, up to 45min we heard one person share. There was no coordination, the wrong food/course was brought to our table multiple times, it was served out of order, waters were empty and refills that were promised were never brought. 9 courses and we were at our table for 3 hours. Not because it was an "experience" but because it was a disaster. 22% valentines surcharge is crazy. Call it added gratuity because so many people left upset and probably wouldn't have tipped if it hadn't been included even though it seemed like the kitchen's fault, not the servers/bussers (they were nice, but clearly frazzled). They ran out of the dessert we ordered on top of it all. Tal about poor planning. Hard pass on Sasa. The food didn't even come close to redeeming this experience. Calling this menu an omakase was very misleading. [[HIGHLIGHT]]And we reserved seats at the bar (which was empty) and got sat outside.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more