I saw a Yelp friend post a photo from Waka Sakura in Irvine, the food looked beautiful and delicious, so I decided to check it out myself. The restaurant was clean The servers were attentive, explained the process, and pointed out the call button in case we needed help. Ordering was easy and self explanatory using the tablet , and you can also order on your phone. You're allowed to order six items at a time, and the food came out pretty quickly. The fish tasted fresh, not the best I've ever had, but definitely above average. That said, the portion sizes were really small. Honestly, I felt like I'd need to eat the whole menu just to feel full. For the price, it felt a bit expensive for what you get. The only dish I felt was worth the money was the Assorted Sashimi $15.99 good value . We ended up waiting around 90 minutes to be seated, which set high expectations. Unfortunately, the experience didn't quite live up to the wait. The conveyor belt service felt impersonal, and there wasn't much interaction from the staff, which made the overall experience feel underwhelming. There were plenty of parking spaces available when I visited! read more

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YUMMMMM! Waka Sakura is not your average conveyor belt sushi spot. First of all, it's not realllyyy conveyor belt sushi in the way Kura is; they don't have a constantly rotating selection on the belt that you can just grab from. Rather, you make all your orders from the iPad and whatever you order gets sent down to your table from the belt. Since everything is made to order, the fish here is FRESH!! All of the cuts were high quality and generously sized. Highlights of the meal were the medium fatty tuna and the seared salmon with mayo. Both were incredibly buttery and melted in your mouth! But honestly, you can't go wrong with any of the nigiri options, all of them were tasty and satisfying! The service was also great. We accidentally spilled some water, but the staff was quick to come over and help us out. Definitely a bit pricier than Kura, but the difference in quality is well worth it. Highly recommend this place to satisfy your sushi cravings! read more

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Came here because I've been eyeing this place every time I do grocery at Tokyo Central in Gardena. For this weekend, I was around Irvine area and got to try this place. I saw their ads on TikTok that they have better quality than Kura, but I don't think the quality differences are too distinguished. Note that they're not revolving sushi bar restaurant. I got the usual stuff like the nigiris, seared salmon, scallops, unagi. they are good, but they're not like amazingly good. It's just a standard good. Their weight was not too bad. We only waited for like 10 to 15 minutes.. read more

Waka Sakura - Tuna poke - Conveyor Belt Sushi Near Me - Irvine, California

Faves here: Salmon belly Salmon platter Sashimi platter Salmon collar Salmon avocado hand roll Scallops Sweet shrimp Very clean, calm & minimalistic decor. Food was amazing but service is very slow & wait times are ridiculous here. There's often whole rows of open tables here but they still make people wait. -1 read more

Waka Sakura - Conveyor Belt Sushi Near Me - Irvine, California

The restaurant is very beautiful inside and clean. It definitely reminds me of an upscale version of revolving sushi. It's pretty cool to have your plate's delivered by conveyor belt, however it can have technical difficulties like stopping before it actually arrives etc. the service was really good with the waiters consistently checking on us to make sure our plates were cleared and we had our drinks topped off. THE FOOD! The fish was so fresh and good! It's not some thin sliced fished on rice it's good quality with thick pieces. The rice was amazing and definitely sets them apart from other sushi places. It is definitely not a cheap sushi place but the quality is there. I will definitely be coming back to try more. read more

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Husband and I came here yesterday for lunch at 11:00am when they opened, so there was no wait. We also avoided the crazy grand opening period. We ordered the usual 1) wagyu trio - this was good but meat slices are thinner than what we had at the Gardena location 2) salmon platter with 6 pieces - this is good if you like salmon 3) scallop platter - always enjoy this one 4) miso soup - husband likes this 5) Japanese tofu side dish - husband enjoys this 6) fatty tuna sushi - husband was not impressed 7) red shrimp grilled - should have gotten the regular raw kind instead of the grilled versions Overall fast service and efficient. No wait. Food was good but we think Gardena has larger portion food. read more

Waka Sakura - Fatty tuna sushi - Conveyor Belt Sushi Near Me - Irvine, California

We've been wanting to come here for some time. We've tried to put our name down and wait at least 3-4x and finally we got in. Unfortunately, the air was out and it was HOT eating conditions. The receptionist always seems kinda unhappy or not welcoming, but we still kept trying to get in. Unfortunately, I would not recommend this place. The sushi was pretty good, but wasn't anything that wow'd me. read more

Waka Sakura - Wagyu lovers - Conveyor Belt Sushi Near Me - Irvine, California

Fresh sushi at a reasonable price! Yes, Waka Sakura is conveyor belt sushi, but your food is made to order and delivered to your table by that conveyor belt. Hot food stays hot, instead of slowly cooling down to warm while revolving around the restaurant. We arrived before noon on a weekday and were immediately seated. The restaurant is aesthetically pleasing and clean. Ordering is done via touchscreen. My faves were the scallop lovers (had to get a second order) and salmon party. The food is nothing fancy, so don't expect to be getting any innovative creations. (I heard that there were two-hour long waits to eat here. It's not worth that long of a wait.) read more

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Fresh sushi. Faves were the seared salmon options- something about searing the salmon just makes it so scrumptious. The miso with clams was also tasty. Loved the chicken karaage too. We came ~3pm on Sat and there was no wait. Food comes quickly after you order on the iPad. Service was attentive. Clean, modern space. read more

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This casual sushi spot is located next door to the new Tokyo Central. There's nothing wrong with the sushi at Tokyo Central but if you want a step up above store bought sushi, you can come here. They're still new so expect a wait, but it won't be as bad as the estimated time the waitlist gives you. On a Sunday at lunch time it said it would be an hour and 40 minutes but we got a text after about an hour. The restaurant is clean and simplistic. All the tables are booths with a tablet for ordering. A conveyor belt delivers the dishes to your table and everything is made-to-order. I'm usually more of a roll person but I preferred the nigiri here. The Salmon Party ($12.99) included 6 pieces of salmon nigiri with 3 seared and they were all tasty. The Wagyu Beef Trio ($12.99) was unique and worth trying. The Assorted Sashimi ($15.99) is also a good choice and very fresh. The rolls we tried (Shrimp Tempura Crunch, Rainbow & Spicy Tuna w/ Bluefin Tuna) were okay but not the best in presentation or taste. They also have some hot food options. The Chicken Karaage ($5.49) was good but pricey for the portion size. If you like greasy fried food, the Fried Salmon Belly ($5.99) was super crispy and delicious. If you have some shopping to do at Tokyo Central, I recommend putting your name down on the waitlist here and then going to shop so that by the time you're done you can enjoy some sushi. read more

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We came on a Sunday evening around 6:15pm and waited 20 min only! Service was good, food came out at a decent speed, and everything tasted fresh. The wasabi they use melts into the soy sauce when mixed, its kinda similar to actual Japanese wasabi. My favorite fish is usually salmon but here I think the tuna tastes better. My bf really enjoyed the wagyu beef sushi too. Their hand rolls are also nicely sized and they give a good amount of fish! Overall we loved eating here and will definitely come back! Side note: I tried their Gardena location first and really liked it so I was so excited when this Irvine location opened!! I still think the Gardena location is a bit better tho! read more

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I heard good things about their sister company at their Gardena location but never dined there due to the long waits. Before heading over to opening week of Tokyo Central I checked in on their tablet and they advised me I had 8 parties a head of me. Parking is shared in the strip center and the restaurant is a separate from the grocery store. I didn't realize this was a conveyor belt operation which allowed me to order from my phone, or the tablet located at my table which also included ginger and other condiments. The concept here is efficient and there is little interaction with the staff unless you need something other than what you can request on the tablet. All my entrees were made to order and turn a round was prompt. The quality of all my selections was delicious, and the pieces of sashimi were good sized. The nigiri was portioned perfectly to the brown rice. Overall, I was really impressed with the entire lunch experience here and would definitely return here in the future. read more

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Not a true conveyor belt sushi restaurant because no dishes are actually rotating ("kaiten" sushi). Ordering is done via tablet and majority of dishes are delivered on the conveyor belt. Still fun for kids to watch food arrival. Price is a bit high for the quality but acceptable. For a family of 4 (2 adults and 2 kids), our bill before tip came out to be around $110...and we did NOT stuff ourselves. Not a place that I would come regularly but okay once in awhile. Our favorites were the avocado roll and fried salmon belly. Kids enjoyed the Wagyu beef trio. Other sushi dishes were decent, nothing was bad. Having lived in Tokyo, kaiten was considered affordable eats...we could easily enjoy it for lunch for around $40-$60 for a family with young kids. Unfortunately, the conveyor belt sushi places in OC like Kura and Waka Sakura charge almost the same price as a standard sushi restaurant...minus the service. Again, Waka Sakura is not a bad choice for families but for that price, I would rather eat at a regular sushi restaurant. read more

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Wish Yelp could give half star ratings, I would probably lean more towards 3.5 stars but rounding up for really good service. I absolutely love the grocery store chain Tokyo Central and have always wanted to try Waka Sakura in Gardena, so when I heard about this Irvine location opening up I was so excited to give it a try. This concept is very common in Japan, it's an express conveyer belt sushi restaurant. So the conveyer belt isn't rotating constantly, you order from a table kiosk (or QR code on phone), and your items will be delivered to you on the belt when they're ready. I went right as they opened and didn't have to wait. Everything was really simple and the staff was always ready to help and readily available. The fish quality is pretty good and their hot / cooked dishes were surprisingly impressive. The price point is interesting because it's certainly way more affordable than going to a sit down traditional sushi restaurant, but also more expensive than you may want for a revolving sushi / AYCE sushi spot. Overall a solid experience and worth going to if you've never been to an express conveyer belt sushi restaurant, but I wouldn't say it's a "must go" spot especially if you had to wait 10+ minutes for it. If the quality was a little better, like leaning more towards the quality of say Sugar fish in CM, it would be a lot more compelling. Still a great place for a quick bite, especially if you have a sushi craving. read more

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I was surprisingly really pleased with this place! We ordered on the iPad for our sushi and drinks. Each plate of nigiri was about $4-6 and the most expensive being $10 for one uni nigiri. The salmon was my favorite, it was so creamy and had that umami flavor that was noted on their tablet. I read a lot of reviews of the rice being really unique so I was excited to taste it, and I was not disappointed! It was seasoned perfectly and was not dry at all. It's not a revolving bar with premade sushi, so it's sad to see the plates flying by on the conveyor belt to the tables behind you when you're hungry. The ginger was on the sweet side and they use real wasabi here. For 2 of us, it ended up being $90 ish. read more

Waka Sakura - Salmon, tuna nigiri - Conveyor Belt Sushi Near Me - Irvine, California

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Interesting concept but felt impersonal and never was asked if I wanted a beverage so I had to hit the call button just to get a server to come and take my drink order. Sushi is good not spectacular I find this a good spot to grab a quick snack. Salmon had a Distinct funk but I did enjoy the tuna sampler. Wine wise the only have 1 red and the drink menu is from 12/1/25. Restaurant is clean. Menu ordering tablet is stuck in place so you have to lean awkwardly. Other restaurants I've been to with similar ordering set up have a retractable cord. read more

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I finally went to try the new revolving sushi place in Irvine, next to the new market. We had to wait for two weeks for the wait time to go down. It is a very clean and stylish restaurant. Inside it is spacious and beautiful. The staff is helpful and friendly. You sit at booths and order from a touch screen tablet at the end of your table. The food comes to you a conveyer shelf similar to Kura. On the positive side, we loves how clean it is and how fresh the food was. All their sushi comes with brown rice, healthier and tasty. The best items were the crab hand rolls and the rainbow roll sushi. Some items not so great: We had to wait a long time for the food to arrive. Some items took ten minutes to arrive. The prices are not all the same for each item. Each item is priced. Be prepared to spend $20 to $30 a person. The selection is limited. They do not have a crunchy hand roll. It is limited. Overall, it is clean and tasty, but is it worth the price? read more

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First timer at Waka Sakura! We were seated fairly quick and was able to order as soon as we sat down. Sushi is ordered through the iPad and then, sushi is delivered by conveyor belt. Love this as it reminds me of Kura Sushi. The price is similar to Kura Sushi, but the quality of the food is better. We are salmon girlies and we kept ordering salmon dishes. They were amazing. There is a 90 minute time limit so time your yap session and eating accordingly. Would love to come back! read more

First time here and the whole experience was great! They have a tablet in store to put yourself on the waitlist and for us it was a 40 minute wait on a Friday evening so not too bad. The wait time is also pretty accurate as well as we got seated exactly 40 minutes later. Once we were seated we ordered completely off the iPad tablets which was pretty nice and all our food came out in less than 5 minutes through the conveyor belt they have. I love how their rice is seasoned perfectly - definitely don't see that at most places. We ordered the Salmon Sampler, Tuna Sampler, Scallop Sampler, Squid Nigiri, Yellowtail Scallion Roll, Spicy Tuna Handroll, and Salmon Avocado Handroll. This was the perfect amount for two people and all the fish was pretty fresh. Overall definitely will be coming back due to how clean the restaurant is and the good price point for the quality of fish you get! read more

Waka Sakura - Tuna Sampler, Salmon Sampler, Scallop Sampler, Squid Nigiri, Yellowtail Scallion Roll - Conveyor Belt Sushi Near Me - Irvine, California

Great new place with great quality fish! I thought it was pretty affordable too! The salmon party was around $12 I think, which is honestly the price of grocery store sushi nowadays and this is sooo much better quality. The seared salmon and tuna ones were my favorite. Literally melt in your mouth quality. Conveyor belt concept is also super neat and food came out fast! We also ordered the yellowtail and scallion roll, which we did not enjoy bc the yellowtail pieces were soo small and it just tasted like scallions and rice. Their rice is very unique and good. Not sure what the brown color comes from but it's super good and perfect texture. read more

Waka Sakura - Salmon party - Conveyor Belt Sushi Near Me - Irvine, California

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Located right by the new Tokyo Central. Empty in the afternoon on a weekday but I assume it can get crowded during the evening / weekends since this plaza is always packed. The sushi made to order so it takes sometime to come to your table vs everything on a conveyor belt. Easy to order, decent options, and service was attentive! We had a small child with us and they were accommodating. read more

Waka Sakura - Salmon Sushi (minus 1 since I ate it before photo lol) - Conveyor Belt Sushi Near Me - Irvine, California

We came here for dinner after hearing all the rave reviews from friends. This place is located in the new Tokyo Central Area in Irvine so parking can be a challenge during peak hours. Yes the spots are small but you'll eventually find something or worst case walk over from the Mitsuwa side. This places ambiance feels very Japanese with bamboo wood everywhere with the large conveyor delivery train along the edges of the table. Everything here you order via the tablet on the table and everything is delivered to order. There are no old plates rotating around like other similar style places. The pricing also depends but they have a excellent variety of raw sushi, sashimi, ramen noodles, fried dishes and meat items. Note if you want to order from the alcohol menu they need to check your ID to enable that menu on the tablet. The best deals are the combo sushi/sashimi sets. The fish is very fresh and high quality with very small amounts of rice. The fish is served at the proper chilled temperature so its quality vs quantity with every bite. The service was perfect as the waiter was very attentive to all our needs and they clean your plates promptly when you leave it at the end of the long booths. Highly recommended and will absolutely be back again. Yes you pay higher premium here but you also get better quality so you can decide yourself. read more

The restaurant is next to the new Tokyo Central location in Irvine. Everything we tried was fresh and delicious with great rice-to-fish ratio. Place your order on a tablet, and watch your order delivered to your table on a conveyor belt. Wagyu Beef Trio Scallop Lovers - 4 kinds Salmon Party -6 kinds Tuna Lovers-4 kinds Miso Soup with Clams Steamed Egg Yuzu Cheesecake w/ ice cream Matcha Mont Blanc Since they can have long wait times on weekends, the best time to visit is during the week. read more

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I enjoyed my meal so much that I came back again! The hype must have died down a little, I went at 6:30 on a Wednesday and there was no wait. As usual, I had to get the salmon party, which comes with six delicious salmon nigiris, with the seared ones being my favorite. This time I tried the Wagyu trio, and while it was good, I don't think I could justify the price for only three nigiris. I also tried the steamed egg, and though the portion was small, it was surprisingly flavorful and smokey. The spicy tuna roll and chicken karaage were also pretty standard. All the dishes feel very upscale, but the restaurant itself is still casual that I would come back for a quick bite. read more

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I'm not sure what the hype about this place was. Upon arrival, the restaurant had a fish stench when walking in - which was off putting. We waited 30 mins to be seated on a Friday evening around 5:45pm. I personally thought the sushi was just like any other sushi and nothing was too special. All of the dishes here were a bit pricey for what it was. We got the wagyu trio platter twice, the first time around it was really good. The second time we had it, it was not as good, and there parts of the meat that was hard to chew. read more

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I have had my reservations about revolving sushi (not that this is necessarily that, everything is made to order), but I was quite excited to try this place! It seemed very beautifully decorated and laid out on the interior, prices seemed fair, and the portions were decently sized and had quality fish. Upon coming around 12 pm on a week day, I was seated immediately. There would definitely be a wait during night time or even on a weekend, so that is something I would factor in to trying this place out (since they're still pretty newly opened). Everything that I ate was absolutely delicious. You can tell that this place is focused on delivering an excellent dine in experience while still being pretty affordable and tasty. Something that I found very cool was that they actually use real wasabi and it comes sealed in a tiny packaging. I ordered a decent amount of food and my bill came out to around $50 with tip. I ordered mainly nigiri and tried their wagyu nigiri (the meat was pretty delicious, but don't expect the highest quality melt in your mouth wagyu.) Everything was well portioned and the rice was tinted a slight red hue (they use a special red wine vinegar to dress their rice and they have a whole thing you can read about it.) I ordered one special roll (their selection of special rolls is actually pretty limited) and it came with melted american cheese on top. I thought this would be an odd tasting roll but I was actually blown away from how much I ended up liking it. They do everything generally pretty well here, so coming with friends to try as many items as possible is recommended. I would definitely come back here, though the wait can be up to two hours since they only have a couple tables where the bullet train delivery system works. Hopefully as they progress the service will be even more efficient and more people can try this place!! read more

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pretty good for a sushi spot with a revolving belt concept, even though they do not have a belt that is continuously filled with sushi. with that in mind, the sushi that comes out is freshly made to order ! they have tons of options and my favorites are the salmon party and the tuna tataki. however, the ordering device is not very user friendly, in my opinion. it can feel as if everything is everywhere. besides that, service is minimal, but friendly since it is a revolving belt. and the inside is nice and modern. read more

Waka Sakura - various dishes - Conveyor Belt Sushi Near Me - Irvine, California

Delicious and fresh. Love the quality and options that Waka Sakura brings to the table. Everything is ordered on the ipad and comes on the conveyor belt. The ambiance is modern and clean. Service is quick. Come on a weekday when it's less busy since they use the yelp checklist in person. I would stick to the raw stuff and highly recommend their tuna! read more

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Great food. Creative, fresh and amazing selection. Quick and freiendly service. Outdoor seating. read more

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Had the most delicious and fun meal ever at Waka Sakura located inside the new Tokyo Central in Irvine. This place is different from your typical revolving sushi bar because everything is SO fresh since it's made to order!! The quality is amazing and I had so much fun trying so many different items. The service was quick and kind and it was super clean inside! I particularly want to rave about their shrimp tempura it is SOOOO CRISPY and so delicious!!! Can't stop thinking about it. Also, hard pass on the salmon skin hand roll but that was the only item we ordered that I wouldn't recommend. What we ordered: Scallop Lovers - 10/10 Salmon Party - 10/10 Squid - 8/10 (wish it was thicker) Seared Red Shrimp - 9/10 Shrimp Tempura Crunch Roll - 9/10 Japanese Steamed Egg - 10/10 Fried Shrimp - 11/10 Negi Tuna Hand Roll - 7/10 (too much rice) Salmon Skin Hand Roll - 2/10 (it's a no from me) Now that I've gotten my favorites a little narrowed down, I'm so excited to go back and get those again and try new items as well!!! read more

Waka Sakura - Conveyor Belt Sushi Near Me - Irvine, California

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Located in a plaza right next to the new Tokyo Central that opened up! Parking is not too hard and we were able to explore the new marketplace while waiting 10 minutes during lunch time. It's sushi conveyer belt style but you order off the menu. Place is clean and spacious. We got: 9/10 Albacore Ginger Scallion with Ponzu ($4.49): I love anything ponzu-based. Very fresh and delicious. 8/10 Sea Bream ($5.49): Also fresh and delicious! 7/10 Whelk ($4.29): My boyfriend loved it but not my cup of tea. Texture is hard but chewy and tasted a little funky. 8/10 Salmon ($4.29): We ordered two dishes of this. Pretty standard. 8/10 Salmon Assorted ($5.29): Comes with fresh salmon, onion mayo, and teriyaki sauce. My favorite was the onion mayo. We will be back. Prices are a little expensive but the quality of the fish was good. read more

Waka Sakura - Conveyor Belt Sushi Near Me - Irvine, California

New conveyor belt sushi in Irvine! Right by the new Tokyo Central. I stopped by at 5pm on a Thursday and surprisingly there was no wait. I've tried weekends before and there was over an hour wait. The crazy wait is probably due to how new the place is so just keep that in mind! The restaurant itself is clean and simple and you can order everything through the ipad and the sushi swoosh on by. I like the sets as it gives you a little taste of everything for a good price. I recommend the salmon collar which was only $6.99 for a pretty big size. If you're craving some simple nigiri and sushi and there isn't a crazy wait I'd def recommend Waka Sakura! read more

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Food - the food was honestly nothing special and that isn't to say it wasn't good, it's just that nothing really stood out to me. I found this place through the hype on Instagram but that's honestly all it amounted to - hype. Usually I'm fairly attentive with the different flavor profiles of what I eat, but I think the mere fact I can barely remember what each of these tasted like is indicative of the lackluster depth of flavor presented in each dish. I spent as much money as I would at Tomikawa or X-fish, but they are both AYCE and the quality is probably better or the same, which makes this place not really worth it. I would go on to justify the reasoning for calling it mid, but it's honestly too much work, just know that it really isn't worth it. The portions for the appetizers are also kinda small which was annoying. Service - the service was fine, I mean your food is served on a conveyor belt so there's not really much to complain about. The only thing that's crazy is the wait time (we waited 30 mins on a Monday at 4:45 pm) and when we went on Friday they closed their waitlist at 7 pm. Given the immense popularity I expected this place to be amazing but it was honestly mid. Ambiance - it's a nice clean and sleek interior but it's a bit quiet. Not the type of quiet where you're in a fine dining establishment but more of an awkward silence. I personally wish it was a little more lively. Overall not a terrible place, it's just hard to justify the price point with the wait times. The other caveat is that with sushi, there's a wide range of quality and taste and typically people won't go out of their way to have mediocre sushi since it's one of the type of foods that when you eat, you want good quality sushi. I give it a solid 6/10. read more

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This place was a solid choice for a mid afternoon meal. The place was empty and we were in and out in under an hour for a party of 6. You order from a tablet and the food comes out in the belt pretty quickly. The tablet can be confusing on what you can get such as getting refills on your drinks so you may have to just call the server. The service however was very friendly. I would suggest a general menu page whether electronic or printed because it was a little confusing to go through all the tabs and see what all the choices were. Also, it's slower and harder to order as a big group because only one person can really see the menu at a time. Highly suggest getting the scallops. Comes as a set of 4. Variety. The raw one was delicious! The seared one was my next favorite. And the sauced ones were good too but this was definitely the best dish. The others were good but normal good. 4-5 stars for each dish. Parking here is horrible in the evenings. Better coming here for lunch read more

This conveyer belt sushi is a made to order sushi place. The interior is very clean and the servers are very attentive. We came on a Sunday around 3:30 and there was still a 30 minute wait around that time! The Salmon Party and the Dragon Roll was definitely a favorite, the salmon cuts were thick and fresh. The eel on the Dragon Roll was good as well. We also ordered the Scallop Lovers and the Rainbow roll. The scallop lovers was just okay, I'm usually a scallop fan but would probably pass on getting this again. Overall 4/5: This place is definitely good to check out at least once but nothing that stood out too much for me read more

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The ambience is great. The food is average. The service is average. Could improve the sashimi and the sushi quality and taste.

The wait is atrocious but the food is quite on point and it makes sense why there is so much hype at this restaurant. On a Wednesday afternoon, the line was already forming outside prior to opening time which shows the popularity of this place. There are 3 bathrooms inside and I have to note that one of the bathrooms show a baby changing station, which parents can greatly appreciate. The inside is cool and spacious and the conveyer belts are a really neat / efficient. I love that they even track how long it takes to have the order made and everything is logged on their iPad ordering system. For 2 people the meal came out just over $80 including the cheesecake and matcha Mont Blanc dessert. The dessert was OK but the sushi was quite delicious, including the wagyu trio that was super tasty. Everything was very high quality and the portion and price is very fair, would certainly come back again! read more

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This is the greatest conveyor belt sushi in the world. This location of Waka Sakura is much bigger than the Gardena location and less crowded. So for those of you who don't want to wait in line at the Gardena location come here. read more

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I came to Waka Sakura during grand opening weekend in Irvine. The wait for one person was 1 hour, which was to be expected since it was their first week and Tokyo Central drew in a lot of people. This place works a lot like how Kura Revolving Sushi Bar works where you order from a tablet and your order comes out in a conveyor belt. I like how they made the sushi by order so there weren't a variety of pre-made sushi moving a conveyor belt beforehand. I tried a number of their rolls and I am so impressed by how fresh the fish was and by the quality of the sushi rice and wasabi. The interior is very simple, minimalistic, and clean. Overall, I would come here again, but hopefully with less of a wait. The prices were reasonable for the quality. read more

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It's probably the best carousel sushi in the area in terms of quality and freshness of the ingredients. Kura in no way can compete with this. AYCE sushi places like Tomikawa (which I still like) may give you a lot more food but the quality is not the same either. Came here as soon as it opened for lunch and there was no wait. The staff was friendly and helpful. Ordering on tablet was easy and there was an option to do it on your own phone too. Enjoyed the fresh wasabi. I appreciate a restaurant that takes sushi rice seriously, and Waka Sakura does. The standouts we had were tuna nigiri, salmon skin hand roll, eel nigiri, and scallop nigiri. We were satisfied with the food we received and will be back when we want a high quality carousel sushi in the future. read more