Sakura Japanese Restaurant

can someone tell me, «Right Now» please, is Sakura’ s still open? I’ve been going there for 35 years and the phone has been disconnected. I hope I have a wrong number, 215−335−1566

I’m devastated to learn Sakura closed. I have been going to Sakura since I was a little girl, so 30+ years. I’m not as close by, so I only make it there twice a year, but I feel like a part of my life is gone. Not only is the food the best Japanese steakhouse ever, but Ewa and family are like my family. I’m going to miss the smell walking in, the hot towels, the soup, the salad (my favorite part, the rice, the hibachi, the shrimp, the ice cream at the end, the Philly sporting event playing in the background. But most important, I’ll miss Ewa — the kindest, sweetest man. Thank you for all the memories — you had a major impact on my life.

So sad this has closed. Our family has been going here for years. My mom has even been going here since she was a teenager! The food is unmatched from the soup to the tempura to the dressing! We even get double salad instead of dessert. No hibachi restaurant even compares in quality and taste. It’s been hard to break the news to other family and friends that were also loyal customers after hearing the voicemail message on their machine tonight. Thanks for everything, Ewa!
Does anyone have any suggestions to fill the void?

12÷5÷15: Sakura on Roosevelt Blvd. IS NOT CLOSED!!! We have been eating there for the past 30+ years and just returned from another great dinner!!! The Tempura shrimp, soup, salad is the best that you can find in Phila., PA. Shame on the competitor that wrote that Sakura is closed… it it NOT and serves the best food and is a great BYOB in NE Phila., PA!!! You need to make a reservation because of the fans who eat there every week. You will love it as much as we have for 30 years in Phila., PA.

Before hibachi became mainstream with chain restaurants filled with chefs twirling knives and throwing food, there was Sakura Japanese Steakhouse. We have been going to this husband and wife operation for over 20 years. In that time the only thing that has changed is the color of everyone’s hair. The prices are even the same as they were in the 90s.
I feel bad spilling my guts about this place, as this is really a secret gem for those who know. Most customers are like myself, been coming for decades. The storefront is discreet, tucked into a failing strip mall with very little fanfare. The restaurant itself is no frills, only 4 tables so you’d better make a reservation. It’s not hard to get in, but you do need to call ahead. You’re not going to hear the roar of exhaust fans because there aren’t any, don’t eat here before you want to go out, because you are going to smell.
What you will get at Sakura is a noodle miso soup and a salad with the best ginger dressing you will ever taste. The menu is simply steak, chicken, lobster, and shrimp, supplemented with zucchini, onion, and bean sprouts. All are done perfectly.
My go to here is Sukiyaki (steak and chicken) with a double side of shrimp. You won’t go wrong here. Did I mention it’s BYOB?!?

Well I feel kind of guilty for giving this place 3 stars, as almost everyone has given it 5 stars, which leaves me a bit confused. I’ve been to a lot of hibachi places, and this has definitely been the least impressive by far. And no… I don’t need all the spinning, onion volcanoes or rice ‘heart beats’ either… but I do expect friendly service and a good meal. I understand this is a small family owned place, and there are only 2 people for 4 tables, but then it would lead me to assume they would have perfected the whole thing by now. First, we did not get drink orders, and just got water handed to us which is fine, but there were a couple people who did not want water and had to ask a couple times for their sodas. I do like that the menu is tiny and only has a few options… makes it easy… except if you are vegetarian. FYI they cooked the meats and vegetable right next to each other, on the exact same spot on the grill… even I felt bad for the vegetables at that point. Also, the vegetarian option is the same veggies everyone gets (mushrooms, zucchini and onions) so if you don’t like those options… o well. They didn’t even have vegetable tempura available or anything else for the vegetarian, other than the ‘meaty’ vegetables. Next, they do NOT do fried rice… first place I’ve ever seen that does that. Usually the rice is the best part. Instead we got a THIRD of a bowl of white regular rice… not even kidding. The salad was very average with cold, wet lettuce and shredded carrots. The dressing was OK. I must say the shrimp was delicious, the chicken not so much, it was dry and completely flavorless. A couple people had to ask for salt and soy sauce because their meals lacked so much flavor. The whole time the chef was cooking he barely talked or smiled at us, and could tell was pretty much done with the day (we were the last table of the night though). The sad finale, was freezer burned vanilla, chocolate or orange sherbet small scoop of ice cream. Everyone left a bit perplexed and disappointed considering they were raving about this place from how they remembered it from like 10 years ago. So if this was any other place I’d give it 2 stars but because of the great prices and it being a small business, 3 stars will do. Anyway, I just could not relate to any of the 5 stars reviews and do not think they represented this place at all. I would not want anyone to go to this place with such high expectations. Sorry!!!

Just finished a wonderful meal again. Clean, inexpensive, comfortable. Owner, Ewok, is the at-​table chef.

Andi S. could never be more wrong. To call Ewa and his wife racists is terribly petty, and is a very ignorant assumption. The food here is always amazing and I’ve always left overly full. The shrimp, steak, and chicken all taste great. The shrimp tempura is also really good. The soup and salad are also really delicious with a great ginger sauce. The staff is very friendly no matter what race you are. Don’t listen to And S. and give this place a try. I’ve been coming here for years and I’ve never had one bad experience. BYOB.

Update: 4÷25÷2015
We’ve been coming every year for my birthday. This year, as usual, the tempura was excellent — you could really taste the green beans. The soup, salad, and hibachi vegetables were terrific as well.
I notice there are some negative reviews here that don’t see to «get» what this place is about. Sakura is a Japanese restaurant that opened around 1980 or so, and presents a sort of hibachi style Japanese-​American food. The menu hasn’t changed much since then, and all the key elements are the same: chef Iwoa prepares the food in front of you on the grill.
An «asian fusion» restaurant or cutting-​edge Japanese restaurant, this place is not. But for terrific fresh grilled zucchini, bean sprouts, onions, and other vegetables cooked with your choice of protein (chicken, beef, shrimp), it’s hard to beat.
As I’ve gotten older, I too have desired more flavor — and that’s why I make ample use of the provided ginger, mustard, and soy sauces that are given in little trays.

Great food, Great atmosphere, Great prices. Would recommend it to anyone at a drop of a dime, can’t wait to return.

Been going here for years. Favorite hibachi in the area. Food is always fresh and delicious.

By far the best habachi I’ve ever been too. My boyfriend introduced me to this place when we first started dating 4 years ago and we still go a couple times a year. I love the soup and salad you start off with and after that you have to order the shrimp tempura. The shrimp tempura is to die for it is that good. You can’t go to sakura and not get the tempura. It’s a small place byob but every time is a great experience bc the majority of the people that go there have been going there for years and sometimes you see the same people when you go. Ewah knows you from going so much and is always talking about some phillies sports team. I love sakura and this is the only one I’ll go too.

Upon our arrival and being seated, I asked for a hot green tea and everyone else ordered their beverages. Everyone else received theirs, but the waitress never brought mine. I politely asked if my green tea was on it’s way and she looked at me as though she was annoyed and walked away. 30 minutes later I hesitantly asked again for my green tea and again, the same dirty look on her face and she walked away.
The «food» arrived and I was unable to detect ANY flavor in it at all. I have eaten Japanese food all over California, the east coast and even Japan, and I have never seen such a poor excuse for «Japanese food» in my life until I came to Sakura.
This is faux Japanese food. Ingredients from a can or frozen bag, nothing was fresh. We were a group of 16 and the owners knew we were coming, so there was no surprise as we had made a reservation.
I also began to notice a terrible bias. The caucasian people (including myself) were only served a tiny portion of rice, not even enough to fill the individual bowls they brought. The Asian people in our group not only received FULL bowls of rice, but also received seconds. I couldn’t even get the waitress to bring me my green tea, much less, any rice. It’s funny that racism can be found even in this sort of setting.
In Philadelphia I normally eat Japanese food at Raw or at Aki. Those establishments serve fresh, flavorful and genuine Japanese food, and with professionalism.
I left Sakura still hungry and very frustrated. We will never come back.

Food was ok, not bad, just ok. Could use a little more to add flavor. (plain meat and veggies, no added spices) Really nice experience if you’re looking for something different.

We used Unilocal and Urban Spoon to help us find a place and there we were. The ambience left something to be desired and there was a slightly fishy smell in the air but the food was EXCELLENT. Everything was fresh and the shrimp were particularly delish. Great dinner.

I’ve been going there with my family for probably about 10 years now. Ewa (the chef) and his wife are so kind! We stop by only once or twice a year for special occasions and they remember us every time we come back. I just stopped there with my brother, and they stayed open a bit later so we could make it there after work.
The steak, chicken, shrimp, and rice are all amazing! I still have yet to find a place that makes Miso soup as good as Sakura. The salad dressing is great too, and finishing the meal up with some sorbet is great. I honestly can’t think of enough nice things to say about this place. I just left with a stomach full of delicious food and a smile on my face.
As others have said, it’s BYOB. Also if you’re looking for a showman chef, Ewa might not be the flashiest Hibachi chef, but he sure as hell makes the best food.

I’ve been coming here for 25 years and am never disappointed. It is comfort food at it’s finest. Ewa is like family. I don’t go enough and if I could eat here every night I would!

I have been going to this restaurant since I was a baby, and my parents for years before. For the past 28 years, this has been where we usually spend our birthdays.
The waitress seats and greats us, takes drink (soda & calpico) orders and gives out warm wash clothes. Then she takes our orders. First up is soup and ginger salad, followed by the appetizers.
Everything on the menu is delicious, but most highly recommended is the shrimp tempura appetizer, which comes with green beans. You will not find a better shrimp tempura! Nothing compares.
Ewa then prepares all of the entrees on the hibachi grill on your table, spoons out dipping sauces for everyone, as the waitress brings around bowls of rice. No matter what your entrée, everyone also gets a nice grilled side of zucchini and bean sprouts.
Dessert (ice cream/​sherbert) also included!
BYOB and also– if there is a Philadelphia sporting game going on, it will most likely be on a small tv at the back of the dining room!

Absolutely the best tasting hibachi in NE Philly. Owner is the cook.
Menu is simplistic. You only choose an appetizer (add-​on) and the meat you want. Everything else is included. Every meal includes a miso soup with noodles, basic salad, some ice cream or sherbet, grilled veggies and some hibachi shrimp. The cheapest meat option, chicken comes out to $ 12 or so for the whole meal. The most expensive is the fillet mignon with lobster tail at $ 24 or so.
I recommend to make reservations as the place is small and there is only one cook.

It is a typical teppan/​habachi grill place and also BYOB and you can’t buy drinks there.
There was 9 of us and we all fit around 1 table. I got the filet mignon and seafood (shrimp and scallop) entrée. All the entrees came with miso soup and salad. Depending on the feel of the table, the chef will either just cook or put on a show. Everything tasted pretty good– filet was very tender. Dessert is also included with the choice of vanilla ice cream, chocolate ice cream, or orange sherbet.
All in all, it was really good. It wasn’t too little or too much food. Their menu could be a little bit larger. The atmosphere isn’t as lively as other places since it is quite smaller. Definitely a good place to be able to hold conversations.
What is really nice about the place is that the chef doing the grilling is the only chef and has been ever since the place opened. Traditional in some sense.

The restaurant is not closed way to falsify and try to damage a family owned business.