Sakura

Great restaurant hidden in the 5^th St. Arcade. I didn’t realize it has been downtown for 10 years now. But, that sounds about right.
No matter what I get from their menu, it is constantly good, & I have tried pretty much everything outside the sushi.
Today, I tried something new — their shrimp & broccoli. They had to make it fresh since it wasn’t on their regular daily set-​up. But, it was quick & right. (I requested no carrots.)
Highly recommend to anyone who wants a quick bite downtown at lunchtime.

What do I think when a coworker asks if I want to get Sakura? I think my day, more so my week, is made. This hidden gem in the 5^th Street Arcades in downtown Cleveland is the crème de la crème of Japanese hibachi food. For the low price of $ 5.99, you will receive a heaping mound of freshly grilled terayaki chicken, rice, and vegetables. Don’t let me forget about the yum-​yum sauce… truly out of this world that will send your taste buds to heaven. This delectable and filling meal will be sure to put you to sleep in the afternoon, so don’t forget to grab a cup of joe on your way out. Combine this with the friendly workers, Sakura Japanese is the best valued food you can get in downtown Cleveland!

I think there are only two words to describe what is Sakura, value & chaos. Sakura is located in a tiny little spot in the middle of the 5^th Street Arcade downtown. I love the location because of the small shop atmosphere in the Arcade and the wide mix of people who frequent the building, plus it’s close to my work. Sakura is in the tiny «food court» of the building and is really a gem. I bring up «Chaos» to describe Sakura because that’s what your experience is like when waiting in line for your food. 3 ethnic Asian guys are running the place, 1 cooking, 1 preparing to go boxes and the other guy taking orders and grabbing drinks. The typical person comes here for the «hibachi» style meal of Chicken, Steak, Shrimp or Veggie Teriyaki. The prices are wonderful ranging from $ 5.99 to $ 6.75 for an entrée. They do serve sushi and combo meals but I tend to stick with one of the main four.
The line is always a pain in the butt at lunchtime (I have been there a handful of times between 12 and 130) and it is always busy during these times. You wait and once your order is taken it is almost becomes a no holds bar death match to get in another line and fight for your food. I’ve seen it look like a Royal Rumble on one particular occasion. Eventually someone will get you your food but sometimes it is a struggle.
The food though! You get a fresh protein with a heaping side of white or fried rice and veggies (lots of onions, zucchini and mushrooms). Oh and that YUM YUM sauce to add really makes this meal fantastic and filling. Don’t get me wrong it’s not better than say a top hibachi place but for $ 5.99 how the hell can you beat that. What can I say I enjoy the food, the line is a pain but well worth in my opinion the best VALUE lunch spot downtown.

Sakura is basically mall food. Sure they do «hibachi» style meals in the vein of Benihana at an affordable price (even with the steak and yum-​yum sauces), but ultimately the food just didn’t taste like anything special.
I got the chicken teriyaki, which comes with a buttload of rice and a side of veggies (which was really just stir fried zucchini). Definitely filling, but again, nothing special. I appreciate that everything is cooked hot and fresh in front of you, but they certainly are not the only fast food place in the area to do that.
If we’re really going to compare it to other Asian mall joints, Sakura doesn’t really stand out. I’d still go to Sakkio Japan and the like over this any day.

What makes this place so great? It’s the only affordable Asian restaurant I’m aware of that doesn’t use ‘mystery meat.’ They actually use fresh chicken, steak and shrimp and cook it up right in front of you. I haven’t tried their sushi yet, because I’m so stuck on the hibachi lunch special. You get a protein or two (if you do a combo) and then you can get fried or white rice and veggies (tons of onions, some mushrooms and some other things). I always get the chicken terriaki with fried rice and veggies and it’s $ 6, for a huge portion. They give you a ton of food, definitely enough to share in my opinion. The steak, shrimp and combo’s are more, but they are also good and worth the price. Do yourself a favor and try this place if you are a hibachi fan.

This is an above average Chinese/​Japanese fast food spot located in the 5^th Street Arcade.
If you go to a mall and get Asian food there and like it, then you’ll love this place. It is far better than any other fast food Chinese/​Japanese place that I can find in a mall-​like setting.
Don’t go in thinking you’re going to be blown away by their food and expect to get something like you would from an actual sit down sushi bar or some other fancy place. This place is what it is, simple food at an affordable price, which is great for lunch.
For 5.99 I get my favorite dish, the Chicken Teriyaki. The servings are huge. I can almost finish one entire dish in a sitting, and I’m not a light eater. :)
For lunch, I tell everyone to go there if they want some good food for lunch at a reasonable price.

Sakura is a small takeout place in the Colonial Arcade with two separate but adjoining counters — one for your basic food court style Chinese, and the other for freshly-​prepared hibachi dishes and sushi. I have not had the sushi or Chinese (neither of which, unfortunately, look appealing), so my review is based solely on the yummy hibachi food.
Upon ordering, you have a choice of meats (chicken, steak, shrimp or veggies), with shrimp, I think, being the most expensive at $ 6.75. You also have your choice of steamed or Chinese fried rice. Steamed, in my opinion, is the only way to go here, lest you upset the delicate harmony of flavors once you add all the different sauces. The sauces! I’ll get back to that in a minute…
So once you’re paid up and you choose your options, a friendly hibachi guy will throw a generous portion of your chosen protein and veggies (onions, zucchini, mushrooms) onto the superhot grill, tossing everything together while occasionally adding a big pat from this giant cone of butter that hangs out next to the grill. When the food is almost done, a very tasty teriyaki sauce and sesame seeds are added to the stirfry.
There are several condiments available, and I have found my perfect combination — two little tubs of the meat sauce (a sweet soy sauce w/​ginger and garlic), a tub of seafood sauce (creamy horseradish sauce) and one tub of crushed chili pepper in chili oil. I toss those sauces with the steamed rice and veggies and it is just… perfect!
Ideally, you will have a friend with you to split the order — I have never finished a whole one by myself, and I am definitely not a light eater!
BTW, another plus: one of the only Arcade (either Colonial or Hyatt Regency) food vendors (I think Vincenzas is the only other one) that is not cash only… Sometimes, I just don’t have time to walk to my bank to get cash, so being able to use plastic for a fast and cheap lunch is great!

Sakura has Chinese and Japanese dishes. Great prices: sushi rolls for as low as $ 4.50 and hibachi dishes for less than $ 10. I haven’t had a poor experience yet — great spot to pick up lunch if you work downtown!