This is a small place, meant for those who care about good food and not so much commercialized environments. While it might night be as "showy" or "nice" as some of the high end places like Dragonfly, it offers a very cozy, quiet atmosphere. The people who come here are those who have been doing so for YEARS. I wouldn't go anywhere else. not to mention its really cheap considering the amazing taste and quality.
(4)
Sam G.
Best Japanese Steakhouse in Gainesville by orders of magnitude. Awesome food, great service and friendly staff. Prices are very reasonable. Highly recommended!
(5)
Karl K.
have been going here for almost 18 years...and to be honest have not been there in the past 8. but my daughters wanted to take me out for my birthday so we decided to sit on the floor of the sushi room, and have dinner. it was fantastic. had the futomaki roll and the Florida roll...they added custom elements to our sushi as we asked. they were fresh and very large portions. the Early Bird specials were delicious...it was a great dinner with a unique atmosphere. Special night for a dad and his girls
(4)
Jessica M.
Food is fantastic and the service is amazing.
(4)
S Z.
Ive been to alot of Japanese steak houses and this one was the poorest quality Ive experienced. The steak tasted pretty good but the shrimp was small, the fried rice was mediocre, and everything tasted salty and was covered in oil. We were charged $5 for two cups of green tea, which is normally complimentary at other restaurants. I would not recommend nor will I return to Sawamura.
(2)
Carly R.
I was very disappointed with this experience. I have passed this place a million times while living in Gainesville, but it wasn't until a friend's birthday dinner that I finally had a reason to go. My preferred Japanese steakhouse is Yamato near Oaks Mall. I've been there so many times, and it is consistently delicious, so that is what I was comparing Sawamura to during my visit. 1) Ambiance - The exterior of the building is old and in desperate need of repair or--at the very least--repainting. Aside from a quaint but strange entryway (which includes a bridge...), the interior decor is bland and boring. It is dark (no windows), dreary, outdated, unpleasant, and extremely dirty. If you go here, do NOT look at the ceiling. It is no longer white; rather, most parts of it are dark brown from years of going uncleaned. Even the lamps in the back room, which at one time had white paper shades covering them, are now yellowed and turning brown. The walls are dirty in some places, as is the molding. It is truly disgusting; I'm not sure how they continue to pass code. Also, have fun taking the winding not-really-part-of-the-restaurant path to the bathroom. 2) Performance - While the chef was amiable, engaging, and very friendly, the performance was lacking. 3) Food - Decent. Not the worst Japanese steakhouse, but certainly not the best. Also, NOT traditional. If you're looking for the brown sauce and the pink/white sauce, it's not here. They served a vinegar-y orange sauce, a lemon-dill white sauce, and a horseradish sauce. It was interesting and pretty good, but since I don't go to these types of places often, I would have preferred the traditional sauce servings. The menu does not make sense. Items are on the Early Bird menu for the same price as the dinner menu, and even though the owners know this typo exists, they have not updated the menus, which look as old as the building. The food was decent. The steak and chicken were nicely cooked, the vegetables looked fresh and were also good, and they served noodles (the chef called it a new, special item, so I don't know if they have them all the time). The fried rice tasted funny...too soft for some reason, and they did NOT put egg in it! I found this very strange. I hate eggs, but I love them in my fried rice, so this was a disappointment. The meal ended with a serving of sprouts, which I didn't understand, and they didn't seem to fit with the rest of the meal. 4) Price - $30 bill for an order of filet and chicken and an order of chicken (two waters to drink)...from the EARLY BIRD menu. This is the price I would expect to pay at Yamato during dinner service, so I was very disappointed to pay this same price not only for the Early Bird menu but also for underwhelming food. 5) Service - Very nice and very attentive. Seated immediately. Friendly and welcoming. All in all, I would not go here again. There are plenty of other places in town that do what Sawamura does for less money and better food and ambiance.
(2)
Karly G.
I love eating in the sushi room. The gator roll is my favorite roll in town, and the combination platters are SUCH a great deal for sharing with someone! You get so much food!! The owner is very sweet and our server is always attentive and prompt. I definitely love this place.
(5)
Amy V.
Didn't get a chance to eat there, since they're closed on Monday's and we didn't know that before we showed up to the front door! I'm sure it would've been delicious though. This is just your warning! CLOSED MONDAYS!
(3)
Alyssa N.
My only other experience with a Japanese steakhouse is Benihana's in San Francisco so my review is somewhat biased. While Sawamura does operate on a similar level (your meal cooked in front of you) that is pretty much where the similarity ends. The differences are actually what endeared me to Saramura. First up, it is a smaller restaurant. I preferred the atmosphere here. The woman who greeted us (owner?) was warm and welcoming. Our party of two was seated at a table that served 8 but they didn't wait for others to fill the table before beginning our meal. We had the table to ourselves. We both ordered combination dinners (chicken and shrimp and chicken, shrimp and scallops). These dinners came with a salad, soup and sauteed vegetables and fried rice. It was a mountain of food! They also have a full bar with their variations of umbrella drinks. There is no showy display by the chef. He just prepares the meal in front of you, although he did do the onion volcano. No flinging of the eggs or twirling of the spatula and that is fine with me as I've seen enough fried rice cupid hearts to last 3 lifetimes. The best part of this dinner out was the price. The final bill (after 3 cocktails and two huge combination dinners) was $52.00. While I prefer Benihana's version of fried rice and their awesome Mai Tai, I preferred Saramura's atmosphere, the way they seat and serve you immediately, the larger variety of vegetables that accompany the meats and seafood, the portions (guaranteed lunch for the next day), their smaller scale operation and their friendly service. On my next trip to Gainesville I plan to return.
(4)
Sebastian W.
Since that place is not in the best neighborhood I was really surprised! The food get's cooked right in front of you and it was delicious and surpisingly cheap! I went there for lunch, there were like 8 other people in the restaurant so there was no waiting time. I will defenitly go there again!
(4)
eddie d.
I guess i had higher expectations, since this was my first time at a japanese steakhouse. I enjoyed being able to watch all the food being cooked right in front of me, but for the price you pay i was expecting a lot more interaction and enthusiasm from the cook. Maybe it would be more fun to go here on a busy night, but when we went we were the only people there. Also, the appetizer portions were really small. Anyway, the sake was nice and warm, the food was cooked to correct doneness, and he did do the onion volcano. but somebody is going to have to give me a really good reason to come back here.
(2)
Alex E.
Good prices and portions. The food is OK, if a bit plain. The teppanyaki display is underwhelming. Go here if you want a bit of a show with your dinner, but don't want to pay a lot.
(3)
Tommy S.
pretty good for the reasonable prices.. best thing about this place is that rarely is it ever packed- meaning you get seated right away..
(3)
Karly G.
I love eating in the sushi room. The gator roll is my favorite roll in town, and the combination platters are SUCH a great deal for sharing with someone! You get so much food!! The owner is very sweet and our server is always attentive and prompt. I definitely love this place.
(5)
Amy V.
Didn't get a chance to eat there, since they're closed on Monday's and we didn't know that before we showed up to the front door! I'm sure it would've been delicious though. This is just your warning! CLOSED MONDAYS!
(3)
Alyssa N.
My only other experience with a Japanese steakhouse is Benihana's in San Francisco so my review is somewhat biased. While Sawamura does operate on a similar level (your meal cooked in front of you) that is pretty much where the similarity ends. The differences are actually what endeared me to Saramura. First up, it is a smaller restaurant. I preferred the atmosphere here. The woman who greeted us (owner?) was warm and welcoming. Our party of two was seated at a table that served 8 but they didn't wait for others to fill the table before beginning our meal. We had the table to ourselves. We both ordered combination dinners (chicken and shrimp and chicken, shrimp and scallops). These dinners came with a salad, soup and sauteed vegetables and fried rice. It was a mountain of food! They also have a full bar with their variations of umbrella drinks. There is no showy display by the chef. He just prepares the meal in front of you, although he did do the onion volcano. No flinging of the eggs or twirling of the spatula and that is fine with me as I've seen enough fried rice cupid hearts to last 3 lifetimes. The best part of this dinner out was the price. The final bill (after 3 cocktails and two huge combination dinners) was $52.00. While I prefer Benihana's version of fried rice and their awesome Mai Tai, I preferred Saramura's atmosphere, the way they seat and serve you immediately, the larger variety of vegetables that accompany the meats and seafood, the portions (guaranteed lunch for the next day), their smaller scale operation and their friendly service. On my next trip to Gainesville I plan to return.
(4)
Sebastian W.
Since that place is not in the best neighborhood I was really surprised! The food get's cooked right in front of you and it was delicious and surpisingly cheap! I went there for lunch, there were like 8 other people in the restaurant so there was no waiting time. I will defenitly go there again!
(4)
Karl K.
have been going here for almost 18 years...and to be honest have not been there in the past 8. but my daughters wanted to take me out for my birthday so we decided to sit on the floor of the sushi room, and have dinner. it was fantastic. had the futomaki roll and the Florida roll...they added custom elements to our sushi as we asked. they were fresh and very large portions. the Early Bird specials were delicious...it was a great dinner with a unique atmosphere. Special night for a dad and his girls
(4)
Jessica M.
Food is fantastic and the service is amazing.
(4)
S Z.
Ive been to alot of Japanese steak houses and this one was the poorest quality Ive experienced. The steak tasted pretty good but the shrimp was small, the fried rice was mediocre, and everything tasted salty and was covered in oil. We were charged $5 for two cups of green tea, which is normally complimentary at other restaurants. I would not recommend nor will I return to Sawamura.
(2)
Tony M.
This is a small place, meant for those who care about good food and not so much commercialized environments. While it might night be as "showy" or "nice" as some of the high end places like Dragonfly, it offers a very cozy, quiet atmosphere. The people who come here are those who have been doing so for YEARS. I wouldn't go anywhere else. not to mention its really cheap considering the amazing taste and quality.
(4)
Sam G.
Best Japanese Steakhouse in Gainesville by orders of magnitude. Awesome food, great service and friendly staff. Prices are very reasonable. Highly recommended!
(5)
eddie d.
I guess i had higher expectations, since this was my first time at a japanese steakhouse. I enjoyed being able to watch all the food being cooked right in front of me, but for the price you pay i was expecting a lot more interaction and enthusiasm from the cook. Maybe it would be more fun to go here on a busy night, but when we went we were the only people there. Also, the appetizer portions were really small. Anyway, the sake was nice and warm, the food was cooked to correct doneness, and he did do the onion volcano. but somebody is going to have to give me a really good reason to come back here.
(2)
Carly R.
I was very disappointed with this experience. I have passed this place a million times while living in Gainesville, but it wasn't until a friend's birthday dinner that I finally had a reason to go. My preferred Japanese steakhouse is Yamato near Oaks Mall. I've been there so many times, and it is consistently delicious, so that is what I was comparing Sawamura to during my visit. 1) Ambiance - The exterior of the building is old and in desperate need of repair or--at the very least--repainting. Aside from a quaint but strange entryway (which includes a bridge...), the interior decor is bland and boring. It is dark (no windows), dreary, outdated, unpleasant, and extremely dirty. If you go here, do NOT look at the ceiling. It is no longer white; rather, most parts of it are dark brown from years of going uncleaned. Even the lamps in the back room, which at one time had white paper shades covering them, are now yellowed and turning brown. The walls are dirty in some places, as is the molding. It is truly disgusting; I'm not sure how they continue to pass code. Also, have fun taking the winding not-really-part-of-the-restaurant path to the bathroom. 2) Performance - While the chef was amiable, engaging, and very friendly, the performance was lacking. 3) Food - Decent. Not the worst Japanese steakhouse, but certainly not the best. Also, NOT traditional. If you're looking for the brown sauce and the pink/white sauce, it's not here. They served a vinegar-y orange sauce, a lemon-dill white sauce, and a horseradish sauce. It was interesting and pretty good, but since I don't go to these types of places often, I would have preferred the traditional sauce servings. The menu does not make sense. Items are on the Early Bird menu for the same price as the dinner menu, and even though the owners know this typo exists, they have not updated the menus, which look as old as the building. The food was decent. The steak and chicken were nicely cooked, the vegetables looked fresh and were also good, and they served noodles (the chef called it a new, special item, so I don't know if they have them all the time). The fried rice tasted funny...too soft for some reason, and they did NOT put egg in it! I found this very strange. I hate eggs, but I love them in my fried rice, so this was a disappointment. The meal ended with a serving of sprouts, which I didn't understand, and they didn't seem to fit with the rest of the meal. 4) Price - $30 bill for an order of filet and chicken and an order of chicken (two waters to drink)...from the EARLY BIRD menu. This is the price I would expect to pay at Yamato during dinner service, so I was very disappointed to pay this same price not only for the Early Bird menu but also for underwhelming food. 5) Service - Very nice and very attentive. Seated immediately. Friendly and welcoming. All in all, I would not go here again. There are plenty of other places in town that do what Sawamura does for less money and better food and ambiance.
(2)
Alex E.
Good prices and portions. The food is OK, if a bit plain. The teppanyaki display is underwhelming. Go here if you want a bit of a show with your dinner, but don't want to pay a lot.
(3)
Tommy S.
pretty good for the reasonable prices.. best thing about this place is that rarely is it ever packed- meaning you get seated right away..
Sorry, Store hours have not been updated. If you are the owner of this restaurants. Please update the store hours.
Specialities
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Quiet Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes
Tony M.
This is a small place, meant for those who care about good food and not so much commercialized environments. While it might night be as "showy" or "nice" as some of the high end places like Dragonfly, it offers a very cozy, quiet atmosphere. The people who come here are those who have been doing so for YEARS. I wouldn't go anywhere else. not to mention its really cheap considering the amazing taste and quality.
(4)Sam G.
Best Japanese Steakhouse in Gainesville by orders of magnitude. Awesome food, great service and friendly staff. Prices are very reasonable. Highly recommended!
(5)Karl K.
have been going here for almost 18 years...and to be honest have not been there in the past 8. but my daughters wanted to take me out for my birthday so we decided to sit on the floor of the sushi room, and have dinner. it was fantastic. had the futomaki roll and the Florida roll...they added custom elements to our sushi as we asked. they were fresh and very large portions. the Early Bird specials were delicious...it was a great dinner with a unique atmosphere. Special night for a dad and his girls
(4)Jessica M.
Food is fantastic and the service is amazing.
(4)S Z.
Ive been to alot of Japanese steak houses and this one was the poorest quality Ive experienced. The steak tasted pretty good but the shrimp was small, the fried rice was mediocre, and everything tasted salty and was covered in oil. We were charged $5 for two cups of green tea, which is normally complimentary at other restaurants. I would not recommend nor will I return to Sawamura.
(2)Carly R.
I was very disappointed with this experience. I have passed this place a million times while living in Gainesville, but it wasn't until a friend's birthday dinner that I finally had a reason to go. My preferred Japanese steakhouse is Yamato near Oaks Mall. I've been there so many times, and it is consistently delicious, so that is what I was comparing Sawamura to during my visit. 1) Ambiance - The exterior of the building is old and in desperate need of repair or--at the very least--repainting. Aside from a quaint but strange entryway (which includes a bridge...), the interior decor is bland and boring. It is dark (no windows), dreary, outdated, unpleasant, and extremely dirty. If you go here, do NOT look at the ceiling. It is no longer white; rather, most parts of it are dark brown from years of going uncleaned. Even the lamps in the back room, which at one time had white paper shades covering them, are now yellowed and turning brown. The walls are dirty in some places, as is the molding. It is truly disgusting; I'm not sure how they continue to pass code. Also, have fun taking the winding not-really-part-of-the-restaurant path to the bathroom. 2) Performance - While the chef was amiable, engaging, and very friendly, the performance was lacking. 3) Food - Decent. Not the worst Japanese steakhouse, but certainly not the best. Also, NOT traditional. If you're looking for the brown sauce and the pink/white sauce, it's not here. They served a vinegar-y orange sauce, a lemon-dill white sauce, and a horseradish sauce. It was interesting and pretty good, but since I don't go to these types of places often, I would have preferred the traditional sauce servings. The menu does not make sense. Items are on the Early Bird menu for the same price as the dinner menu, and even though the owners know this typo exists, they have not updated the menus, which look as old as the building. The food was decent. The steak and chicken were nicely cooked, the vegetables looked fresh and were also good, and they served noodles (the chef called it a new, special item, so I don't know if they have them all the time). The fried rice tasted funny...too soft for some reason, and they did NOT put egg in it! I found this very strange. I hate eggs, but I love them in my fried rice, so this was a disappointment. The meal ended with a serving of sprouts, which I didn't understand, and they didn't seem to fit with the rest of the meal. 4) Price - $30 bill for an order of filet and chicken and an order of chicken (two waters to drink)...from the EARLY BIRD menu. This is the price I would expect to pay at Yamato during dinner service, so I was very disappointed to pay this same price not only for the Early Bird menu but also for underwhelming food. 5) Service - Very nice and very attentive. Seated immediately. Friendly and welcoming. All in all, I would not go here again. There are plenty of other places in town that do what Sawamura does for less money and better food and ambiance.
(2)Karly G.
I love eating in the sushi room. The gator roll is my favorite roll in town, and the combination platters are SUCH a great deal for sharing with someone! You get so much food!! The owner is very sweet and our server is always attentive and prompt. I definitely love this place.
(5)Amy V.
Didn't get a chance to eat there, since they're closed on Monday's and we didn't know that before we showed up to the front door! I'm sure it would've been delicious though. This is just your warning! CLOSED MONDAYS!
(3)Alyssa N.
My only other experience with a Japanese steakhouse is Benihana's in San Francisco so my review is somewhat biased. While Sawamura does operate on a similar level (your meal cooked in front of you) that is pretty much where the similarity ends. The differences are actually what endeared me to Saramura. First up, it is a smaller restaurant. I preferred the atmosphere here. The woman who greeted us (owner?) was warm and welcoming. Our party of two was seated at a table that served 8 but they didn't wait for others to fill the table before beginning our meal. We had the table to ourselves. We both ordered combination dinners (chicken and shrimp and chicken, shrimp and scallops). These dinners came with a salad, soup and sauteed vegetables and fried rice. It was a mountain of food! They also have a full bar with their variations of umbrella drinks. There is no showy display by the chef. He just prepares the meal in front of you, although he did do the onion volcano. No flinging of the eggs or twirling of the spatula and that is fine with me as I've seen enough fried rice cupid hearts to last 3 lifetimes. The best part of this dinner out was the price. The final bill (after 3 cocktails and two huge combination dinners) was $52.00. While I prefer Benihana's version of fried rice and their awesome Mai Tai, I preferred Saramura's atmosphere, the way they seat and serve you immediately, the larger variety of vegetables that accompany the meats and seafood, the portions (guaranteed lunch for the next day), their smaller scale operation and their friendly service. On my next trip to Gainesville I plan to return.
(4)Sebastian W.
Since that place is not in the best neighborhood I was really surprised! The food get's cooked right in front of you and it was delicious and surpisingly cheap! I went there for lunch, there were like 8 other people in the restaurant so there was no waiting time. I will defenitly go there again!
(4)eddie d.
I guess i had higher expectations, since this was my first time at a japanese steakhouse. I enjoyed being able to watch all the food being cooked right in front of me, but for the price you pay i was expecting a lot more interaction and enthusiasm from the cook. Maybe it would be more fun to go here on a busy night, but when we went we were the only people there. Also, the appetizer portions were really small. Anyway, the sake was nice and warm, the food was cooked to correct doneness, and he did do the onion volcano. but somebody is going to have to give me a really good reason to come back here.
(2)Alex E.
Good prices and portions. The food is OK, if a bit plain. The teppanyaki display is underwhelming. Go here if you want a bit of a show with your dinner, but don't want to pay a lot.
(3)Tommy S.
pretty good for the reasonable prices.. best thing about this place is that rarely is it ever packed- meaning you get seated right away..
(3)Karly G.
I love eating in the sushi room. The gator roll is my favorite roll in town, and the combination platters are SUCH a great deal for sharing with someone! You get so much food!! The owner is very sweet and our server is always attentive and prompt. I definitely love this place.
(5)Amy V.
Didn't get a chance to eat there, since they're closed on Monday's and we didn't know that before we showed up to the front door! I'm sure it would've been delicious though. This is just your warning! CLOSED MONDAYS!
(3)Alyssa N.
My only other experience with a Japanese steakhouse is Benihana's in San Francisco so my review is somewhat biased. While Sawamura does operate on a similar level (your meal cooked in front of you) that is pretty much where the similarity ends. The differences are actually what endeared me to Saramura. First up, it is a smaller restaurant. I preferred the atmosphere here. The woman who greeted us (owner?) was warm and welcoming. Our party of two was seated at a table that served 8 but they didn't wait for others to fill the table before beginning our meal. We had the table to ourselves. We both ordered combination dinners (chicken and shrimp and chicken, shrimp and scallops). These dinners came with a salad, soup and sauteed vegetables and fried rice. It was a mountain of food! They also have a full bar with their variations of umbrella drinks. There is no showy display by the chef. He just prepares the meal in front of you, although he did do the onion volcano. No flinging of the eggs or twirling of the spatula and that is fine with me as I've seen enough fried rice cupid hearts to last 3 lifetimes. The best part of this dinner out was the price. The final bill (after 3 cocktails and two huge combination dinners) was $52.00. While I prefer Benihana's version of fried rice and their awesome Mai Tai, I preferred Saramura's atmosphere, the way they seat and serve you immediately, the larger variety of vegetables that accompany the meats and seafood, the portions (guaranteed lunch for the next day), their smaller scale operation and their friendly service. On my next trip to Gainesville I plan to return.
(4)Sebastian W.
Since that place is not in the best neighborhood I was really surprised! The food get's cooked right in front of you and it was delicious and surpisingly cheap! I went there for lunch, there were like 8 other people in the restaurant so there was no waiting time. I will defenitly go there again!
(4)Karl K.
have been going here for almost 18 years...and to be honest have not been there in the past 8. but my daughters wanted to take me out for my birthday so we decided to sit on the floor of the sushi room, and have dinner. it was fantastic. had the futomaki roll and the Florida roll...they added custom elements to our sushi as we asked. they were fresh and very large portions. the Early Bird specials were delicious...it was a great dinner with a unique atmosphere. Special night for a dad and his girls
(4)Jessica M.
Food is fantastic and the service is amazing.
(4)S Z.
Ive been to alot of Japanese steak houses and this one was the poorest quality Ive experienced. The steak tasted pretty good but the shrimp was small, the fried rice was mediocre, and everything tasted salty and was covered in oil. We were charged $5 for two cups of green tea, which is normally complimentary at other restaurants. I would not recommend nor will I return to Sawamura.
(2)Tony M.
This is a small place, meant for those who care about good food and not so much commercialized environments. While it might night be as "showy" or "nice" as some of the high end places like Dragonfly, it offers a very cozy, quiet atmosphere. The people who come here are those who have been doing so for YEARS. I wouldn't go anywhere else. not to mention its really cheap considering the amazing taste and quality.
(4)Sam G.
Best Japanese Steakhouse in Gainesville by orders of magnitude. Awesome food, great service and friendly staff. Prices are very reasonable. Highly recommended!
(5)eddie d.
I guess i had higher expectations, since this was my first time at a japanese steakhouse. I enjoyed being able to watch all the food being cooked right in front of me, but for the price you pay i was expecting a lot more interaction and enthusiasm from the cook. Maybe it would be more fun to go here on a busy night, but when we went we were the only people there. Also, the appetizer portions were really small. Anyway, the sake was nice and warm, the food was cooked to correct doneness, and he did do the onion volcano. but somebody is going to have to give me a really good reason to come back here.
(2)Carly R.
I was very disappointed with this experience. I have passed this place a million times while living in Gainesville, but it wasn't until a friend's birthday dinner that I finally had a reason to go. My preferred Japanese steakhouse is Yamato near Oaks Mall. I've been there so many times, and it is consistently delicious, so that is what I was comparing Sawamura to during my visit. 1) Ambiance - The exterior of the building is old and in desperate need of repair or--at the very least--repainting. Aside from a quaint but strange entryway (which includes a bridge...), the interior decor is bland and boring. It is dark (no windows), dreary, outdated, unpleasant, and extremely dirty. If you go here, do NOT look at the ceiling. It is no longer white; rather, most parts of it are dark brown from years of going uncleaned. Even the lamps in the back room, which at one time had white paper shades covering them, are now yellowed and turning brown. The walls are dirty in some places, as is the molding. It is truly disgusting; I'm not sure how they continue to pass code. Also, have fun taking the winding not-really-part-of-the-restaurant path to the bathroom. 2) Performance - While the chef was amiable, engaging, and very friendly, the performance was lacking. 3) Food - Decent. Not the worst Japanese steakhouse, but certainly not the best. Also, NOT traditional. If you're looking for the brown sauce and the pink/white sauce, it's not here. They served a vinegar-y orange sauce, a lemon-dill white sauce, and a horseradish sauce. It was interesting and pretty good, but since I don't go to these types of places often, I would have preferred the traditional sauce servings. The menu does not make sense. Items are on the Early Bird menu for the same price as the dinner menu, and even though the owners know this typo exists, they have not updated the menus, which look as old as the building. The food was decent. The steak and chicken were nicely cooked, the vegetables looked fresh and were also good, and they served noodles (the chef called it a new, special item, so I don't know if they have them all the time). The fried rice tasted funny...too soft for some reason, and they did NOT put egg in it! I found this very strange. I hate eggs, but I love them in my fried rice, so this was a disappointment. The meal ended with a serving of sprouts, which I didn't understand, and they didn't seem to fit with the rest of the meal. 4) Price - $30 bill for an order of filet and chicken and an order of chicken (two waters to drink)...from the EARLY BIRD menu. This is the price I would expect to pay at Yamato during dinner service, so I was very disappointed to pay this same price not only for the Early Bird menu but also for underwhelming food. 5) Service - Very nice and very attentive. Seated immediately. Friendly and welcoming. All in all, I would not go here again. There are plenty of other places in town that do what Sawamura does for less money and better food and ambiance.
(2)Alex E.
Good prices and portions. The food is OK, if a bit plain. The teppanyaki display is underwhelming. Go here if you want a bit of a show with your dinner, but don't want to pay a lot.
(3)Tommy S.
pretty good for the reasonable prices.. best thing about this place is that rarely is it ever packed- meaning you get seated right away..
(3)