Sagano Japanese Bistro
2065 S Linden Rd, Flint, MI, 48532
Sagano Japanese Bistro Menu
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Address :
2065 S Linden Rd
Flint, MI, 48532 - Phone (810) 230-7300
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Opening Hours
- Mon :11:30 am - 2:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : No
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Classy
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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Melissa S.
I'm a Michigan Native that moved to the South. I absolutely love Sagano's!! Everything is cooked perfectly and is so flavorful even without their sauces. Although I always cover my food in their amazing Yum Yum Sauce! I could eat that by the spoonful. :-P This is definitely one of the top places I miss most. I cannot wait until my next trip home! I need my hibachi shrimp fix with extra noodles!! :)
(5)Mary P.
I am actually sitting in Sagano right now and felt compelled to write this review. I came for lunch with my grandmother and the food is pretty good and affordable. I had the shrimp hibachi special and she had the scallops. It comes with salad, vegetables, rice and noodles for a pretty good price. The service, however, is a completely different story. We were actually asked to leave (in a very rude tone of voice) before we were even done eating! We sat down for lunch at 2:10, and forced to leave at 3:10 with no warning. The owner of the place actually turned off all the lights, jingled her keys in my face and cleared our not-quite-finished plates. I have worked in restaurants for years and have never heard of a restaurant closing mid-day, nonetheless rushing customers out the door. I will not be back.
(1)Jeremy R.
Went here for the first time last night. I have been to other hibachi places, but none quite compare to this. You get dinner and show over in the dining room. The food was good, a little salty for my liking, but it tasted fine. The chef did a great job and the waitress and waiter kept the refills coming. We really enjoyed this place. It was a little expensive, but worth it because of the good food and service.
(4)Keri S.
I have been here several times. I make it a point to eat here every time I come into town. The hibachi is wonderful and a great price for how much food you get. I tried their California roll as an appetizer this time and it was excellent! Thank you for never letting me down and always keeping me wanting more when I visit!
(5)Lindsey B.
Sagano is probably my favorite restaurant in the city. The service is usually top notch, the food is fresh and delicious, and I love sitting at the bar and watching the sushi chefs work. I've only eaten on the hibachi side once, and it was delicious, but I usually prefer sushi if I'm going there. They are very accomodating with special orders. Sushi is where it's at, in my opinion. The From Russia With Love is probably my favorite, followed by the spider roll. The sushi side comes with miso soup, but you can get clear soup if you ask. Salads come with ginger or sesame dressing. I've tried a few of the desserts, and I didn't care for any of them. Deep fried cheesecake, not so good, and I can't remember the name of the other one, but it was like, rice covered ice cream, or something, they were just gooey and unflavorful. Still rates 5 stars in my book, though.
(5)Robert C.
I hate to give this place a less-than-awesome review, but I have been here a few times and the first was a pretty horribly mediocre experience. I went with two other people, I ordered chicken teriyaki. Our waiter was a young man, who seemed nice enough. 40 min. went by and no food. Shortly thereafter, my friends' food arrived, but not mine. We asked if my order was in the system, and he said yes it should be coming out shortly. Another half-hour later, my food arrives and it is very cold. I ask him if he wouldn't mind warming it up a bit, he does, and it is acceptable. I then proceed to eat WAY after my friends have finished, a good hour and a half after we walked in. Not really sure what happened there, but it was a pretty mediocre experience, especially since the food is certainly not cheap for college students. I have been there other times since with different servers and there has not been an issue, which has averaged out my opinion of them somewhat. The atmosphere is very very nice - but still not in a hurry to spend my money there. Note - after posting this, I was contacted by James T. who said it would be passed on to the staff to ensure this doesn't happen again. Thumbs up! :)
(3)Jason A.
Service is not always the best. Food is usually good and price is reasonable.
(3)Monica D.
Great place for an evening's entertainment. The hibachi chefs are friendly and extremely talented. My only slight complaint is that the dinner menu features the same amount of food as the lunch but it is more than twice the price. The only trade-off with going in the afternoon is that you may have to sit for a while until your table fills up. Still, we've been here nearly a dozen times over the years and we've never not had a good time and delicious food.
(3)bob a.
Maybe I like this place so much because I'm great at catching the pieces of chicken in my mouth that the chef flings my way, but I think there is something more here. I've always been a fan of the Japanese Steakhouses. The food here is great and the chefs are entertaining. I typically get steak and shrimp, and I usually get the fillet because it really is worth the extra $$$. I'd say this has to be the best place in Flint for sushi too. Which is saying a lot since Flint is known for great sushi . . . I've tried probably half of the specialty rolls and they have all been great. They have a different section for their sushi bar, but I've always eaten in the steakhouse area. Overall it is a great place to go for an entertaining, fun night out. 'd say to leave the little kids at home if you want to really enjoy everything. Sometimes the loud noises and whooshing flames can scare them. You can't go wrong with their menu. Everything I have tried here has been great, servers are also very good, friendly. Nothing bad to say about this place. 5 stars for being one of the best Asian restaurants in the Flint area.
(5)Gail L.
RIDICULOUS! After not seeing my Best Friends in years, they picked this place for my Birthday and Anniversary. We were there around Five O'Clock on a Sunday Evening, 7/22/12. We walked right in,and did not have a wait. We were rushed to make our order, the Hibachi "show" was not impressive at all. The soup was very good, Shrimp was tasty. Everything else was just just.... nothing special, especially for the price. My friend ordered the Birthday Surprise for me. I believe she had to pay $7.95 EXTRA! No sooner did they finish the Hibachi, and served us our food they came out with the Birthday Surprise, Tempura fried bananas and ice cream. They took a picture, but the Chef put bunny ears over my Wife. I have a sense of humor but it was unnecessary for a nice pic. Right after the Birthday Surprise they served us our to go boxes. Seriously!!! Here is the flash order of the night.... SIT! ORDER! COOK! FOOD! BIRTHDAY SURPRISE! SAY CHEESE! TO GO BOXES! I finally had to say to the guy look we have just started eating. He left them there. A few moments later, another person came to ask if we wanted them, or needed more. I was a little more firm this time. When we did stand up BAM they grabbed our dishes.... Not enjoyable, ridiculously rushed, Pricey, Use your money somewhere else. I don't live around there so I can't tell you where. My Friend called the Manager the next day and really didn't get any satisfaction. Why would you want to go back to a terrible place.
(1)Zeynep S.
The food here is consistent which is why there are any stars at all in my rating but the service and management are dismal. We walked in a Saturday for lunch when the restaurant was about half full. We ordered sushi for the grown ups and hibachi meals for the kids. The adults were done and the kids were still waiting for their food 30 minutes later. We waited another 20 minutes after we pointed this out and were very rudely told that they had take out orders to deal with. The waitress was rude from the beginning--very curt and short with us and got part of our order wrong, which we did not point out so as not to be the target of any more of her wrath. The owner manager did absolutely nothing help the situation. Flint is a bit of a wasteland in terms of good restaurants so I doubt this review will be helpful in fixing their service but I certainly won't be going back anytime soon.
(3)Nichole R.
What an awesome atmosphere. My husband and I dined there for the first time last night. We sat in the Hibachi side of the Bistro. Our chef was hilarious, and our waitress was right on top of things. I ordered hibachi shrimp, and it was grilled to perfection. As was my husband's steak. It was also affordable. In fact, it was cheaper than eating at BenniHanna's and the service/food was a great deal better.
(5)Angelica S.
For my boyfriend's birthday celebration, I was an amazing girlfriend and decided to take him to get EXACTLY what he asks for every date night...hibachi. I LOVE hibachi AND sushi but the bf doesn't...at all. To each their own although I always try every time to get him to try it. Anyway, we go there with his sister and husband fairly early like at 5ish I wanna say. She told me that you always have to wait for about an hour sometimes. She also told me you can't make reservations for hibachi unless it's for groups of 10. That makes sense and it didn't bother me. Sometimes I don't mind waiting as long as I can sit and drink, which is exactly what I did. We didn't wait very long about 15 minutes and sat down and the other parties of the table joined. I got the Spider roll. Delish by the way. The food, the chef. All awesome! Service was pretty good too. It will cost a pretty penny after you will leave if you splurge which is exactly we did. There were some things there that we way more expensive than the one I frequent.
(4)Alissa A.
I've been to many hibachi restaurants and this one takes the cake. I love the sushi. If you haven't tried your favorite roll (mine is the Hawaiian) as a hand roll, this is the place to do it! The sushi chefs are always friendly and quick. They do close down in the middle of the day but once you know this, plan around it people! Everything is always fresh and I've never had anything to complain about. When you sit on the hibachi side, it's like getting dinner and a show. The chefs are always hilarious and in good spirits. Hit here for lunch (11:30-2:30) for a cheaper lunch too. The staff and owners are always accommodating and professional too. A must try in the Flint area
(5)Chloe K.
I really enjoy the food here. I generally come for lunch when it is the cheapest. Dinner is nice too if you want to pay double for about the same amount of food that you can get for lunch. I like that they cook in front of you and the staff is pretty good too. When they are busy they are slow but it comes with the territory of the restaurant. I always get sushi here and I really enjoy how it tastes! The female owner is kind of rude to customers. If she was nicer I think that the experience would be so much better especially for someone that is regular like myself. This place is great for groups too :)
(4)Chris E.
This is probably my favorite restuarant. I've had a lot of different Hibachi but none as good as Sagano. The noodles, the rice, the mixed vegetables - it's just perfect. It might not be a great idea to try to get in on a Friday or Saturday night - it can get very congested - but there's a good reason for that. It's also a pricey dinner, however it's right in line with almost any Hibachi restaurant you'll find. I actually found that it was not only better, but cheaper than Benihana. The service is far from just service - it's entertainment! Definitely eat here if you're looking for a premium experience in either Flint or Brighton.
(5)Daron D.
Came here because my lady and her family love this place. I personally think that once you been to one of theses type places, you have been to them all. The one difference between saigano and other places is that they give you noodles and rice with your meal, however to me it just seem like smaller portions. With that said, it is just as good, and there yum yum sauce is a must try ( for my meal I had the chicken and filet migeon and it was really good to where I finished my meal rite there). They have a bar (not a real big bar) and people really love their sushi. Overall, I probably prefer Benihana, but this is a good substitute and a place that is it own.
(4)Dana S.
I've seen quite a few poor reviews on here - due to the service. The food here is always good, and that is why I'm leaving a 5 here. The front of the house has been shoddy for as long as I can remember, but the food is why we will keep coming back
(5)Bri S.
Really good food. Great portions. I've head better from Japanese Steakhouses, though. I don't like the whole sitting with people you don't know or the chefs interacting with you, but what can I say... I'm an anti-social hermit.
(4)Christine S.
A fun-filled night in Flint. The waiter was dumb as rocks but super nice at the same time..he had no clue. Sapporo, saki, shrimp habachi..my 3 favorite s's. The soup and salad were delicious and the shrimp, rice, and veggies were great and soooo filling. I was happy as a clam and had to be rolled out of there with my pants unbuttoned. So f'ing good!
(4)Tara L.
Unaju (broiled eel rice bowl) was decent, but strange with too much pepper over the fish. At least it wasn't drenched in sauce and rice. For the $15.95 price tag, I felt the portion was small. We also tried their Spicy Tuna roll and Sagano Roll. Spicy Tuna ($5.50) was a bit off, as the tuna pieces were not mashed very evenly. What was worst was that they used an overwhelming amount of spicy mayo that made it too salty (if that's even possible?) and made the consistency funky. However, the highlight of the night was the Sagano Roll. Priced at $10.95 for 5 pieces, it is a bit on the pricey side, but at least each piece was the right size. The balance in asparagus, salmon, yellowtail, cream cheese and white fish was good. Over the top of it was a light drizzle of Kewpie mayo and a few tempura flakes. We really enjoyed this one a lot, and would recommend ordering this one. Salad with ginger dressing was refreshing and cool, and thankfully, not watery. Miso soup was also not salty and piping hot. Considering that we came here about 45 minutes to closing, the food quality was good, and loved the fact that everything that was meant to be served cool was just that, and same with the hot miso soup. Come here once in a while, and you will be happy! Anything more, and it will get old pretty quickly.
(3)Rachel S.
I may be a little bit biased as I'm not the biggest fan of seafood but I did enjoy my experience. Bartender suggested a bottle of sake; I was apprehensive but it was delicious and $9 can get you WASTED. Chef was very nice and comforted the crying child that was afraid of the fire. Everything was super fresh and delicious. This place may have changed my dislike of sushi!
(3)Noah W.
This is a very good place I like it how you can have the cooks book right in front of you, it is well worth the price!
(5)Adam L.
I can only talk about the sushi side of things because the hibachi part isn't my thing but man do they have good stuff. Hands down the best place around if you want good sushi. If you're a seasoned sushi pro it might not seem like anything to write home about it for something different then the miller road crap this place is a breath of fresh air. My only complaint is the staff seems like they hate their lives. I've probably been here at least 50 times and never gotten the vibe that they want to be there at all, I can only assume this is because of management.
(4)Lafe S.
Outside: Strip mall and unassuming Inside: Loud and very plan Service: Entertainment based mostly good wait staff and luck of the draw on the chief Food: Hibachi grill, everything tasted fresh Cost: A little on the high side to pay for the extras Overall a good experience. Looked as though it could have gotten off to a bad start, but they recovered. The food did taste fresh, and cooked to order but over temperature. We had an assortment of food form lobster to chicken. We would eat any of their food. We will go back but would not make it a habit. The only thing that made it less than a 5 was the timing. Seems as though they know how to turn tables but not how to plan.
(4)Ciara B.
I've eaten here at least 8 times on the sushi side and it is ALWAYS awesome.. regardless of time or day. I've taken my mom and grandma who don't eat seafood and they loved it too. A few recommendations: Caribbean Fantasy appetizer, Hawaiian Roll, Shrimp Dumplings and any chef's choice nigiri. The staff is super friendly and even special ordered some of those iron soup bowls for my grandma who wanted two for her house. I can't say enough good things, this place is a gem in downtown Flint, and always my go-to for good sushi in the area.
(5)Valarie F.
This review is only in reference to the sushi at Sagano's; I have not had the hibachi (although to all the people complaining about the chef's antics - isn't the part of hibachi supposed to be that entertainment factor?). In regards to the sushi, I have to wonder about all the 5 star ratings. It makes me think most of the people haven't had much experience with sushi. Sagano wasn't that great. The speciality rolls were okay but not great and were cut in HUGE bites. And the waitress brought carry out boxes 5 minutes after we got our food! I'll probably just continue making sushi an occasional thing when I'm out of town.
(3)H K.
Discusting the amount if butter they put in the hibachi, and noddles, really yuck more carbs on top of the rice for all the fat people who likes to eat there. Then there is the sushi and the sushi rolls, I was told it was good sushi before going from a lot if the people that lives here. I thought it was just aweful, but I guess why people don't know better or haven't had better then that's all they know and think that's good sushi. 99 of their rolls have cream cheese, REALLY! Disgusting and they call that good sushi
(1)Meghan T.
I love eating here. Its very delicious. Its a treat. One of my favorites. Go here for lunch! Much cheaper
(5)Tony S.
My first review was completed while sitting in the restaurant -- and thus, extremely short. Sagano is an excellent restaurant -- the best Hibachi in the county. However, if you go during peak hours, expect to wait 30 - 45 minutes for a table. The food is excellent, the quality of the ingredients is excellent, and they are able to cook it to be very satisfying. Their staff is very nice, very friendly. Additionally, the experience is consistently good -- I have been there 10+ times, and each time, I have had no complaints. Keep up the good work, guys!
(5)Mhalexa A.
Excellent Sushi! One of my favorite places to spoil myself! I prefer to sit in the sushi area for a quieter meal with friends but the Hibachi side is also great for lively parties!
(5)Matthew S.
Best sushi I ever had. I am normally pretty boring with my sushi selections, I was adventurous today, they know what they are doing here. I tried their barbecue eel and Hawaiian rolls which were excellent! I'm am out of towner, but will be back if I'm ever in the area again!
(5)Nichole B.
Awesome food and show from the cook. Definitely expensive but well worth the money. Will go back for another special occasion
(5)Mark L.
I usually get take-out since they're super crazy busy but did sit at the sushi bar a few times and the sushi chefs were always very nice. I've tried a wide variety of their sushi and was never disappointed along with some of their appetizers. I work in the Metro Detroit area and have yet to find sushi on par. I've waited for take-out a few times and witnessed rude staff and customers, but I'm guessing that's due to the insane wait time since it has always been slammed when I've picked up take-out; just don't expect to be seated within 5 minutes but that goes for any restaurant with this much traffic. Oh and try their hot teas, very tasty green tea!
(5)Mariah G.
The whole experience is amazing. Expect to wait an hour or more for a seat on busy days, but do not fret - their waiting area is also a fully stocked bar! Time spent waiting flies by with a drink or two and great company. My boyfriend and I almost always order the Emperor's Deluxe, which is advertised as dinner for two and runs about $60 or so. This may seem expensive at first glance, but it's insanely worth it. It comes with the standard salad, soup, and shrimp appetizer that comes with all hibachi meals, plus the sauces of course (ALWAYS go double Yum Yum, you'll need it!). But this meal also comes with rice, noodles, vegetables, lobster, scallops, jumbo shrimp, filet mignon, and chicken. Probably other things I'm forgetting as well. It's a marathon of deliciousness and well worth the price. The sushi here is awesome, and while I've only been for dinner, I hear they have great specials for lunch on both sushi and hibachi meals! Children and older people alike will have fun at this place. It's wonderful for groups or for a date night with your sweetie!
(5)Jim A.
I have eaten here many times, always on the sushi side, but last time the service was just lousy, no attention to refills, not pleasant, and not friendly... Maybe she was having an off night... But it showed!
(2)Melissa B.
I was not happy. I waited 20 min to be seated, with a group of 3 before us. They do not take reservations but a group of 11 walked in and they seated them before any of us. They had only half the place open for lunch and had no room for anybody! Very unhappy!!!!! Not ever going there or recommending to anybody. If I could I would give zero stars.
(1)Scott B.
The only place I go and have little to no self control. I love all the food fried rice, vegetables, soup, chicken, salad, noodles. All great tasting. We have to wait sometimes but that is to be expected with the food and service being so good
(4)Aaron Y.
Serves some of the best sushi I've ever had. Consistent and high quality sushi. The downside relative to all the other sushi restaurants I've been to is menu diversify, but in this region of the world the variety offered by Saganos is exceptional. The other side, the hibachi grill portion of the restaurant, is equally if not more outstanding. While I only ever order the chicken and steak dinner, it is the best hibachi I've had. The meats used are of the utmost quality and all the food is fantastically prepared. The chefs are caught up on the latest tricks which leads to them being very entertaining. Bottom line, if you're looking for a fine Japanese meal while in the Flint area look no further than Saganos Japanese Bistro.
(5)Panagiota Z.
This is my second time here. The first time I went for dinner and had a great experience. Now- as for my second time goes.. Let's just say I was very disappointed. I live in Canton (about 1 hour or so away) and planned to meet up with a friend for dinner here. We met up at 230pm (not realizing they closed between shifts). Our food was delicious! We had the chicken and steak hibachi, I also ordered some Flint sushi rolls and spicy tuna rolls and of course a Long Beach drink. Midway into eating our food we noticed that customers started leaving and then all the lights started shutting off. We asked a waitress if the restaurant was closed and she explained how they closed for about an hour to get ready for dinner shift. We asked her if we had to leave and she said no, we were okay to finish our drinks. About 10 minutes later the owner comes and rudely yells at us that we have to leave because they have to clean up our area. (MIND YOU- there were only 2 of us- we had no mess and all we had left were our drinks). We gulped down our liquor and she practically kicked us out. The RUDEST person (let alone owner) I've ever met in my life. Next time I'll go spend my $45 lunch somewhere else.
(1)Felicia C.
Would give Sagano 5 stars because their food is AMAZING.. but the staff here are absolute nightmares. I feel like they're all stuck up and act better than everyone else every time I'm in here.. wow, you work at a "fancy Japanese steak house" NEWS FLASH YOU'RE STILL IN FLINT- so bring the attitude down about 7 notches. It's hard to enjoy a restaurant with such uppity-rude staff members. I've started just getting the hibachi noodles to go- that way I don't have to deal with the workers too much. So overall- great food; awful workers. GET IT TO GO!!!
(4)Lisa S.
So, after you've been here a handful of times for the hibachi, you start to pay less attention to the flaming onion and flying shrimp and focus more on the food. Which, sadly, has gotten saltier and saltier upon each of my visits. This may just be a preference thing, but I have definitely noticed that I really don't enjoy the hibachi food at all anymore. The fried rice seems doused in soy sauce, and the noodles aren't much better. Meat/scallops are pretty decent, but I'd like more than decent for that price tag. Still awarding 4 stars, though, because the sushi here has yet to disappoint (the Yummy Yummy roll comes to mind as being particularly tasty). And, after having some really sub par rolls at Ichiban, it's really the only option in the area for sushi & roll cuisine.
(4)Joe P.
Hibachi side - Always have had a good experience here. Food is always great, service is quick and helpful. I've been here about 10 times, the only negative thing that I've found is that sometimes the chefs don't seem really want to be into cooking at times. I can't say that I really blame them though. Cooking the same thing for a bunch of round eyes hours at a time can become dull pretty quickly I imagine. Sushi - I'm new to sushi, but everything I've tried here has been really good. Friends that really enjoy sushi seem to prefer this place to any other in the area. Highly recommended.
(5)Crystal P.
To find good sushi in flint is one-in-a-million. Fortunately, this restaurant called Sagano's entices my taste buds with their fresh seafood selection and original rolls. I definitely encourage people to try their Yummy Yummy rolls. It's definitely yummy :) If you're not the mood for fresh fish or seafood, they have a nice hibachi grill where you can choose anything from chicken to filet mignon. Their noodles are the best. And if you want entertainment, the grillers are entertaining and engaging and not overly corny. If you like Japanese cuisine, I definitely suggest giving Sagano's a try.
(5)Ann C.
I miss very few things about living in Flint, but Sagano is one of them. I joke about the Flint Rolls being filled with shrapnel and bullets, but only because I don't want anyone eating mine. I can blame that school term that I was so broke that I had to sell all of my textbooks back in order to afford the train ride home on too many trips to Sagano. Whenever I'm in Flint it's tough to decide what to eat (spider rolls and Flint rolls, or the sukiyaki?), but never where to go.
(4)Kristen B.
I went here for dinner with my boyfriend, my mom, and my mom's boyfriend. We sat on the sushi side of the restaurant since that's what we wanted to eat -- although next time I am very tempted to try the Japanese steakhouse side (looks like it would be a lot of fun with a fairly large group of people). The salad with the peanut vinaigrette dressing is AWESOME -- I liked it a lot better than the usual ginger dressing (which I've found to be very hit or miss depending on the restaurant). The miso soup was also good, not too salty which is always appreciated. We ordered a variety of rolls and they were all very good. The service was very good as well. My mom had some sweet plum wine that was delicious, very sweet! I will definitely come back to this restaurant next time I am in town visiting my family.
(5)Erin N.
Saganos is the first place I've ever tried sushi, and since have been trying as many other places as I can find, and nothing else compares. Saganos sushi prices can't be beaten (anywhere I have been, at least) and neither can the taste. I much prefer Saganos over Benihana ANY day. If you are going to eat the hibachi, go during lunch time, where you will get the same amount of food for half of the money. Sushi prices do not change between lunch and dinner. My favorites are the green river, hawaiian and rainbow rolls.
(5)Paul W.
When Sagano first opened, it was one of my favorite restaurants and I kept going back because I hoped for more of the excellent service/food. On recent trips I've had bad service waiting over 50 minutes for my appetizer to come out of the kitchen. When we finally received our Sushi the rolls were falling apart and malformed. (The long wait/badly assembled rolls has been going on over the last 6 months) Absolutely horrible presentation. And when paying $12 for 1 sushi roll, I expect the damn thing to stay together. The taste of the food was good, which is why I'm giving it a 2 star versus a 1. I complained to the manager (owner?), a small asian woman who gives off the impression that she hates customers. She shrugged and walked away. Apparently the complaints of a several year customer are of no concern to her, as the hibachi side is constantly packed with noobs who want shrimp tossed in the air at them like the sea life they resemble. There are other competing Sushi/hibachi restaurants in the area which have almost identical food/prices but their standards are higher. That's where I've been going, even though its about 10 miles farther.
(2)Bud G.
First, this restaurant does not offer "take out" as advertised. They are simply liars. On two occasions, I was told on the phone they offer take out, and on two occasions upon arriving they then claimed they do not, and tried to hassle me into going inside to see their freak show. I left. The third time I was there, I decided to go on in. Rude staff. Sub-par quality food, high prices. I've eaten Japanese food before. Sorry, but this place just is not that good. I think it's got high reviews here, because the reviewers have not had any experiences with Japanese outside of Flint (where this place is your only option). The steak was definitely good. Not as good as it could have been, or for it's price, but probably the best steak you'll find here in Flint. The rice was low quality and bland, and the sauce was not that great. The salad was alright, but the dressing not very good. The chef's antics are annoying. Not everyone likes people banging things around them, twirling metal utensils just inches from their heads recklessly, or hurling hot chicken into their faces. I like to be relaxed before eating, not worrying about which eye I might lose, or if that's another shrimp tail they are flinging into my mouth for a laugh. Some people enjoy this, and that's good... I've been to enough Japanese places that the circus act is rather tired, and unwelcomed. Be prepared to be harassed to participate in their antics whether you want to or not. They do not take "no" for an answer, unless you are firm about it, and then you feel like you're a jerk, just for not wanting to catch scraps they flick at your face. The environment is dark, dreary and overcrowded. Chances are you will be squeezed into a spot with strangers who you do not want to talk to, and people seem to usually be smashed out of their minds in this place. I did not realize they even served alcohol here. If you do go, I suggest the Filet Mignon. You'll be overpaying for it, but it's good and they do grill it perfectly. If you are not big on the before dinner "entertainment", you can try going at a time when there will be less (and more sober) customers. They will not allow you to sit anywhere other than the crowded hibachi grills, unless you want sushi, which I have had no experience with there. The fact the staff lie about take out to try and trick people into getting stuck in the place at times they just want to get their food and leave, has left me somewhat bitter. That the food is ok, but not at all worth it's price, and the environment is horrible, has left me not interested in returning. Perhaps if they actually did offer take out, it would not be so bad.
(2)Nichole B.
Awesome food and show from the cook. Definitely expensive but well worth the money. Will go back for another special occasion
(5)Mark L.
I usually get take-out since they're super crazy busy but did sit at the sushi bar a few times and the sushi chefs were always very nice. I've tried a wide variety of their sushi and was never disappointed along with some of their appetizers. I work in the Metro Detroit area and have yet to find sushi on par. I've waited for take-out a few times and witnessed rude staff and customers, but I'm guessing that's due to the insane wait time since it has always been slammed when I've picked up take-out; just don't expect to be seated within 5 minutes but that goes for any restaurant with this much traffic. Oh and try their hot teas, very tasty green tea!
(5)Aaron Y.
Serves some of the best sushi I've ever had. Consistent and high quality sushi. The downside relative to all the other sushi restaurants I've been to is menu diversify, but in this region of the world the variety offered by Saganos is exceptional. The other side, the hibachi grill portion of the restaurant, is equally if not more outstanding. While I only ever order the chicken and steak dinner, it is the best hibachi I've had. The meats used are of the utmost quality and all the food is fantastically prepared. The chefs are caught up on the latest tricks which leads to them being very entertaining. Bottom line, if you're looking for a fine Japanese meal while in the Flint area look no further than Saganos Japanese Bistro.
(5)Mariah G.
The whole experience is amazing. Expect to wait an hour or more for a seat on busy days, but do not fret - their waiting area is also a fully stocked bar! Time spent waiting flies by with a drink or two and great company. My boyfriend and I almost always order the Emperor's Deluxe, which is advertised as dinner for two and runs about $60 or so. This may seem expensive at first glance, but it's insanely worth it. It comes with the standard salad, soup, and shrimp appetizer that comes with all hibachi meals, plus the sauces of course (ALWAYS go double Yum Yum, you'll need it!). But this meal also comes with rice, noodles, vegetables, lobster, scallops, jumbo shrimp, filet mignon, and chicken. Probably other things I'm forgetting as well. It's a marathon of deliciousness and well worth the price. The sushi here is awesome, and while I've only been for dinner, I hear they have great specials for lunch on both sushi and hibachi meals! Children and older people alike will have fun at this place. It's wonderful for groups or for a date night with your sweetie!
(5)Jim A.
I have eaten here many times, always on the sushi side, but last time the service was just lousy, no attention to refills, not pleasant, and not friendly... Maybe she was having an off night... But it showed!
(2)Melissa B.
I was not happy. I waited 20 min to be seated, with a group of 3 before us. They do not take reservations but a group of 11 walked in and they seated them before any of us. They had only half the place open for lunch and had no room for anybody! Very unhappy!!!!! Not ever going there or recommending to anybody. If I could I would give zero stars.
(1)Scott B.
The only place I go and have little to no self control. I love all the food fried rice, vegetables, soup, chicken, salad, noodles. All great tasting. We have to wait sometimes but that is to be expected with the food and service being so good
(4)Nichole R.
What an awesome atmosphere. My husband and I dined there for the first time last night. We sat in the Hibachi side of the Bistro. Our chef was hilarious, and our waitress was right on top of things. I ordered hibachi shrimp, and it was grilled to perfection. As was my husband's steak. It was also affordable. In fact, it was cheaper than eating at BenniHanna's and the service/food was a great deal better.
(5)Panagiota Z.
This is my second time here. The first time I went for dinner and had a great experience. Now- as for my second time goes.. Let's just say I was very disappointed. I live in Canton (about 1 hour or so away) and planned to meet up with a friend for dinner here. We met up at 230pm (not realizing they closed between shifts). Our food was delicious! We had the chicken and steak hibachi, I also ordered some Flint sushi rolls and spicy tuna rolls and of course a Long Beach drink. Midway into eating our food we noticed that customers started leaving and then all the lights started shutting off. We asked a waitress if the restaurant was closed and she explained how they closed for about an hour to get ready for dinner shift. We asked her if we had to leave and she said no, we were okay to finish our drinks. About 10 minutes later the owner comes and rudely yells at us that we have to leave because they have to clean up our area. (MIND YOU- there were only 2 of us- we had no mess and all we had left were our drinks). We gulped down our liquor and she practically kicked us out. The RUDEST person (let alone owner) I've ever met in my life. Next time I'll go spend my $45 lunch somewhere else.
(1)Felicia C.
Would give Sagano 5 stars because their food is AMAZING.. but the staff here are absolute nightmares. I feel like they're all stuck up and act better than everyone else every time I'm in here.. wow, you work at a "fancy Japanese steak house" NEWS FLASH YOU'RE STILL IN FLINT- so bring the attitude down about 7 notches. It's hard to enjoy a restaurant with such uppity-rude staff members. I've started just getting the hibachi noodles to go- that way I don't have to deal with the workers too much. So overall- great food; awful workers. GET IT TO GO!!!
(4)Angelica S.
For my boyfriend's birthday celebration, I was an amazing girlfriend and decided to take him to get EXACTLY what he asks for every date night...hibachi. I LOVE hibachi AND sushi but the bf doesn't...at all. To each their own although I always try every time to get him to try it. Anyway, we go there with his sister and husband fairly early like at 5ish I wanna say. She told me that you always have to wait for about an hour sometimes. She also told me you can't make reservations for hibachi unless it's for groups of 10. That makes sense and it didn't bother me. Sometimes I don't mind waiting as long as I can sit and drink, which is exactly what I did. We didn't wait very long about 15 minutes and sat down and the other parties of the table joined. I got the Spider roll. Delish by the way. The food, the chef. All awesome! Service was pretty good too. It will cost a pretty penny after you will leave if you splurge which is exactly we did. There were some things there that we way more expensive than the one I frequent.
(4)Alissa A.
I've been to many hibachi restaurants and this one takes the cake. I love the sushi. If you haven't tried your favorite roll (mine is the Hawaiian) as a hand roll, this is the place to do it! The sushi chefs are always friendly and quick. They do close down in the middle of the day but once you know this, plan around it people! Everything is always fresh and I've never had anything to complain about. When you sit on the hibachi side, it's like getting dinner and a show. The chefs are always hilarious and in good spirits. Hit here for lunch (11:30-2:30) for a cheaper lunch too. The staff and owners are always accommodating and professional too. A must try in the Flint area
(5)Chloe K.
I really enjoy the food here. I generally come for lunch when it is the cheapest. Dinner is nice too if you want to pay double for about the same amount of food that you can get for lunch. I like that they cook in front of you and the staff is pretty good too. When they are busy they are slow but it comes with the territory of the restaurant. I always get sushi here and I really enjoy how it tastes! The female owner is kind of rude to customers. If she was nicer I think that the experience would be so much better especially for someone that is regular like myself. This place is great for groups too :)
(4)Chris E.
This is probably my favorite restuarant. I've had a lot of different Hibachi but none as good as Sagano. The noodles, the rice, the mixed vegetables - it's just perfect. It might not be a great idea to try to get in on a Friday or Saturday night - it can get very congested - but there's a good reason for that. It's also a pricey dinner, however it's right in line with almost any Hibachi restaurant you'll find. I actually found that it was not only better, but cheaper than Benihana. The service is far from just service - it's entertainment! Definitely eat here if you're looking for a premium experience in either Flint or Brighton.
(5)Daron D.
Came here because my lady and her family love this place. I personally think that once you been to one of theses type places, you have been to them all. The one difference between saigano and other places is that they give you noodles and rice with your meal, however to me it just seem like smaller portions. With that said, it is just as good, and there yum yum sauce is a must try ( for my meal I had the chicken and filet migeon and it was really good to where I finished my meal rite there). They have a bar (not a real big bar) and people really love their sushi. Overall, I probably prefer Benihana, but this is a good substitute and a place that is it own.
(4)Dana S.
I've seen quite a few poor reviews on here - due to the service. The food here is always good, and that is why I'm leaving a 5 here. The front of the house has been shoddy for as long as I can remember, but the food is why we will keep coming back
(5)Bri S.
Really good food. Great portions. I've head better from Japanese Steakhouses, though. I don't like the whole sitting with people you don't know or the chefs interacting with you, but what can I say... I'm an anti-social hermit.
(4)Rachel S.
I may be a little bit biased as I'm not the biggest fan of seafood but I did enjoy my experience. Bartender suggested a bottle of sake; I was apprehensive but it was delicious and $9 can get you WASTED. Chef was very nice and comforted the crying child that was afraid of the fire. Everything was super fresh and delicious. This place may have changed my dislike of sushi!
(3)Tara L.
Unaju (broiled eel rice bowl) was decent, but strange with too much pepper over the fish. At least it wasn't drenched in sauce and rice. For the $15.95 price tag, I felt the portion was small. We also tried their Spicy Tuna roll and Sagano Roll. Spicy Tuna ($5.50) was a bit off, as the tuna pieces were not mashed very evenly. What was worst was that they used an overwhelming amount of spicy mayo that made it too salty (if that's even possible?) and made the consistency funky. However, the highlight of the night was the Sagano Roll. Priced at $10.95 for 5 pieces, it is a bit on the pricey side, but at least each piece was the right size. The balance in asparagus, salmon, yellowtail, cream cheese and white fish was good. Over the top of it was a light drizzle of Kewpie mayo and a few tempura flakes. We really enjoyed this one a lot, and would recommend ordering this one. Salad with ginger dressing was refreshing and cool, and thankfully, not watery. Miso soup was also not salty and piping hot. Considering that we came here about 45 minutes to closing, the food quality was good, and loved the fact that everything that was meant to be served cool was just that, and same with the hot miso soup. Come here once in a while, and you will be happy! Anything more, and it will get old pretty quickly.
(3)Lisa S.
So, after you've been here a handful of times for the hibachi, you start to pay less attention to the flaming onion and flying shrimp and focus more on the food. Which, sadly, has gotten saltier and saltier upon each of my visits. This may just be a preference thing, but I have definitely noticed that I really don't enjoy the hibachi food at all anymore. The fried rice seems doused in soy sauce, and the noodles aren't much better. Meat/scallops are pretty decent, but I'd like more than decent for that price tag. Still awarding 4 stars, though, because the sushi here has yet to disappoint (the Yummy Yummy roll comes to mind as being particularly tasty). And, after having some really sub par rolls at Ichiban, it's really the only option in the area for sushi & roll cuisine.
(4)Melissa S.
I'm a Michigan Native that moved to the South. I absolutely love Sagano's!! Everything is cooked perfectly and is so flavorful even without their sauces. Although I always cover my food in their amazing Yum Yum Sauce! I could eat that by the spoonful. :-P This is definitely one of the top places I miss most. I cannot wait until my next trip home! I need my hibachi shrimp fix with extra noodles!! :)
(5)Valarie F.
This review is only in reference to the sushi at Sagano's; I have not had the hibachi (although to all the people complaining about the chef's antics - isn't the part of hibachi supposed to be that entertainment factor?). In regards to the sushi, I have to wonder about all the 5 star ratings. It makes me think most of the people haven't had much experience with sushi. Sagano wasn't that great. The speciality rolls were okay but not great and were cut in HUGE bites. And the waitress brought carry out boxes 5 minutes after we got our food! I'll probably just continue making sushi an occasional thing when I'm out of town.
(3)Mary P.
I am actually sitting in Sagano right now and felt compelled to write this review. I came for lunch with my grandmother and the food is pretty good and affordable. I had the shrimp hibachi special and she had the scallops. It comes with salad, vegetables, rice and noodles for a pretty good price. The service, however, is a completely different story. We were actually asked to leave (in a very rude tone of voice) before we were even done eating! We sat down for lunch at 2:10, and forced to leave at 3:10 with no warning. The owner of the place actually turned off all the lights, jingled her keys in my face and cleared our not-quite-finished plates. I have worked in restaurants for years and have never heard of a restaurant closing mid-day, nonetheless rushing customers out the door. I will not be back.
(1)Christine S.
A fun-filled night in Flint. The waiter was dumb as rocks but super nice at the same time..he had no clue. Sapporo, saki, shrimp habachi..my 3 favorite s's. The soup and salad were delicious and the shrimp, rice, and veggies were great and soooo filling. I was happy as a clam and had to be rolled out of there with my pants unbuttoned. So f'ing good!
(4)Jeremy R.
Went here for the first time last night. I have been to other hibachi places, but none quite compare to this. You get dinner and show over in the dining room. The food was good, a little salty for my liking, but it tasted fine. The chef did a great job and the waitress and waiter kept the refills coming. We really enjoyed this place. It was a little expensive, but worth it because of the good food and service.
(4)Keri S.
I have been here several times. I make it a point to eat here every time I come into town. The hibachi is wonderful and a great price for how much food you get. I tried their California roll as an appetizer this time and it was excellent! Thank you for never letting me down and always keeping me wanting more when I visit!
(5)Lindsey B.
Sagano is probably my favorite restaurant in the city. The service is usually top notch, the food is fresh and delicious, and I love sitting at the bar and watching the sushi chefs work. I've only eaten on the hibachi side once, and it was delicious, but I usually prefer sushi if I'm going there. They are very accomodating with special orders. Sushi is where it's at, in my opinion. The From Russia With Love is probably my favorite, followed by the spider roll. The sushi side comes with miso soup, but you can get clear soup if you ask. Salads come with ginger or sesame dressing. I've tried a few of the desserts, and I didn't care for any of them. Deep fried cheesecake, not so good, and I can't remember the name of the other one, but it was like, rice covered ice cream, or something, they were just gooey and unflavorful. Still rates 5 stars in my book, though.
(5)Noah W.
This is a very good place I like it how you can have the cooks book right in front of you, it is well worth the price!
(5)Adam L.
I can only talk about the sushi side of things because the hibachi part isn't my thing but man do they have good stuff. Hands down the best place around if you want good sushi. If you're a seasoned sushi pro it might not seem like anything to write home about it for something different then the miller road crap this place is a breath of fresh air. My only complaint is the staff seems like they hate their lives. I've probably been here at least 50 times and never gotten the vibe that they want to be there at all, I can only assume this is because of management.
(4)Lafe S.
Outside: Strip mall and unassuming Inside: Loud and very plan Service: Entertainment based mostly good wait staff and luck of the draw on the chief Food: Hibachi grill, everything tasted fresh Cost: A little on the high side to pay for the extras Overall a good experience. Looked as though it could have gotten off to a bad start, but they recovered. The food did taste fresh, and cooked to order but over temperature. We had an assortment of food form lobster to chicken. We would eat any of their food. We will go back but would not make it a habit. The only thing that made it less than a 5 was the timing. Seems as though they know how to turn tables but not how to plan.
(4)Ciara B.
I've eaten here at least 8 times on the sushi side and it is ALWAYS awesome.. regardless of time or day. I've taken my mom and grandma who don't eat seafood and they loved it too. A few recommendations: Caribbean Fantasy appetizer, Hawaiian Roll, Shrimp Dumplings and any chef's choice nigiri. The staff is super friendly and even special ordered some of those iron soup bowls for my grandma who wanted two for her house. I can't say enough good things, this place is a gem in downtown Flint, and always my go-to for good sushi in the area.
(5)Joe P.
Hibachi side - Always have had a good experience here. Food is always great, service is quick and helpful. I've been here about 10 times, the only negative thing that I've found is that sometimes the chefs don't seem really want to be into cooking at times. I can't say that I really blame them though. Cooking the same thing for a bunch of round eyes hours at a time can become dull pretty quickly I imagine. Sushi - I'm new to sushi, but everything I've tried here has been really good. Friends that really enjoy sushi seem to prefer this place to any other in the area. Highly recommended.
(5)Gail L.
RIDICULOUS! After not seeing my Best Friends in years, they picked this place for my Birthday and Anniversary. We were there around Five O'Clock on a Sunday Evening, 7/22/12. We walked right in,and did not have a wait. We were rushed to make our order, the Hibachi "show" was not impressive at all. The soup was very good, Shrimp was tasty. Everything else was just just.... nothing special, especially for the price. My friend ordered the Birthday Surprise for me. I believe she had to pay $7.95 EXTRA! No sooner did they finish the Hibachi, and served us our food they came out with the Birthday Surprise, Tempura fried bananas and ice cream. They took a picture, but the Chef put bunny ears over my Wife. I have a sense of humor but it was unnecessary for a nice pic. Right after the Birthday Surprise they served us our to go boxes. Seriously!!! Here is the flash order of the night.... SIT! ORDER! COOK! FOOD! BIRTHDAY SURPRISE! SAY CHEESE! TO GO BOXES! I finally had to say to the guy look we have just started eating. He left them there. A few moments later, another person came to ask if we wanted them, or needed more. I was a little more firm this time. When we did stand up BAM they grabbed our dishes.... Not enjoyable, ridiculously rushed, Pricey, Use your money somewhere else. I don't live around there so I can't tell you where. My Friend called the Manager the next day and really didn't get any satisfaction. Why would you want to go back to a terrible place.
(1)H K.
Discusting the amount if butter they put in the hibachi, and noddles, really yuck more carbs on top of the rice for all the fat people who likes to eat there. Then there is the sushi and the sushi rolls, I was told it was good sushi before going from a lot if the people that lives here. I thought it was just aweful, but I guess why people don't know better or haven't had better then that's all they know and think that's good sushi. 99 of their rolls have cream cheese, REALLY! Disgusting and they call that good sushi
(1)Meghan T.
I love eating here. Its very delicious. Its a treat. One of my favorites. Go here for lunch! Much cheaper
(5)Tony S.
My first review was completed while sitting in the restaurant -- and thus, extremely short. Sagano is an excellent restaurant -- the best Hibachi in the county. However, if you go during peak hours, expect to wait 30 - 45 minutes for a table. The food is excellent, the quality of the ingredients is excellent, and they are able to cook it to be very satisfying. Their staff is very nice, very friendly. Additionally, the experience is consistently good -- I have been there 10+ times, and each time, I have had no complaints. Keep up the good work, guys!
(5)Mhalexa A.
Excellent Sushi! One of my favorite places to spoil myself! I prefer to sit in the sushi area for a quieter meal with friends but the Hibachi side is also great for lively parties!
(5)Matthew S.
Best sushi I ever had. I am normally pretty boring with my sushi selections, I was adventurous today, they know what they are doing here. I tried their barbecue eel and Hawaiian rolls which were excellent! I'm am out of towner, but will be back if I'm ever in the area again!
(5)Crystal P.
To find good sushi in flint is one-in-a-million. Fortunately, this restaurant called Sagano's entices my taste buds with their fresh seafood selection and original rolls. I definitely encourage people to try their Yummy Yummy rolls. It's definitely yummy :) If you're not the mood for fresh fish or seafood, they have a nice hibachi grill where you can choose anything from chicken to filet mignon. Their noodles are the best. And if you want entertainment, the grillers are entertaining and engaging and not overly corny. If you like Japanese cuisine, I definitely suggest giving Sagano's a try.
(5)Ann C.
I miss very few things about living in Flint, but Sagano is one of them. I joke about the Flint Rolls being filled with shrapnel and bullets, but only because I don't want anyone eating mine. I can blame that school term that I was so broke that I had to sell all of my textbooks back in order to afford the train ride home on too many trips to Sagano. Whenever I'm in Flint it's tough to decide what to eat (spider rolls and Flint rolls, or the sukiyaki?), but never where to go.
(4)Kristen B.
I went here for dinner with my boyfriend, my mom, and my mom's boyfriend. We sat on the sushi side of the restaurant since that's what we wanted to eat -- although next time I am very tempted to try the Japanese steakhouse side (looks like it would be a lot of fun with a fairly large group of people). The salad with the peanut vinaigrette dressing is AWESOME -- I liked it a lot better than the usual ginger dressing (which I've found to be very hit or miss depending on the restaurant). The miso soup was also good, not too salty which is always appreciated. We ordered a variety of rolls and they were all very good. The service was very good as well. My mom had some sweet plum wine that was delicious, very sweet! I will definitely come back to this restaurant next time I am in town visiting my family.
(5)Erin N.
Saganos is the first place I've ever tried sushi, and since have been trying as many other places as I can find, and nothing else compares. Saganos sushi prices can't be beaten (anywhere I have been, at least) and neither can the taste. I much prefer Saganos over Benihana ANY day. If you are going to eat the hibachi, go during lunch time, where you will get the same amount of food for half of the money. Sushi prices do not change between lunch and dinner. My favorites are the green river, hawaiian and rainbow rolls.
(5)Bess R.
Not a bad Japanese Steakhouse. Servers were great, wait time (with a reservation) wasn't great on a Saturday night. It was nice to see a busy business in the Flint area though... We really enjoyed our server - he did all the standard tricks and was cracking jokes. The salad and soup served before dinner were both delish. I had the filet and scallops dinner. Filet was quite good, scallops were a little grainy and overcooked. No problem making my husband's dish w/out soy sauce for his wheat allergy. Overall, not bad for Flint!
(3)lisa b.
really quite amazing sushi consider its in MI! LOVED IT!
(5)Robert C.
I hate to give this place a less-than-awesome review, but I have been here a few times and the first was a pretty horribly mediocre experience. I went with two other people, I ordered chicken teriyaki. Our waiter was a young man, who seemed nice enough. 40 min. went by and no food. Shortly thereafter, my friends' food arrived, but not mine. We asked if my order was in the system, and he said yes it should be coming out shortly. Another half-hour later, my food arrives and it is very cold. I ask him if he wouldn't mind warming it up a bit, he does, and it is acceptable. I then proceed to eat WAY after my friends have finished, a good hour and a half after we walked in. Not really sure what happened there, but it was a pretty mediocre experience, especially since the food is certainly not cheap for college students. I have been there other times since with different servers and there has not been an issue, which has averaged out my opinion of them somewhat. The atmosphere is very very nice - but still not in a hurry to spend my money there. Note - after posting this, I was contacted by James T. who said it would be passed on to the staff to ensure this doesn't happen again. Thumbs up! :)
(3)Jason A.
Service is not always the best. Food is usually good and price is reasonable.
(3)Monica D.
Great place for an evening's entertainment. The hibachi chefs are friendly and extremely talented. My only slight complaint is that the dinner menu features the same amount of food as the lunch but it is more than twice the price. The only trade-off with going in the afternoon is that you may have to sit for a while until your table fills up. Still, we've been here nearly a dozen times over the years and we've never not had a good time and delicious food.
(3)bob a.
Maybe I like this place so much because I'm great at catching the pieces of chicken in my mouth that the chef flings my way, but I think there is something more here. I've always been a fan of the Japanese Steakhouses. The food here is great and the chefs are entertaining. I typically get steak and shrimp, and I usually get the fillet because it really is worth the extra $$$. I'd say this has to be the best place in Flint for sushi too. Which is saying a lot since Flint is known for great sushi . . . I've tried probably half of the specialty rolls and they have all been great. They have a different section for their sushi bar, but I've always eaten in the steakhouse area. Overall it is a great place to go for an entertaining, fun night out. 'd say to leave the little kids at home if you want to really enjoy everything. Sometimes the loud noises and whooshing flames can scare them. You can't go wrong with their menu. Everything I have tried here has been great, servers are also very good, friendly. Nothing bad to say about this place. 5 stars for being one of the best Asian restaurants in the Flint area.
(5)Brooke B.
I believe this is the ONLY Japanese restaurant in Flint. Thankfully, it's great! The food is fresh and the staff is very friendly. Gotta come check it out
(4)Papa W.
Always good food. Fresh rolls are the best. Time your dinner prior to 6:00 or you will wait for a table.
(4)Stacy H.
Japanese Steakhouses are, by far, my favorite places to eat. EVER. I think they put something in the Yum Yum sauce that makes the guests addicted! On a more serious note, Sagano's is the place to go for nearly any occasion. From the amazing/friendly staff to the casual feeling atmosphere, any diner can have a good time here. The food is superb! (Even though I nearly drown everything in yum yum). I don't think I have had anything at this restaurant that I haven't liked. The 'chef entertainment' is usually pretty entertaining, funny, and includes a lot of audience participation. Every once in a while, a chef will be a little less involved, and seem a little melancholy for the job, but everyone has those days occasionally. To me, this place is priced just right. A lot of people say it is super expensive, but think about how much food you actually get, and it seems very reasonable. You may disagree, but this is my favorite restaurant in Flint.
(5)Josie L.
Last night I made my second trip to Sagano to celebrate a friend's birthday. Let me start with the good! The food was great. The portions were more than fair and the price was typical for a Japanese steak house. Our chef was on the top of his game and really played to us. He made sure to focus on our birthday girl and we all really enjoyed the entertainment. I'd say he was by far the highlight of the eve. Now for the not so good..we had reservations at 5:45, however, we did not get seating until close to 6:30. The restaurant was not crowded, it appeared they were short of cooks. Checking out proved to be a nightmare too. We had a party of 8 and 4 different tabs, and it seems they confused each of them. So it literally took over an hour to figure this out. It was not pretty, thankfully the food was tasty!
(3)Anthony N.
The best and only place in the Flint area for Japanese style food! The Chicken and Shrimp is the bomb. Very similar to Bennihana, but you dont have to drive far out if you are in Genesee Country.
(5)Amy H.
very good, and fun too. I would like another choice other than the garlic butter on everything they cook on the grill side though. You can also get extra noodles which we love. We have not tried the sushi yet because we always want to go to the grill side. I lived in San Francisco, and haven't had good sushi in Michigan, other than a little place called Noble Fish in Clawson. The pictures of Saganos sushi look promising though. Maybe next time!!!;)
(4)Jeni B.
I was a little surprised when this restaurant opened in Flint. I just didn't think that there would be a huge market for it. It's a little on the pricey side, and let's face it, sooo many people here can't get past coney dogs and halo burger (it's a flint thing). But--people love this place! myself included! As I said, it's a little pricey, but the food, service and bar make it worth it. It's a very nice addition to the city and I think gives people options when they make the dreaded trip into Flint (I'm being sarcastic here) from their quiet homes outside of the city. More places like this will help to bring Flint back. It's not as good as Benihana, but very close and almost identical atmosphere.
(4)Ronnie L.
Don't think I'm just some guy giving out 5s to everyone. The best places are the most memorable and believe me - my 5s don't come easy. I just like to remember the good things first. Right now I'm taking a trip down memory lane. This was probably the first Sushi place I ever went to. EVER. It also remains on the top to this day. I mean seriously. The first time I went I got some Tempura chicken not ever having had it before. It was amazing to me. I ordered some green tea and I dare say I have not had Green tea like that anywhere else. It had a special sort of smoky flavor to the tea. Somehow to me it tasted like green tea should taste. When I started going they had not added the full bar and Japanese Steak house to it yet. My face got familiar and I started stepping up my game. I took the build of trying the California Rolls, then up-stepping to Chefs choice, the picking the things I liked specifically and then I learned the Secret of Sushi - Ask the sushi chef to "Make whatever you want." That is where the magic happens! I do this at Sakana near where I love now too. When you ask the chef to make something it awakens his whole creative process. Of course the best time to do this is when it's not busy. If you like sushi, and you do this, and you do it in the right places Like Sagano - you will be very pleased with the result of those magic words. The Sushi here was Always Great every time I had it and even after having been to other Sushi places since I still think Sagano has some of the best. You automatically get Miso Soup and Salad when you order and I usually got the Ginger-Sesamie dressing which was quite delectable - this is coming from a guy who doesn't really dig on salads too often so If I like it... I always had good service. It was cool to go there when they first opened and watch it go from not that busy and just one side to busy as heck with an added wing of a Japanese Steakhouse and Full Bar. I miss this place. It actually gets to have a restaurant spot in my heart. That's RARE. I'm gonna go cry now. Enjoi
(5)Paul W.
When Sagano first opened, it was one of my favorite restaurants and I kept going back because I hoped for more of the excellent service/food. On recent trips I've had bad service waiting over 50 minutes for my appetizer to come out of the kitchen. When we finally received our Sushi the rolls were falling apart and malformed. (The long wait/badly assembled rolls has been going on over the last 6 months) Absolutely horrible presentation. And when paying $12 for 1 sushi roll, I expect the damn thing to stay together. The taste of the food was good, which is why I'm giving it a 2 star versus a 1. I complained to the manager (owner?), a small asian woman who gives off the impression that she hates customers. She shrugged and walked away. Apparently the complaints of a several year customer are of no concern to her, as the hibachi side is constantly packed with noobs who want shrimp tossed in the air at them like the sea life they resemble. There are other competing Sushi/hibachi restaurants in the area which have almost identical food/prices but their standards are higher. That's where I've been going, even though its about 10 miles farther.
(2)Josie L.
Last night I made my second trip to Sagano to celebrate a friend's birthday. Let me start with the good! The food was great. The portions were more than fair and the price was typical for a Japanese steak house. Our chef was on the top of his game and really played to us. He made sure to focus on our birthday girl and we all really enjoyed the entertainment. I'd say he was by far the highlight of the eve. Now for the not so good..we had reservations at 5:45, however, we did not get seating until close to 6:30. The restaurant was not crowded, it appeared they were short of cooks. Checking out proved to be a nightmare too. We had a party of 8 and 4 different tabs, and it seems they confused each of them. So it literally took over an hour to figure this out. It was not pretty, thankfully the food was tasty!
(3)Anthony N.
The best and only place in the Flint area for Japanese style food! The Chicken and Shrimp is the bomb. Very similar to Bennihana, but you dont have to drive far out if you are in Genesee Country.
(5)Amy H.
very good, and fun too. I would like another choice other than the garlic butter on everything they cook on the grill side though. You can also get extra noodles which we love. We have not tried the sushi yet because we always want to go to the grill side. I lived in San Francisco, and haven't had good sushi in Michigan, other than a little place called Noble Fish in Clawson. The pictures of Saganos sushi look promising though. Maybe next time!!!;)
(4)Jeni B.
I was a little surprised when this restaurant opened in Flint. I just didn't think that there would be a huge market for it. It's a little on the pricey side, and let's face it, sooo many people here can't get past coney dogs and halo burger (it's a flint thing). But--people love this place! myself included! As I said, it's a little pricey, but the food, service and bar make it worth it. It's a very nice addition to the city and I think gives people options when they make the dreaded trip into Flint (I'm being sarcastic here) from their quiet homes outside of the city. More places like this will help to bring Flint back. It's not as good as Benihana, but very close and almost identical atmosphere.
(4)Brooke B.
I believe this is the ONLY Japanese restaurant in Flint. Thankfully, it's great! The food is fresh and the staff is very friendly. Gotta come check it out
(4)Papa W.
Always good food. Fresh rolls are the best. Time your dinner prior to 6:00 or you will wait for a table.
(4)Bess R.
Not a bad Japanese Steakhouse. Servers were great, wait time (with a reservation) wasn't great on a Saturday night. It was nice to see a busy business in the Flint area though... We really enjoyed our server - he did all the standard tricks and was cracking jokes. The salad and soup served before dinner were both delish. I had the filet and scallops dinner. Filet was quite good, scallops were a little grainy and overcooked. No problem making my husband's dish w/out soy sauce for his wheat allergy. Overall, not bad for Flint!
(3)lisa b.
really quite amazing sushi consider its in MI! LOVED IT!
(5)Jen D.
My absolute favorite place to eat! Love the sushi, love the hibachi, love everything!
(5)Stacy H.
Japanese Steakhouses are, by far, my favorite places to eat. EVER. I think they put something in the Yum Yum sauce that makes the guests addicted! On a more serious note, Sagano's is the place to go for nearly any occasion. From the amazing/friendly staff to the casual feeling atmosphere, any diner can have a good time here. The food is superb! (Even though I nearly drown everything in yum yum). I don't think I have had anything at this restaurant that I haven't liked. The 'chef entertainment' is usually pretty entertaining, funny, and includes a lot of audience participation. Every once in a while, a chef will be a little less involved, and seem a little melancholy for the job, but everyone has those days occasionally. To me, this place is priced just right. A lot of people say it is super expensive, but think about how much food you actually get, and it seems very reasonable. You may disagree, but this is my favorite restaurant in Flint.
(5)Ronnie L.
Don't think I'm just some guy giving out 5s to everyone. The best places are the most memorable and believe me - my 5s don't come easy. I just like to remember the good things first. Right now I'm taking a trip down memory lane. This was probably the first Sushi place I ever went to. EVER. It also remains on the top to this day. I mean seriously. The first time I went I got some Tempura chicken not ever having had it before. It was amazing to me. I ordered some green tea and I dare say I have not had Green tea like that anywhere else. It had a special sort of smoky flavor to the tea. Somehow to me it tasted like green tea should taste. When I started going they had not added the full bar and Japanese Steak house to it yet. My face got familiar and I started stepping up my game. I took the build of trying the California Rolls, then up-stepping to Chefs choice, the picking the things I liked specifically and then I learned the Secret of Sushi - Ask the sushi chef to "Make whatever you want." That is where the magic happens! I do this at Sakana near where I love now too. When you ask the chef to make something it awakens his whole creative process. Of course the best time to do this is when it's not busy. If you like sushi, and you do this, and you do it in the right places Like Sagano - you will be very pleased with the result of those magic words. The Sushi here was Always Great every time I had it and even after having been to other Sushi places since I still think Sagano has some of the best. You automatically get Miso Soup and Salad when you order and I usually got the Ginger-Sesamie dressing which was quite delectable - this is coming from a guy who doesn't really dig on salads too often so If I like it... I always had good service. It was cool to go there when they first opened and watch it go from not that busy and just one side to busy as heck with an added wing of a Japanese Steakhouse and Full Bar. I miss this place. It actually gets to have a restaurant spot in my heart. That's RARE. I'm gonna go cry now. Enjoi
(5)Bud G.
First, this restaurant does not offer "take out" as advertised. They are simply liars. On two occasions, I was told on the phone they offer take out, and on two occasions upon arriving they then claimed they do not, and tried to hassle me into going inside to see their freak show. I left. The third time I was there, I decided to go on in. Rude staff. Sub-par quality food, high prices. I've eaten Japanese food before. Sorry, but this place just is not that good. I think it's got high reviews here, because the reviewers have not had any experiences with Japanese outside of Flint (where this place is your only option). The steak was definitely good. Not as good as it could have been, or for it's price, but probably the best steak you'll find here in Flint. The rice was low quality and bland, and the sauce was not that great. The salad was alright, but the dressing not very good. The chef's antics are annoying. Not everyone likes people banging things around them, twirling metal utensils just inches from their heads recklessly, or hurling hot chicken into their faces. I like to be relaxed before eating, not worrying about which eye I might lose, or if that's another shrimp tail they are flinging into my mouth for a laugh. Some people enjoy this, and that's good... I've been to enough Japanese places that the circus act is rather tired, and unwelcomed. Be prepared to be harassed to participate in their antics whether you want to or not. They do not take "no" for an answer, unless you are firm about it, and then you feel like you're a jerk, just for not wanting to catch scraps they flick at your face. The environment is dark, dreary and overcrowded. Chances are you will be squeezed into a spot with strangers who you do not want to talk to, and people seem to usually be smashed out of their minds in this place. I did not realize they even served alcohol here. If you do go, I suggest the Filet Mignon. You'll be overpaying for it, but it's good and they do grill it perfectly. If you are not big on the before dinner "entertainment", you can try going at a time when there will be less (and more sober) customers. They will not allow you to sit anywhere other than the crowded hibachi grills, unless you want sushi, which I have had no experience with there. The fact the staff lie about take out to try and trick people into getting stuck in the place at times they just want to get their food and leave, has left me somewhat bitter. That the food is ok, but not at all worth it's price, and the environment is horrible, has left me not interested in returning. Perhaps if they actually did offer take out, it would not be so bad.
(2)roxanne b.
I would give this place zero stars if that was an option. The service is not just bad; it is offensively horrible. There is a sign that says, "Wait to be seated," although there is no hostess. After waiting for a hostess who did not appear, my boyfriend and I took a seat at the sushi bar. Minutes later the owner ran up to us, literally screaming in front of other customers, "THE SIGN SAYS WAIT TO BE SEATED!!! YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO WAIT AT THE SIGN!!!!!!" The extra exclamation points represent the volume of her voice. After being verbally abused in front of the rest of the restaurant, my shocked boyfriend and I gathered our things and walked out. I have never experienced treatment like that in any restaurant. We were loyal customers, but the treatment we experienced erased any good feelings we had toward Sagano. Good food is not worth being belittled, yelled at, and humiliated. We will never go back. We'd rather drive 45 minutes to Ann Arbor the next time we want sushi. Sagano is that bad.
(1)Porter P.
My husband and I recently moved to the Flint area and were hoping the ONLY sushi in town would be OK. We went in to Sagano tonight and were immediately seated at the sushi bar. We had great service and the sushi was surprisingly great. We started with a spicy California roll, a Green River roll, a double crunchy roll, and a dynamite roll. These were yummy! While we were at the bar, we watched the sushi chef prepare a Home Depot roll and a From Russia with Love 007 roll. We had to order the Home Depot roll after seeing it: shrimp tempura, cream cheese, rice, topped with salmon, tempura flakes, a "yum yum" sauce and eel sauce. WOW. It was just outstanding! 5 rolls and 2 large sake was $59. We literally laughed out loud when the bill came, since we've had $100 sushi nights more times than we can remember. Well priced and great service! We look forward to a long relationship with Sagano! Also, just to refute Bud G's earlier comment... We observed sushi being made and placed in containers for take out. Perhaps they don't offer take-out for the hibachi side of the restaurant. Few Japanese steak houses that I have been to do.
(4)Laura B.
One of my favorite restaurants in the world! The food is delicious and the service is extremely entertaining!! From Russia with Love!!!!!
(5)Lisa W.
I really enjoy Sagano! It reminds me of Benihana, just because they cook it in front of you and do all the tricks with the food! I like to go for the atmosphere too. I really love the sushi side of the restaurant too! The sushi is good and the food they cook in front of you is great too! They have a full bar also!
(4)Glenn F.
I finally visited the other (non-sushi-bar) side of the restaurant. I've been to other Japanese grills before and this one was very good. They have well-trained chefs there who managed to enthrall the entire group I had with me. My food was perfectly cooked and seasoned to perfection. You can order sushi too, so you can get the best of both worlds: dinner and a show!
(5)Scott B.
Sagano Japanese Bistro is a great place for any occasion. The food is healthy and delicious. My favorite is the steak and shrimp or the shrimp and lobster. I also would rate the cleanliness and staff very highly as well. The chefs are very entertaining. I highly recommend this place to all my friends.
(5)roxanne b.
I would give this place zero stars if that was an option. The service is not just bad; it is offensively horrible. There is a sign that says, "Wait to be seated," although there is no hostess. After waiting for a hostess who did not appear, my boyfriend and I took a seat at the sushi bar. Minutes later the owner ran up to us, literally screaming in front of other customers, "THE SIGN SAYS WAIT TO BE SEATED!!! YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO WAIT AT THE SIGN!!!!!!" The extra exclamation points represent the volume of her voice. After being verbally abused in front of the rest of the restaurant, my shocked boyfriend and I gathered our things and walked out. I have never experienced treatment like that in any restaurant. We were loyal customers, but the treatment we experienced erased any good feelings we had toward Sagano. Good food is not worth being belittled, yelled at, and humiliated. We will never go back. We'd rather drive 45 minutes to Ann Arbor the next time we want sushi. Sagano is that bad.
(1)Zeynep S.
The food here is consistent which is why there are any stars at all in my rating but the service and management are dismal. We walked in a Saturday for lunch when the restaurant was about half full. We ordered sushi for the grown ups and hibachi meals for the kids. The adults were done and the kids were still waiting for their food 30 minutes later. We waited another 20 minutes after we pointed this out and were very rudely told that they had take out orders to deal with. The waitress was rude from the beginning--very curt and short with us and got part of our order wrong, which we did not point out so as not to be the target of any more of her wrath. The owner manager did absolutely nothing help the situation. Flint is a bit of a wasteland in terms of good restaurants so I doubt this review will be helpful in fixing their service but I certainly won't be going back anytime soon.
(3)Karin T.
We frequent this place at least once a month and have NEVER had a bad experience. We typically eat on the sushi bar side, but have ventured over to the steak house for a birthday or other special occasion. The sushi is SUPERB! We have tried other places that have been sub-par compared to here. Their Bento is wonderful with a nice variety of sushi, tempura, miso, salad, gyoza etc. and your choice of chicken, steak or salmon. The owners are weird, but the staff is very friendly and accommodating.
(5)Porter P.
My husband and I recently moved to the Flint area and were hoping the ONLY sushi in town would be OK. We went in to Sagano tonight and were immediately seated at the sushi bar. We had great service and the sushi was surprisingly great. We started with a spicy California roll, a Green River roll, a double crunchy roll, and a dynamite roll. These were yummy! While we were at the bar, we watched the sushi chef prepare a Home Depot roll and a From Russia with Love 007 roll. We had to order the Home Depot roll after seeing it: shrimp tempura, cream cheese, rice, topped with salmon, tempura flakes, a "yum yum" sauce and eel sauce. WOW. It was just outstanding! 5 rolls and 2 large sake was $59. We literally laughed out loud when the bill came, since we've had $100 sushi nights more times than we can remember. Well priced and great service! We look forward to a long relationship with Sagano! Also, just to refute Bud G's earlier comment... We observed sushi being made and placed in containers for take out. Perhaps they don't offer take-out for the hibachi side of the restaurant. Few Japanese steak houses that I have been to do.
(4)Laura B.
One of my favorite restaurants in the world! The food is delicious and the service is extremely entertaining!! From Russia with Love!!!!!
(5)Lisa W.
I really enjoy Sagano! It reminds me of Benihana, just because they cook it in front of you and do all the tricks with the food! I like to go for the atmosphere too. I really love the sushi side of the restaurant too! The sushi is good and the food they cook in front of you is great too! They have a full bar also!
(4)Glenn F.
I finally visited the other (non-sushi-bar) side of the restaurant. I've been to other Japanese grills before and this one was very good. They have well-trained chefs there who managed to enthrall the entire group I had with me. My food was perfectly cooked and seasoned to perfection. You can order sushi too, so you can get the best of both worlds: dinner and a show!
(5)Scott B.
Sagano Japanese Bistro is a great place for any occasion. The food is healthy and delicious. My favorite is the steak and shrimp or the shrimp and lobster. I also would rate the cleanliness and staff very highly as well. The chefs are very entertaining. I highly recommend this place to all my friends.
(5)Jen D.
My absolute favorite place to eat! Love the sushi, love the hibachi, love everything!
(5)Dan L.
This is the best Japanese food in Flint. It is also the only Japanese food in Flint. I can't give it five stare because I used to live in Tokyo, but this place is pretty darn good. The sushi is as fresh as you can hope for 1000 miles from the nearest ocean. The teppanyaki (hibachi grill) cuisine is very good, but I think the traditional Japanese dishes are better. The chefs are entertaining, and are great with kids. Lunch is a great time to go. Dinner can be quite busy. They have a great selection of Japanese beer and soft drinks.
(4)Adam P.
As a business traveler there are two things that make my day. One is great food and the second is great service! Sagano completes both of those! I just finished a long day of work and was not in the best of moods but it didn't take me long to start cheering up! I have to admit the staff at first was a bit confused that I wanted to sit at the bar and maybe eat sushi or something grilled (as apposed to sitting at the sushi bar or waiting on a table in front a the grill)... but after we got over that the dinner was pimp status! The two bartenders were more than enjoyable to spend dinner with. The steak and chicken and fried rice was the best ever!! Be sure to ask for extra yum yum sauce (aka liquid crack) I will be back to try the sushi as well but it will be hard to pass up the steak and chicken... If you are looking for a Japanese style restaurant, you will not find one better than this one!
(5)Dan L.
This is the best Japanese food in Flint. It is also the only Japanese food in Flint. I can't give it five stare because I used to live in Tokyo, but this place is pretty darn good. The sushi is as fresh as you can hope for 1000 miles from the nearest ocean. The teppanyaki (hibachi grill) cuisine is very good, but I think the traditional Japanese dishes are better. The chefs are entertaining, and are great with kids. Lunch is a great time to go. Dinner can be quite busy. They have a great selection of Japanese beer and soft drinks.
(4)Karin T.
We frequent this place at least once a month and have NEVER had a bad experience. We typically eat on the sushi bar side, but have ventured over to the steak house for a birthday or other special occasion. The sushi is SUPERB! We have tried other places that have been sub-par compared to here. Their Bento is wonderful with a nice variety of sushi, tempura, miso, salad, gyoza etc. and your choice of chicken, steak or salmon. The owners are weird, but the staff is very friendly and accommodating.
(5)Adam P.
As a business traveler there are two things that make my day. One is great food and the second is great service! Sagano completes both of those! I just finished a long day of work and was not in the best of moods but it didn't take me long to start cheering up! I have to admit the staff at first was a bit confused that I wanted to sit at the bar and maybe eat sushi or something grilled (as apposed to sitting at the sushi bar or waiting on a table in front a the grill)... but after we got over that the dinner was pimp status! The two bartenders were more than enjoyable to spend dinner with. The steak and chicken and fried rice was the best ever!! Be sure to ask for extra yum yum sauce (aka liquid crack) I will be back to try the sushi as well but it will be hard to pass up the steak and chicken... If you are looking for a Japanese style restaurant, you will not find one better than this one!
(5)Nichole B.
Awesome food and show from the cook. Definitely expensive but well worth the money. Will go back for another special occasion
(5)Aaron Y.
Serves some of the best sushi I've ever had. Consistent and high quality sushi. The downside relative to all the other sushi restaurants I've been to is menu diversify, but in this region of the world the variety offered by Saganos is exceptional. The other side, the hibachi grill portion of the restaurant, is equally if not more outstanding. While I only ever order the chicken and steak dinner, it is the best hibachi I've had. The meats used are of the utmost quality and all the food is fantastically prepared. The chefs are caught up on the latest tricks which leads to them being very entertaining. Bottom line, if you're looking for a fine Japanese meal while in the Flint area look no further than Saganos Japanese Bistro.
(5)Mariah G.
The whole experience is amazing. Expect to wait an hour or more for a seat on busy days, but do not fret - their waiting area is also a fully stocked bar! Time spent waiting flies by with a drink or two and great company. My boyfriend and I almost always order the Emperor's Deluxe, which is advertised as dinner for two and runs about $60 or so. This may seem expensive at first glance, but it's insanely worth it. It comes with the standard salad, soup, and shrimp appetizer that comes with all hibachi meals, plus the sauces of course (ALWAYS go double Yum Yum, you'll need it!). But this meal also comes with rice, noodles, vegetables, lobster, scallops, jumbo shrimp, filet mignon, and chicken. Probably other things I'm forgetting as well. It's a marathon of deliciousness and well worth the price. The sushi here is awesome, and while I've only been for dinner, I hear they have great specials for lunch on both sushi and hibachi meals! Children and older people alike will have fun at this place. It's wonderful for groups or for a date night with your sweetie!
(5)Jim A.
I have eaten here many times, always on the sushi side, but last time the service was just lousy, no attention to refills, not pleasant, and not friendly... Maybe she was having an off night... But it showed!
(2)Melissa B.
I was not happy. I waited 20 min to be seated, with a group of 3 before us. They do not take reservations but a group of 11 walked in and they seated them before any of us. They had only half the place open for lunch and had no room for anybody! Very unhappy!!!!! Not ever going there or recommending to anybody. If I could I would give zero stars.
(1)Scott B.
The only place I go and have little to no self control. I love all the food fried rice, vegetables, soup, chicken, salad, noodles. All great tasting. We have to wait sometimes but that is to be expected with the food and service being so good
(4)Nichole R.
What an awesome atmosphere. My husband and I dined there for the first time last night. We sat in the Hibachi side of the Bistro. Our chef was hilarious, and our waitress was right on top of things. I ordered hibachi shrimp, and it was grilled to perfection. As was my husband's steak. It was also affordable. In fact, it was cheaper than eating at BenniHanna's and the service/food was a great deal better.
(5)Mark L.
I usually get take-out since they're super crazy busy but did sit at the sushi bar a few times and the sushi chefs were always very nice. I've tried a wide variety of their sushi and was never disappointed along with some of their appetizers. I work in the Metro Detroit area and have yet to find sushi on par. I've waited for take-out a few times and witnessed rude staff and customers, but I'm guessing that's due to the insane wait time since it has always been slammed when I've picked up take-out; just don't expect to be seated within 5 minutes but that goes for any restaurant with this much traffic. Oh and try their hot teas, very tasty green tea!
(5)Panagiota Z.
This is my second time here. The first time I went for dinner and had a great experience. Now- as for my second time goes.. Let's just say I was very disappointed. I live in Canton (about 1 hour or so away) and planned to meet up with a friend for dinner here. We met up at 230pm (not realizing they closed between shifts). Our food was delicious! We had the chicken and steak hibachi, I also ordered some Flint sushi rolls and spicy tuna rolls and of course a Long Beach drink. Midway into eating our food we noticed that customers started leaving and then all the lights started shutting off. We asked a waitress if the restaurant was closed and she explained how they closed for about an hour to get ready for dinner shift. We asked her if we had to leave and she said no, we were okay to finish our drinks. About 10 minutes later the owner comes and rudely yells at us that we have to leave because they have to clean up our area. (MIND YOU- there were only 2 of us- we had no mess and all we had left were our drinks). We gulped down our liquor and she practically kicked us out. The RUDEST person (let alone owner) I've ever met in my life. Next time I'll go spend my $45 lunch somewhere else.
(1)Felicia C.
Would give Sagano 5 stars because their food is AMAZING.. but the staff here are absolute nightmares. I feel like they're all stuck up and act better than everyone else every time I'm in here.. wow, you work at a "fancy Japanese steak house" NEWS FLASH YOU'RE STILL IN FLINT- so bring the attitude down about 7 notches. It's hard to enjoy a restaurant with such uppity-rude staff members. I've started just getting the hibachi noodles to go- that way I don't have to deal with the workers too much. So overall- great food; awful workers. GET IT TO GO!!!
(4)Angelica S.
For my boyfriend's birthday celebration, I was an amazing girlfriend and decided to take him to get EXACTLY what he asks for every date night...hibachi. I LOVE hibachi AND sushi but the bf doesn't...at all. To each their own although I always try every time to get him to try it. Anyway, we go there with his sister and husband fairly early like at 5ish I wanna say. She told me that you always have to wait for about an hour sometimes. She also told me you can't make reservations for hibachi unless it's for groups of 10. That makes sense and it didn't bother me. Sometimes I don't mind waiting as long as I can sit and drink, which is exactly what I did. We didn't wait very long about 15 minutes and sat down and the other parties of the table joined. I got the Spider roll. Delish by the way. The food, the chef. All awesome! Service was pretty good too. It will cost a pretty penny after you will leave if you splurge which is exactly we did. There were some things there that we way more expensive than the one I frequent.
(4)Alissa A.
I've been to many hibachi restaurants and this one takes the cake. I love the sushi. If you haven't tried your favorite roll (mine is the Hawaiian) as a hand roll, this is the place to do it! The sushi chefs are always friendly and quick. They do close down in the middle of the day but once you know this, plan around it people! Everything is always fresh and I've never had anything to complain about. When you sit on the hibachi side, it's like getting dinner and a show. The chefs are always hilarious and in good spirits. Hit here for lunch (11:30-2:30) for a cheaper lunch too. The staff and owners are always accommodating and professional too. A must try in the Flint area
(5)Chloe K.
I really enjoy the food here. I generally come for lunch when it is the cheapest. Dinner is nice too if you want to pay double for about the same amount of food that you can get for lunch. I like that they cook in front of you and the staff is pretty good too. When they are busy they are slow but it comes with the territory of the restaurant. I always get sushi here and I really enjoy how it tastes! The female owner is kind of rude to customers. If she was nicer I think that the experience would be so much better especially for someone that is regular like myself. This place is great for groups too :)
(4)Chris E.
This is probably my favorite restuarant. I've had a lot of different Hibachi but none as good as Sagano. The noodles, the rice, the mixed vegetables - it's just perfect. It might not be a great idea to try to get in on a Friday or Saturday night - it can get very congested - but there's a good reason for that. It's also a pricey dinner, however it's right in line with almost any Hibachi restaurant you'll find. I actually found that it was not only better, but cheaper than Benihana. The service is far from just service - it's entertainment! Definitely eat here if you're looking for a premium experience in either Flint or Brighton.
(5)Daron D.
Came here because my lady and her family love this place. I personally think that once you been to one of theses type places, you have been to them all. The one difference between saigano and other places is that they give you noodles and rice with your meal, however to me it just seem like smaller portions. With that said, it is just as good, and there yum yum sauce is a must try ( for my meal I had the chicken and filet migeon and it was really good to where I finished my meal rite there). They have a bar (not a real big bar) and people really love their sushi. Overall, I probably prefer Benihana, but this is a good substitute and a place that is it own.
(4)Dana S.
I've seen quite a few poor reviews on here - due to the service. The food here is always good, and that is why I'm leaving a 5 here. The front of the house has been shoddy for as long as I can remember, but the food is why we will keep coming back
(5)Bri S.
Really good food. Great portions. I've head better from Japanese Steakhouses, though. I don't like the whole sitting with people you don't know or the chefs interacting with you, but what can I say... I'm an anti-social hermit.
(4)Tara L.
Unaju (broiled eel rice bowl) was decent, but strange with too much pepper over the fish. At least it wasn't drenched in sauce and rice. For the $15.95 price tag, I felt the portion was small. We also tried their Spicy Tuna roll and Sagano Roll. Spicy Tuna ($5.50) was a bit off, as the tuna pieces were not mashed very evenly. What was worst was that they used an overwhelming amount of spicy mayo that made it too salty (if that's even possible?) and made the consistency funky. However, the highlight of the night was the Sagano Roll. Priced at $10.95 for 5 pieces, it is a bit on the pricey side, but at least each piece was the right size. The balance in asparagus, salmon, yellowtail, cream cheese and white fish was good. Over the top of it was a light drizzle of Kewpie mayo and a few tempura flakes. We really enjoyed this one a lot, and would recommend ordering this one. Salad with ginger dressing was refreshing and cool, and thankfully, not watery. Miso soup was also not salty and piping hot. Considering that we came here about 45 minutes to closing, the food quality was good, and loved the fact that everything that was meant to be served cool was just that, and same with the hot miso soup. Come here once in a while, and you will be happy! Anything more, and it will get old pretty quickly.
(3)Lisa S.
So, after you've been here a handful of times for the hibachi, you start to pay less attention to the flaming onion and flying shrimp and focus more on the food. Which, sadly, has gotten saltier and saltier upon each of my visits. This may just be a preference thing, but I have definitely noticed that I really don't enjoy the hibachi food at all anymore. The fried rice seems doused in soy sauce, and the noodles aren't much better. Meat/scallops are pretty decent, but I'd like more than decent for that price tag. Still awarding 4 stars, though, because the sushi here has yet to disappoint (the Yummy Yummy roll comes to mind as being particularly tasty). And, after having some really sub par rolls at Ichiban, it's really the only option in the area for sushi & roll cuisine.
(4)Melissa S.
I'm a Michigan Native that moved to the South. I absolutely love Sagano's!! Everything is cooked perfectly and is so flavorful even without their sauces. Although I always cover my food in their amazing Yum Yum Sauce! I could eat that by the spoonful. :-P This is definitely one of the top places I miss most. I cannot wait until my next trip home! I need my hibachi shrimp fix with extra noodles!! :)
(5)Valarie F.
This review is only in reference to the sushi at Sagano's; I have not had the hibachi (although to all the people complaining about the chef's antics - isn't the part of hibachi supposed to be that entertainment factor?). In regards to the sushi, I have to wonder about all the 5 star ratings. It makes me think most of the people haven't had much experience with sushi. Sagano wasn't that great. The speciality rolls were okay but not great and were cut in HUGE bites. And the waitress brought carry out boxes 5 minutes after we got our food! I'll probably just continue making sushi an occasional thing when I'm out of town.
(3)Mary P.
I am actually sitting in Sagano right now and felt compelled to write this review. I came for lunch with my grandmother and the food is pretty good and affordable. I had the shrimp hibachi special and she had the scallops. It comes with salad, vegetables, rice and noodles for a pretty good price. The service, however, is a completely different story. We were actually asked to leave (in a very rude tone of voice) before we were even done eating! We sat down for lunch at 2:10, and forced to leave at 3:10 with no warning. The owner of the place actually turned off all the lights, jingled her keys in my face and cleared our not-quite-finished plates. I have worked in restaurants for years and have never heard of a restaurant closing mid-day, nonetheless rushing customers out the door. I will not be back.
(1)Christine S.
A fun-filled night in Flint. The waiter was dumb as rocks but super nice at the same time..he had no clue. Sapporo, saki, shrimp habachi..my 3 favorite s's. The soup and salad were delicious and the shrimp, rice, and veggies were great and soooo filling. I was happy as a clam and had to be rolled out of there with my pants unbuttoned. So f'ing good!
(4)Jeremy R.
Went here for the first time last night. I have been to other hibachi places, but none quite compare to this. You get dinner and show over in the dining room. The food was good, a little salty for my liking, but it tasted fine. The chef did a great job and the waitress and waiter kept the refills coming. We really enjoyed this place. It was a little expensive, but worth it because of the good food and service.
(4)Keri S.
I have been here several times. I make it a point to eat here every time I come into town. The hibachi is wonderful and a great price for how much food you get. I tried their California roll as an appetizer this time and it was excellent! Thank you for never letting me down and always keeping me wanting more when I visit!
(5)Lindsey B.
Sagano is probably my favorite restaurant in the city. The service is usually top notch, the food is fresh and delicious, and I love sitting at the bar and watching the sushi chefs work. I've only eaten on the hibachi side once, and it was delicious, but I usually prefer sushi if I'm going there. They are very accomodating with special orders. Sushi is where it's at, in my opinion. The From Russia With Love is probably my favorite, followed by the spider roll. The sushi side comes with miso soup, but you can get clear soup if you ask. Salads come with ginger or sesame dressing. I've tried a few of the desserts, and I didn't care for any of them. Deep fried cheesecake, not so good, and I can't remember the name of the other one, but it was like, rice covered ice cream, or something, they were just gooey and unflavorful. Still rates 5 stars in my book, though.
(5)Rachel S.
I may be a little bit biased as I'm not the biggest fan of seafood but I did enjoy my experience. Bartender suggested a bottle of sake; I was apprehensive but it was delicious and $9 can get you WASTED. Chef was very nice and comforted the crying child that was afraid of the fire. Everything was super fresh and delicious. This place may have changed my dislike of sushi!
(3)Noah W.
This is a very good place I like it how you can have the cooks book right in front of you, it is well worth the price!
(5)Adam L.
I can only talk about the sushi side of things because the hibachi part isn't my thing but man do they have good stuff. Hands down the best place around if you want good sushi. If you're a seasoned sushi pro it might not seem like anything to write home about it for something different then the miller road crap this place is a breath of fresh air. My only complaint is the staff seems like they hate their lives. I've probably been here at least 50 times and never gotten the vibe that they want to be there at all, I can only assume this is because of management.
(4)Lafe S.
Outside: Strip mall and unassuming Inside: Loud and very plan Service: Entertainment based mostly good wait staff and luck of the draw on the chief Food: Hibachi grill, everything tasted fresh Cost: A little on the high side to pay for the extras Overall a good experience. Looked as though it could have gotten off to a bad start, but they recovered. The food did taste fresh, and cooked to order but over temperature. We had an assortment of food form lobster to chicken. We would eat any of their food. We will go back but would not make it a habit. The only thing that made it less than a 5 was the timing. Seems as though they know how to turn tables but not how to plan.
(4)Ciara B.
I've eaten here at least 8 times on the sushi side and it is ALWAYS awesome.. regardless of time or day. I've taken my mom and grandma who don't eat seafood and they loved it too. A few recommendations: Caribbean Fantasy appetizer, Hawaiian Roll, Shrimp Dumplings and any chef's choice nigiri. The staff is super friendly and even special ordered some of those iron soup bowls for my grandma who wanted two for her house. I can't say enough good things, this place is a gem in downtown Flint, and always my go-to for good sushi in the area.
(5)Joe P.
Hibachi side - Always have had a good experience here. Food is always great, service is quick and helpful. I've been here about 10 times, the only negative thing that I've found is that sometimes the chefs don't seem really want to be into cooking at times. I can't say that I really blame them though. Cooking the same thing for a bunch of round eyes hours at a time can become dull pretty quickly I imagine. Sushi - I'm new to sushi, but everything I've tried here has been really good. Friends that really enjoy sushi seem to prefer this place to any other in the area. Highly recommended.
(5)Gail L.
RIDICULOUS! After not seeing my Best Friends in years, they picked this place for my Birthday and Anniversary. We were there around Five O'Clock on a Sunday Evening, 7/22/12. We walked right in,and did not have a wait. We were rushed to make our order, the Hibachi "show" was not impressive at all. The soup was very good, Shrimp was tasty. Everything else was just just.... nothing special, especially for the price. My friend ordered the Birthday Surprise for me. I believe she had to pay $7.95 EXTRA! No sooner did they finish the Hibachi, and served us our food they came out with the Birthday Surprise, Tempura fried bananas and ice cream. They took a picture, but the Chef put bunny ears over my Wife. I have a sense of humor but it was unnecessary for a nice pic. Right after the Birthday Surprise they served us our to go boxes. Seriously!!! Here is the flash order of the night.... SIT! ORDER! COOK! FOOD! BIRTHDAY SURPRISE! SAY CHEESE! TO GO BOXES! I finally had to say to the guy look we have just started eating. He left them there. A few moments later, another person came to ask if we wanted them, or needed more. I was a little more firm this time. When we did stand up BAM they grabbed our dishes.... Not enjoyable, ridiculously rushed, Pricey, Use your money somewhere else. I don't live around there so I can't tell you where. My Friend called the Manager the next day and really didn't get any satisfaction. Why would you want to go back to a terrible place.
(1)H K.
Discusting the amount if butter they put in the hibachi, and noddles, really yuck more carbs on top of the rice for all the fat people who likes to eat there. Then there is the sushi and the sushi rolls, I was told it was good sushi before going from a lot if the people that lives here. I thought it was just aweful, but I guess why people don't know better or haven't had better then that's all they know and think that's good sushi. 99 of their rolls have cream cheese, REALLY! Disgusting and they call that good sushi
(1)Meghan T.
I love eating here. Its very delicious. Its a treat. One of my favorites. Go here for lunch! Much cheaper
(5)Tony S.
My first review was completed while sitting in the restaurant -- and thus, extremely short. Sagano is an excellent restaurant -- the best Hibachi in the county. However, if you go during peak hours, expect to wait 30 - 45 minutes for a table. The food is excellent, the quality of the ingredients is excellent, and they are able to cook it to be very satisfying. Their staff is very nice, very friendly. Additionally, the experience is consistently good -- I have been there 10+ times, and each time, I have had no complaints. Keep up the good work, guys!
(5)Mhalexa A.
Excellent Sushi! One of my favorite places to spoil myself! I prefer to sit in the sushi area for a quieter meal with friends but the Hibachi side is also great for lively parties!
(5)Matthew S.
Best sushi I ever had. I am normally pretty boring with my sushi selections, I was adventurous today, they know what they are doing here. I tried their barbecue eel and Hawaiian rolls which were excellent! I'm am out of towner, but will be back if I'm ever in the area again!
(5)Crystal P.
To find good sushi in flint is one-in-a-million. Fortunately, this restaurant called Sagano's entices my taste buds with their fresh seafood selection and original rolls. I definitely encourage people to try their Yummy Yummy rolls. It's definitely yummy :) If you're not the mood for fresh fish or seafood, they have a nice hibachi grill where you can choose anything from chicken to filet mignon. Their noodles are the best. And if you want entertainment, the grillers are entertaining and engaging and not overly corny. If you like Japanese cuisine, I definitely suggest giving Sagano's a try.
(5)Ann C.
I miss very few things about living in Flint, but Sagano is one of them. I joke about the Flint Rolls being filled with shrapnel and bullets, but only because I don't want anyone eating mine. I can blame that school term that I was so broke that I had to sell all of my textbooks back in order to afford the train ride home on too many trips to Sagano. Whenever I'm in Flint it's tough to decide what to eat (spider rolls and Flint rolls, or the sukiyaki?), but never where to go.
(4)Kristen B.
I went here for dinner with my boyfriend, my mom, and my mom's boyfriend. We sat on the sushi side of the restaurant since that's what we wanted to eat -- although next time I am very tempted to try the Japanese steakhouse side (looks like it would be a lot of fun with a fairly large group of people). The salad with the peanut vinaigrette dressing is AWESOME -- I liked it a lot better than the usual ginger dressing (which I've found to be very hit or miss depending on the restaurant). The miso soup was also good, not too salty which is always appreciated. We ordered a variety of rolls and they were all very good. The service was very good as well. My mom had some sweet plum wine that was delicious, very sweet! I will definitely come back to this restaurant next time I am in town visiting my family.
(5)Erin N.
Saganos is the first place I've ever tried sushi, and since have been trying as many other places as I can find, and nothing else compares. Saganos sushi prices can't be beaten (anywhere I have been, at least) and neither can the taste. I much prefer Saganos over Benihana ANY day. If you are going to eat the hibachi, go during lunch time, where you will get the same amount of food for half of the money. Sushi prices do not change between lunch and dinner. My favorites are the green river, hawaiian and rainbow rolls.
(5)Bess R.
Not a bad Japanese Steakhouse. Servers were great, wait time (with a reservation) wasn't great on a Saturday night. It was nice to see a busy business in the Flint area though... We really enjoyed our server - he did all the standard tricks and was cracking jokes. The salad and soup served before dinner were both delish. I had the filet and scallops dinner. Filet was quite good, scallops were a little grainy and overcooked. No problem making my husband's dish w/out soy sauce for his wheat allergy. Overall, not bad for Flint!
(3)lisa b.
really quite amazing sushi consider its in MI! LOVED IT!
(5)Robert C.
I hate to give this place a less-than-awesome review, but I have been here a few times and the first was a pretty horribly mediocre experience. I went with two other people, I ordered chicken teriyaki. Our waiter was a young man, who seemed nice enough. 40 min. went by and no food. Shortly thereafter, my friends' food arrived, but not mine. We asked if my order was in the system, and he said yes it should be coming out shortly. Another half-hour later, my food arrives and it is very cold. I ask him if he wouldn't mind warming it up a bit, he does, and it is acceptable. I then proceed to eat WAY after my friends have finished, a good hour and a half after we walked in. Not really sure what happened there, but it was a pretty mediocre experience, especially since the food is certainly not cheap for college students. I have been there other times since with different servers and there has not been an issue, which has averaged out my opinion of them somewhat. The atmosphere is very very nice - but still not in a hurry to spend my money there. Note - after posting this, I was contacted by James T. who said it would be passed on to the staff to ensure this doesn't happen again. Thumbs up! :)
(3)Jason A.
Service is not always the best. Food is usually good and price is reasonable.
(3)Monica D.
Great place for an evening's entertainment. The hibachi chefs are friendly and extremely talented. My only slight complaint is that the dinner menu features the same amount of food as the lunch but it is more than twice the price. The only trade-off with going in the afternoon is that you may have to sit for a while until your table fills up. Still, we've been here nearly a dozen times over the years and we've never not had a good time and delicious food.
(3)bob a.
Maybe I like this place so much because I'm great at catching the pieces of chicken in my mouth that the chef flings my way, but I think there is something more here. I've always been a fan of the Japanese Steakhouses. The food here is great and the chefs are entertaining. I typically get steak and shrimp, and I usually get the fillet because it really is worth the extra $$$. I'd say this has to be the best place in Flint for sushi too. Which is saying a lot since Flint is known for great sushi . . . I've tried probably half of the specialty rolls and they have all been great. They have a different section for their sushi bar, but I've always eaten in the steakhouse area. Overall it is a great place to go for an entertaining, fun night out. 'd say to leave the little kids at home if you want to really enjoy everything. Sometimes the loud noises and whooshing flames can scare them. You can't go wrong with their menu. Everything I have tried here has been great, servers are also very good, friendly. Nothing bad to say about this place. 5 stars for being one of the best Asian restaurants in the Flint area.
(5)Brooke B.
I believe this is the ONLY Japanese restaurant in Flint. Thankfully, it's great! The food is fresh and the staff is very friendly. Gotta come check it out
(4)Papa W.
Always good food. Fresh rolls are the best. Time your dinner prior to 6:00 or you will wait for a table.
(4)Stacy H.
Japanese Steakhouses are, by far, my favorite places to eat. EVER. I think they put something in the Yum Yum sauce that makes the guests addicted! On a more serious note, Sagano's is the place to go for nearly any occasion. From the amazing/friendly staff to the casual feeling atmosphere, any diner can have a good time here. The food is superb! (Even though I nearly drown everything in yum yum). I don't think I have had anything at this restaurant that I haven't liked. The 'chef entertainment' is usually pretty entertaining, funny, and includes a lot of audience participation. Every once in a while, a chef will be a little less involved, and seem a little melancholy for the job, but everyone has those days occasionally. To me, this place is priced just right. A lot of people say it is super expensive, but think about how much food you actually get, and it seems very reasonable. You may disagree, but this is my favorite restaurant in Flint.
(5)Josie L.
Last night I made my second trip to Sagano to celebrate a friend's birthday. Let me start with the good! The food was great. The portions were more than fair and the price was typical for a Japanese steak house. Our chef was on the top of his game and really played to us. He made sure to focus on our birthday girl and we all really enjoyed the entertainment. I'd say he was by far the highlight of the eve. Now for the not so good..we had reservations at 5:45, however, we did not get seating until close to 6:30. The restaurant was not crowded, it appeared they were short of cooks. Checking out proved to be a nightmare too. We had a party of 8 and 4 different tabs, and it seems they confused each of them. So it literally took over an hour to figure this out. It was not pretty, thankfully the food was tasty!
(3)Anthony N.
The best and only place in the Flint area for Japanese style food! The Chicken and Shrimp is the bomb. Very similar to Bennihana, but you dont have to drive far out if you are in Genesee Country.
(5)Amy H.
very good, and fun too. I would like another choice other than the garlic butter on everything they cook on the grill side though. You can also get extra noodles which we love. We have not tried the sushi yet because we always want to go to the grill side. I lived in San Francisco, and haven't had good sushi in Michigan, other than a little place called Noble Fish in Clawson. The pictures of Saganos sushi look promising though. Maybe next time!!!;)
(4)Jeni B.
I was a little surprised when this restaurant opened in Flint. I just didn't think that there would be a huge market for it. It's a little on the pricey side, and let's face it, sooo many people here can't get past coney dogs and halo burger (it's a flint thing). But--people love this place! myself included! As I said, it's a little pricey, but the food, service and bar make it worth it. It's a very nice addition to the city and I think gives people options when they make the dreaded trip into Flint (I'm being sarcastic here) from their quiet homes outside of the city. More places like this will help to bring Flint back. It's not as good as Benihana, but very close and almost identical atmosphere.
(4)Ronnie L.
Don't think I'm just some guy giving out 5s to everyone. The best places are the most memorable and believe me - my 5s don't come easy. I just like to remember the good things first. Right now I'm taking a trip down memory lane. This was probably the first Sushi place I ever went to. EVER. It also remains on the top to this day. I mean seriously. The first time I went I got some Tempura chicken not ever having had it before. It was amazing to me. I ordered some green tea and I dare say I have not had Green tea like that anywhere else. It had a special sort of smoky flavor to the tea. Somehow to me it tasted like green tea should taste. When I started going they had not added the full bar and Japanese Steak house to it yet. My face got familiar and I started stepping up my game. I took the build of trying the California Rolls, then up-stepping to Chefs choice, the picking the things I liked specifically and then I learned the Secret of Sushi - Ask the sushi chef to "Make whatever you want." That is where the magic happens! I do this at Sakana near where I love now too. When you ask the chef to make something it awakens his whole creative process. Of course the best time to do this is when it's not busy. If you like sushi, and you do this, and you do it in the right places Like Sagano - you will be very pleased with the result of those magic words. The Sushi here was Always Great every time I had it and even after having been to other Sushi places since I still think Sagano has some of the best. You automatically get Miso Soup and Salad when you order and I usually got the Ginger-Sesamie dressing which was quite delectable - this is coming from a guy who doesn't really dig on salads too often so If I like it... I always had good service. It was cool to go there when they first opened and watch it go from not that busy and just one side to busy as heck with an added wing of a Japanese Steakhouse and Full Bar. I miss this place. It actually gets to have a restaurant spot in my heart. That's RARE. I'm gonna go cry now. Enjoi
(5)Paul W.
When Sagano first opened, it was one of my favorite restaurants and I kept going back because I hoped for more of the excellent service/food. On recent trips I've had bad service waiting over 50 minutes for my appetizer to come out of the kitchen. When we finally received our Sushi the rolls were falling apart and malformed. (The long wait/badly assembled rolls has been going on over the last 6 months) Absolutely horrible presentation. And when paying $12 for 1 sushi roll, I expect the damn thing to stay together. The taste of the food was good, which is why I'm giving it a 2 star versus a 1. I complained to the manager (owner?), a small asian woman who gives off the impression that she hates customers. She shrugged and walked away. Apparently the complaints of a several year customer are of no concern to her, as the hibachi side is constantly packed with noobs who want shrimp tossed in the air at them like the sea life they resemble. There are other competing Sushi/hibachi restaurants in the area which have almost identical food/prices but their standards are higher. That's where I've been going, even though its about 10 miles farther.
(2)Bud G.
First, this restaurant does not offer "take out" as advertised. They are simply liars. On two occasions, I was told on the phone they offer take out, and on two occasions upon arriving they then claimed they do not, and tried to hassle me into going inside to see their freak show. I left. The third time I was there, I decided to go on in. Rude staff. Sub-par quality food, high prices. I've eaten Japanese food before. Sorry, but this place just is not that good. I think it's got high reviews here, because the reviewers have not had any experiences with Japanese outside of Flint (where this place is your only option). The steak was definitely good. Not as good as it could have been, or for it's price, but probably the best steak you'll find here in Flint. The rice was low quality and bland, and the sauce was not that great. The salad was alright, but the dressing not very good. The chef's antics are annoying. Not everyone likes people banging things around them, twirling metal utensils just inches from their heads recklessly, or hurling hot chicken into their faces. I like to be relaxed before eating, not worrying about which eye I might lose, or if that's another shrimp tail they are flinging into my mouth for a laugh. Some people enjoy this, and that's good... I've been to enough Japanese places that the circus act is rather tired, and unwelcomed. Be prepared to be harassed to participate in their antics whether you want to or not. They do not take "no" for an answer, unless you are firm about it, and then you feel like you're a jerk, just for not wanting to catch scraps they flick at your face. The environment is dark, dreary and overcrowded. Chances are you will be squeezed into a spot with strangers who you do not want to talk to, and people seem to usually be smashed out of their minds in this place. I did not realize they even served alcohol here. If you do go, I suggest the Filet Mignon. You'll be overpaying for it, but it's good and they do grill it perfectly. If you are not big on the before dinner "entertainment", you can try going at a time when there will be less (and more sober) customers. They will not allow you to sit anywhere other than the crowded hibachi grills, unless you want sushi, which I have had no experience with there. The fact the staff lie about take out to try and trick people into getting stuck in the place at times they just want to get their food and leave, has left me somewhat bitter. That the food is ok, but not at all worth it's price, and the environment is horrible, has left me not interested in returning. Perhaps if they actually did offer take out, it would not be so bad.
(2)roxanne b.
I would give this place zero stars if that was an option. The service is not just bad; it is offensively horrible. There is a sign that says, "Wait to be seated," although there is no hostess. After waiting for a hostess who did not appear, my boyfriend and I took a seat at the sushi bar. Minutes later the owner ran up to us, literally screaming in front of other customers, "THE SIGN SAYS WAIT TO BE SEATED!!! YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO WAIT AT THE SIGN!!!!!!" The extra exclamation points represent the volume of her voice. After being verbally abused in front of the rest of the restaurant, my shocked boyfriend and I gathered our things and walked out. I have never experienced treatment like that in any restaurant. We were loyal customers, but the treatment we experienced erased any good feelings we had toward Sagano. Good food is not worth being belittled, yelled at, and humiliated. We will never go back. We'd rather drive 45 minutes to Ann Arbor the next time we want sushi. Sagano is that bad.
(1)Zeynep S.
The food here is consistent which is why there are any stars at all in my rating but the service and management are dismal. We walked in a Saturday for lunch when the restaurant was about half full. We ordered sushi for the grown ups and hibachi meals for the kids. The adults were done and the kids were still waiting for their food 30 minutes later. We waited another 20 minutes after we pointed this out and were very rudely told that they had take out orders to deal with. The waitress was rude from the beginning--very curt and short with us and got part of our order wrong, which we did not point out so as not to be the target of any more of her wrath. The owner manager did absolutely nothing help the situation. Flint is a bit of a wasteland in terms of good restaurants so I doubt this review will be helpful in fixing their service but I certainly won't be going back anytime soon.
(3)Porter P.
My husband and I recently moved to the Flint area and were hoping the ONLY sushi in town would be OK. We went in to Sagano tonight and were immediately seated at the sushi bar. We had great service and the sushi was surprisingly great. We started with a spicy California roll, a Green River roll, a double crunchy roll, and a dynamite roll. These were yummy! While we were at the bar, we watched the sushi chef prepare a Home Depot roll and a From Russia with Love 007 roll. We had to order the Home Depot roll after seeing it: shrimp tempura, cream cheese, rice, topped with salmon, tempura flakes, a "yum yum" sauce and eel sauce. WOW. It was just outstanding! 5 rolls and 2 large sake was $59. We literally laughed out loud when the bill came, since we've had $100 sushi nights more times than we can remember. Well priced and great service! We look forward to a long relationship with Sagano! Also, just to refute Bud G's earlier comment... We observed sushi being made and placed in containers for take out. Perhaps they don't offer take-out for the hibachi side of the restaurant. Few Japanese steak houses that I have been to do.
(4)Laura B.
One of my favorite restaurants in the world! The food is delicious and the service is extremely entertaining!! From Russia with Love!!!!!
(5)Lisa W.
I really enjoy Sagano! It reminds me of Benihana, just because they cook it in front of you and do all the tricks with the food! I like to go for the atmosphere too. I really love the sushi side of the restaurant too! The sushi is good and the food they cook in front of you is great too! They have a full bar also!
(4)Glenn F.
I finally visited the other (non-sushi-bar) side of the restaurant. I've been to other Japanese grills before and this one was very good. They have well-trained chefs there who managed to enthrall the entire group I had with me. My food was perfectly cooked and seasoned to perfection. You can order sushi too, so you can get the best of both worlds: dinner and a show!
(5)Scott B.
Sagano Japanese Bistro is a great place for any occasion. The food is healthy and delicious. My favorite is the steak and shrimp or the shrimp and lobster. I also would rate the cleanliness and staff very highly as well. The chefs are very entertaining. I highly recommend this place to all my friends.
(5)Jen D.
My absolute favorite place to eat! Love the sushi, love the hibachi, love everything!
(5)Dan L.
This is the best Japanese food in Flint. It is also the only Japanese food in Flint. I can't give it five stare because I used to live in Tokyo, but this place is pretty darn good. The sushi is as fresh as you can hope for 1000 miles from the nearest ocean. The teppanyaki (hibachi grill) cuisine is very good, but I think the traditional Japanese dishes are better. The chefs are entertaining, and are great with kids. Lunch is a great time to go. Dinner can be quite busy. They have a great selection of Japanese beer and soft drinks.
(4)Karin T.
We frequent this place at least once a month and have NEVER had a bad experience. We typically eat on the sushi bar side, but have ventured over to the steak house for a birthday or other special occasion. The sushi is SUPERB! We have tried other places that have been sub-par compared to here. Their Bento is wonderful with a nice variety of sushi, tempura, miso, salad, gyoza etc. and your choice of chicken, steak or salmon. The owners are weird, but the staff is very friendly and accommodating.
(5)Adam P.
As a business traveler there are two things that make my day. One is great food and the second is great service! Sagano completes both of those! I just finished a long day of work and was not in the best of moods but it didn't take me long to start cheering up! I have to admit the staff at first was a bit confused that I wanted to sit at the bar and maybe eat sushi or something grilled (as apposed to sitting at the sushi bar or waiting on a table in front a the grill)... but after we got over that the dinner was pimp status! The two bartenders were more than enjoyable to spend dinner with. The steak and chicken and fried rice was the best ever!! Be sure to ask for extra yum yum sauce (aka liquid crack) I will be back to try the sushi as well but it will be hard to pass up the steak and chicken... If you are looking for a Japanese style restaurant, you will not find one better than this one!
(5)