Good sushi, not so great atmosphere. Visited this past Thursday evening for dinner. The restaurant is in the same lot as a Buffalo Wild Wings so parking is not an issue. Upon entering the first thing we noticed was how dark the room was and were immediately seated at the booth closest to the door. It was busier than I expected it to be and there was only one waitress that was apparently responsible for the entire room (didn't see any others). We ordered the all you can eat sushi and the quality is on par with every other place we've visited in the South Metro. Didn't stick out as exceptional,l but also wasn't terrible by any measure. The server was nice, but clearly being run to a frazzle with all the tables she had to cover. Would recommend as a option if in the mood for sushi. Didn't care much for the dark atmosphere.
(3)
Mohammad H.
I love sushi and wanted to see how my 5 year old twins like them. I brought them here to see if they like to try them. If not they have a nice enough menu to choose other items from. Very nice decor, sushi and hibachi places are nicely separated. My server was patient, but seems not trained very well. He was not crabby but just haven't mastered the menu yet. It was little awkward when he was reading from the menu. Since I was trying to introduce my kids to sushi, I ordered some California roll, to see if they like it and I ordered couple of specialty rolls. California rolls were little too blah, and neither the kids or I liked it. But the specialty rolls were awesome. To my surprise, my kids try the specialty rolls and loved it. My daughter had couple, but my son had one since they had their comfort noodles. I was very happy to find a good sushi place so close to my house. I will be visiting them soon/often.
(3)
Katie C.
What an absolute disaster. I have been here 3 times now. The first time I grabbed take out and just did a sushi roll and some rice and it was great, enough for me to grab the family and come back to try it out. Second time the hubby and son joined me and we did hibachi..it was really good! The wait was really long and the servers were horrible, but the food was the saving grace. This (the third) time, was horrible! The service was non existent..the waiters just walk back and forth, like they are on a mission but they aren't helping anyone. We had to flag someone down to take our order after we sat there for 15 mins...this is NOT a big place, and it was NOT busy. My sushi came out and it was alright, nothing special by any means. Husband ordered teriyaki salmon and his food didn't come out. I was almost finished with my dinner, and I saw the waiter walking by and asked my husband very loudly "I wonder where your food is!?". The waiter looked startled out of his trance, and all of a sudden Chad's food magically appeared. His dinner was supposed to come with soup and salad, that he never received..the salmon was burnt and completely dried out. To top that off? It was cold! I ordered a side of rice, which didn't come with my entree..or with his, I had to ask for it...repeatedly. I would avoid this place. There are way better hibachi/sushi places relatively close. Why not spend the extra 5-10 minutes driving to a place with great service and food. We will definitely not be going back!
(1)
Sarah B.
Very good sushi, delicious appetizers, good service. Had a peach schnapps cocktail which was Jeremiah weed and peach schnapps. It was light and refreshing. We had Gyoza and spring rolls for appetizers - both were delicious. Hubby had Beef teriyaki and I had the Mexican roll, a salmon roll and a specialty roll. I will definition get the Mexican again next time. We are very pleased that there is a good sushi place right here in Lakeville since we moved from Minneapolis where we could get it quite easily.
(4)
Ericka G.
The service was good; the food was not. There were 3 of us. We had hibachi from the menu and sushi. The Hibachi came with sweet sauce on all of it, like a stir fry. Hibachi typically doesn't have sauce in my experience. We also didn't like the sauce because it was sweet. As for the sushi, I only got one roll, but it was also less than adequate. First, the fish on top of the roll was supposed to be raw, instead was tempera and drenched in sauces.I would have been disappointed getting this roll from a grocery store/take out place.
(1)
Cindy S.
I don't know who should be sorry, but I will step up and say it, sorry Sawa but your just not that great anymore. I feel like service now is a hit or miss. Its not bad. but just not a good as before. I think its because they have hired new people to serve. I feel like the serving sizes have gotten smaller, but the price is the same. Buying appetizers here is a complete waste of money, it taste good but knowing how much you paid puts a sour taste in your mouth. Sushi is still great, but I have been a little disappointed with the overall experience the last couple visits. I think it is safe to say I may not ever stop in again.
(3)
Mia T.
This place is in the same building as BWW so there's ample parking. We came here on a Wed. night and there was only 1 other table & a small hibachi group. We have no major complaints about service other than that it was 'slower' than normal. The waitress wasn't as 'attentive' as she could be for this type of food/seating. The food was mediocre. We didn't order any sushi, just the terriyaki beef & udon. The udon (broth) was flavorless & didn't have much to it. I could probably do this at home if I put in a little effort. The teriyaki beef was ok. For a Japanese restaurant (although owned by Chinese) it's hard to to stay in business if you can't make a teriyaki rice dish. It wasn't the best or the worst. Just edible. Overall, I wouldn't go here again. We didn't have a groupon but even with a groupon, I'd probably say no. I'd rather pay full price for a meal we thoroughly enjoy. Thought we give it a try since it was close to home.
(3)
Jason S.
My wife and I enjoy sushi takeout once a week and have discovered that Sawa Japan by far offers the best Sushi in the Burnsville/Lakeville/Apple Valley area.
(4)
Mary G.
Called for a reservation a night ahead for six people at the Hibachi Grill for Monday night at 6 p.m. We arrived and was seated right away. Drinks and orders were taken in a timely fashion. We had Rainbow and Spicy Tuna Sushi very good and fresh!! Next we had Steak, Chicken, Shrimp and Lobster. All perfectly done and also, fresh! We asked for no egg in the fried rice and no problems. Had a wonderful birthday celebration and WE ALL will come back again!!!
(4)
Karin G.
Not the best place I've ever eaten. We were there on New Years Eve. Our waiter was new and poorly trained. He spilled soup on one of the people at our table and it only got worse from there. Drinks were slow, items ordered were forgotten and charge for. Our soup was inedible! It was salty and had a strange taste. Our cook was ok. The steak was cooked perfectly, but my shrimp were very over cooked and our friends chicken was horrible. I don't think we will be going here again
(2)
Jessica K.
Thank goodness it was a groupon so we didnt have to pay all that we paid. The service was HORRIBLE! We got there and had a 10 minute wait to be seated, no big deal. Then it took forever to get our drink orders, then just as long to get out drinks. We literally waiting 40 minutes to get our sushi and had to wait forever to get our drink refills. The waiter seemed very apathetic and possibly understaffed. The sushi itself was decent, not the best not the worst that we have had. Now if you want entertainment, read the menu and see how many spelling mistakes you can discover. Its amazing how many spelling mistakes made it to print. Some of them are even on the website.
(2)
William C.
good food, very nice sushi, i will come back soon.
(5)
Joseph V.
So me & my friends decided that we were in the mood for a sushi run so we had to decide however which sushi place to go too. My friend Tracy had a Groupon coupon for Sawa Japan & she's had a great prior experience there so it made the choice pretty simple. We got there & decided to sit at the sushi bar so we could watch the sushi chef make all the different pieces. Once we sat down to eat the server was pretty quick to coming over to take our drink orders & to give us the menus. We all decided to have one cocktail & while the server was getting our drinks we glanced over the menu. It was during this time that the sushi chef which my friend Tracy knows & thinks he has great dimples ends up giving us a free white fish appetizer. As we were eating this free appetizer, the server brings out the other appetizers that my friend Catlin order, which was Japanese Dumplings & Spring Rolls. We all shared these appetizers. We then all received our entrees & we all got different ones. I order the sushmi dinner box which I thought was the most bang for your bucks. In my box I had 9 pieces of chef's choice sushmi, 2 pieces of tempura shrimp, 6 pieces of California roll, 3 tempura scallops, some tempura vegetables, a cup of miso soup & a side salad. Tracy got the Valentine's special called the Sweetheat which contain spicy tuna. My friend Catlin got another Valentine's special but can't remember the name but it contained salmon. Tracy's quote is don't get the Spanish Mackeral but that's just her choice. I think that this place is awesome. Great atmosphere with a good staff. Very cheap for sushi here in Minnesota. Come check it out I highly recommend it!
(4)
Grace M.
I'm a regular at Sawa, it's pretty near my house. The quality of the food keeps bringing me back because the sushi is AMAZING. But honestly, I am so tired of the rude staff. You never know what mood they will be in when you visit/call. There have been times when they chewed me out for an obvious accident, and also sternly told me to "hurry up and order" on the phone. As a business, having the kind of attitude that humiliates the customer... Isn't exactly inviting. I probably won't be a customer much longer. Too bad the food is so good.
(3)
Lisa D.
Made a hibachi reservation, when we came in, they were significantly behind and could not give us a time when we would actually be seated.
(1)
David H.
The place looked busy and we would have actually stayed had we been greeted or explained to us that they were short staffed (We're hoping that was the case). Unfortunately we were hastily seated with no greeting and left to sit with nobody returning to check on us.....we are now going elsewhere. A simple statement of their being busy, short staffed, or any apology in general would have been fine.
(1)
Tiffany L.
In my local ad where they offer coupons I noticed they had up to 50%off sushi after 8pm to close so of course after calling to confirm they still offered it my bf and I went to give this place a try. The place wasn't very full for a Friday night and we did have to ask for the special menu for the discounted rolls but after picking out the rolls we ordered Tuna tataki- Sushi tango still beats this but its descent and not bad Sawa, pink lady, tiger eye,unagi and cucumber, salmon skin. The special rolls were a really nice size with not that much rice but a good amount of actual fish which I liked. I would say I had a hard time stuffing a roll into my mouth because it was massive but in a good way. The service was very prompt and super friendly I will definitely come back to this place because its inexpensive pricing and they impressed me with not only their food but the customer service they gave me. Plus I have to try happy hour which is from 4-6 ;) can't beat a glass of wine for $3!
(4)
R G.
I've been there three times. Once it was a Monday, and it was barely edible - the nigiri was small and almost stiff. The third time was a Saturday night and was some of the most beautiful, edible nigiri I've ever had. I'll upload the picture so you too can behold it's magnificence. I saw another Yelp user mention discounted rolls after 8:30pm so I called and the person was a bit rude and said no. So I guess i'm a bit at a loss. They are a little expensive for their inconsistency.
(3)
Christina O.
I am thankful that I had a GroupOn for this place. Sushi - Not good. Not well rolled, was coming undone as we were trying to pick it up. Hibachi - lacking flavor big time! Steak was nicely cooked, chicken was rubbery. Very very bland. Sushi came out after our main course, which was odd. Also we had to shoo off a fly quite a few times. Soon after our dinner both me and my husband had upset stomach. Not retuning there.
(1)
Brian B.
Took 35 minutes for a to go order on a slow night. Hostess knew nothing about the food/menu. Enough said
(1)
Benjamin S.
I tried Sawa on a whim while in Lakeville to see a movie, and I was pleasantly surprised. The decor was markedly tasteful considering its strip mall locale, and the atmosphere was quite pleasant. The waitstaff were attentive, helpful, and offered timely service. The food at Sawa was very enjoyable. The salad, although surprisingly cold (seriously - a few pieces of lettuce were literally frozen), tasted very refreshing and was served with a delicious zesty ginger dressing. The miso soup was average - not particularly good or bad. I ordered a sashimi bento for my entree, and was not disappointed. The sashimi was fresh and flavorful, and the accompanying california rolls were well-made. The tempura shrimp and vegetables were average; they were tasty and filling, but nothing special (although I can't say I've ever had any particularly memorable tempura). The shumai were some of the best I have ever eaten; they were so good that my date kept trying to snatch one when I wasn't looking! The sauces accompanying the shumai and tempura were also exceptional- I could tell they were made from scratch. My date's udon noodle bowl was large, fresh, and flavorful although it did contain a lot of celery. At its worst, the food I ordered at Sawa was merely unremarkable, but most of it was quite delicious. The prices were a little on the high side, but they were justified by the quality of the food (and weren't that high compared to other Japanese steakhouses I have visited). I did not try the hibachi seating, but I plan on visiting again the next time I'm in Lakeville. I'd recommend Sawa if you're in the area and hankering for some good Japanese food.
(4)
Vince V.
This place has gone downhill! We used to love this place, but haven't been in awhile. The chef's here were at one time very entertaining, but not tonight. He was very boring. The sushi was ok, but what ruined it for us was the steak my two boys ordered was almost entirely fat. They didn't eat any of it and then I tried it and even the edible pieces were very chewy. I told the waitress that they couldn't eat it and she said sorry and just stared at us like too bad. I asked her to call the manager over to show him and she came back and said he told me to take half off the steak. Not the point! I wanted him to see it. For $130 for 5 people with a groupon you would think that he could come over. We won't be back! Food can get messed up, but it's how a place deals with it that matters. Terrible at Sawa.
(1)
Anne L.
I went there on a Saturday afternoon and the place was very quiet. Service was awkward but not terrible. The timing was just odd. She asked for a drink order immediately when we say down then vanished for what seemed like way too long when we just wanted a moment to get our coats off. The food was hit or miss. Spicy lobster rolls were very good, my boyfriend's teriyaki chicken was also delicious. The salmon in the Philadelphia roll was off, the California roll was boring and the spicy tuna was decent but, bland. We'll probably give it another and ask for sushi recommendations from the server.
(3)
Amber G.
I was very excited to have a Japanese restaurant open up down in my neck of the woods. Personally, Sawa has been hit and miss for me. Both times I have been there have been with 50% off groupons because the prices are pretty steep for my budget. The first time I went, I was totally distracted by a particular smell from the moment I walked in. The only way to discribe it was like dirty mop water. It wasn't a chemical smell, just like mop/rag water that wasn't rinsed out enough. I ordered plum wine and two signature rolls: the S & M roll and the Pink Lady roll. They were beautiful, fresh and delicious. The service was excellent: friendly, fast and accurate. I was unfortunately overcome by the smell though, and that left such a big impression on me that I cannot bring myself to give them more than 3 stars. On my second visit the smell was gone, yay!! I ordered the plum wine and the S & M roll, and my dining partner ordered the gyoza/dumplings as an appetizer and a couple of generic rolls (spicy tuna and avocado). Again, the service was good, the rolls beautiful and fresh, overall it was excellent. The reason for the 3 stars this time is in regards to the value. I feel like the prices are just too high. The "generic" rolls come out to about a dollar a bite. The specialty rolls are about 2 dollars per bite. Put this restaurant in Minneapolis and most people would expect to pay those prices, but in Lakeville it seems too high. It's hard to justify spending that amount of money on such a small amount of food, even though it is beautiful and delicious...especially the S & M roll...yum! If you are in the neighborhood, give it a try. You may find it's worth it.
(3)
Bill D.
Noodles were good, and that is about the most I can say about our meal. The soup starter had too much ginger in it for her, but mine was quite tasty so after I finished mine I started in on hers, and she was right to begin with. Did the soups even come from the same batch? Salad was watery, so either it was just freshly rinsed and plated when we ordered it, or it sat in the cooler for who knows how many days waiting to be served. The dressing was weird, but had a kind of horseradishy flavor (no heat, just the taste) and I liked it. Lobster was rubbery and chewy and lacked any real flavor other than the sauce that was on it. Fillet Mignon was cold on the plate when I received it (it was the very first bite I tried). It was one of the things I was most looking forward to since this is a steakhouse. Shrimp were mostly undercooked (more so for her than for me I must admit) and the ones that were well cooked were also a bit tough, almost as though they were over cooked. Rice just tasted off (or perhaps old) and rice is an extra cost as in 'not included with the meal'. We weren't told that, just asked if we wanted white or fried rice when we ordered our food. If I had known that it wasn't included, I wouldn't have ordered it. We had multiple coupons for this place and decided to try it. After we got home from our meal, we threw the rest of them in the trash as we won't be back here again. I'll bet we'll get more coupons in the mail as the weeks go by, and they're going into the trash as well. We were looking forward to a good Japanese steakhouse meal, and hoped we would find it at Sawa at a better price than Kami (or Ichiban for that matter). Sawa was a disappointment all the way around. You want good Japanese steakhouse cooking? Try Kami!
(2)
Jane d.
First, when I walked in the door, the hostess was nowhere to be found. The front bar had no bartender and there were 3 young children behind the bar. It was a few minutes before I was greeted. Once seated, she took our drink order and promptly returned. However, we had clear drink but not water and she came back and filled our drinks with water. Once we pointed out her mistake, she very politely took the drinks and came back with the right thing. We ordered sushi. I ordered the fire roll off the menu. However, I was brought the crunchy roll. It was ok, but i ws disappointed. i ate it because i didnt want to wait for the correct thing. There was a noisy group at the hibachi on the other side of the wall making it hard to hear my date. The servers brought our bill when we were finished eating but never asked if I wanted another drink. They were still open for another hour but I felt like they were rushing us out the door. I would only go back here out of convenience, not out of desire.
(2)
Keena M.
Sawa Japan is one of my favorite sushi places to go to. The food tastes fresh and always looks great. My favorites are the Out of Control Roll and the Crispy Shrimp Tempura Roll. They have good tasty appetizers and the hibachi rice is wonderful with the oyster sauce. It's not a very large restaurant but it looks very nice inside. Service is relatively fast unless it's busy but even then it's not too bad. It can get pretty loud when it's busy. Prices are about what you would expect anywhere else. I would recommend this place to anyone! Keep your eye out for groupon deals since I've bought three $20 off of $40!
(4)
Ryan B.
I liked this place. I took the family here. I like it better than Osaka in Apple Valley but very few tables. I could see not getting a Hiabachi table if you tried on a busy night. Shashimi was good for what I ordered. Only problem is the other people at the table can determine what you get as well. Example was the other family did not want mushrooms in the stir fry of vegetables. So the cook swaped it out in the kitchen and I guess I no longer got them either. Kinda pissed me off but whatever. Food was still good and service was good too. A little expensive but worth a try.
(4)
Natalie E.
I went here because of the LivingSocial deal and had a very good time. We got the hibachi and the preparation show was very fun complete with sake squirted into your mouth if you want it. Overall solid hibachi experience. I got the salmon and it was delicious.
(4)
Thomas K.
Best Gyoza outside of Japan, and I go there a lot. The sushi was nice and fresh. One of the better Sushi places in Minnesota that I have been to so far.
Sorry, Store hours have not been updated. If you are the owner of this restaurants. Please update the store hours.
Specialities
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
John R.
Good sushi, not so great atmosphere. Visited this past Thursday evening for dinner. The restaurant is in the same lot as a Buffalo Wild Wings so parking is not an issue. Upon entering the first thing we noticed was how dark the room was and were immediately seated at the booth closest to the door. It was busier than I expected it to be and there was only one waitress that was apparently responsible for the entire room (didn't see any others). We ordered the all you can eat sushi and the quality is on par with every other place we've visited in the South Metro. Didn't stick out as exceptional,l but also wasn't terrible by any measure. The server was nice, but clearly being run to a frazzle with all the tables she had to cover. Would recommend as a option if in the mood for sushi. Didn't care much for the dark atmosphere.
(3)Mohammad H.
I love sushi and wanted to see how my 5 year old twins like them. I brought them here to see if they like to try them. If not they have a nice enough menu to choose other items from. Very nice decor, sushi and hibachi places are nicely separated. My server was patient, but seems not trained very well. He was not crabby but just haven't mastered the menu yet. It was little awkward when he was reading from the menu. Since I was trying to introduce my kids to sushi, I ordered some California roll, to see if they like it and I ordered couple of specialty rolls. California rolls were little too blah, and neither the kids or I liked it. But the specialty rolls were awesome. To my surprise, my kids try the specialty rolls and loved it. My daughter had couple, but my son had one since they had their comfort noodles. I was very happy to find a good sushi place so close to my house. I will be visiting them soon/often.
(3)Katie C.
What an absolute disaster. I have been here 3 times now. The first time I grabbed take out and just did a sushi roll and some rice and it was great, enough for me to grab the family and come back to try it out. Second time the hubby and son joined me and we did hibachi..it was really good! The wait was really long and the servers were horrible, but the food was the saving grace. This (the third) time, was horrible! The service was non existent..the waiters just walk back and forth, like they are on a mission but they aren't helping anyone. We had to flag someone down to take our order after we sat there for 15 mins...this is NOT a big place, and it was NOT busy. My sushi came out and it was alright, nothing special by any means. Husband ordered teriyaki salmon and his food didn't come out. I was almost finished with my dinner, and I saw the waiter walking by and asked my husband very loudly "I wonder where your food is!?". The waiter looked startled out of his trance, and all of a sudden Chad's food magically appeared. His dinner was supposed to come with soup and salad, that he never received..the salmon was burnt and completely dried out. To top that off? It was cold! I ordered a side of rice, which didn't come with my entree..or with his, I had to ask for it...repeatedly. I would avoid this place. There are way better hibachi/sushi places relatively close. Why not spend the extra 5-10 minutes driving to a place with great service and food. We will definitely not be going back!
(1)Sarah B.
Very good sushi, delicious appetizers, good service. Had a peach schnapps cocktail which was Jeremiah weed and peach schnapps. It was light and refreshing. We had Gyoza and spring rolls for appetizers - both were delicious. Hubby had Beef teriyaki and I had the Mexican roll, a salmon roll and a specialty roll. I will definition get the Mexican again next time. We are very pleased that there is a good sushi place right here in Lakeville since we moved from Minneapolis where we could get it quite easily.
(4)Ericka G.
The service was good; the food was not. There were 3 of us. We had hibachi from the menu and sushi. The Hibachi came with sweet sauce on all of it, like a stir fry. Hibachi typically doesn't have sauce in my experience. We also didn't like the sauce because it was sweet. As for the sushi, I only got one roll, but it was also less than adequate. First, the fish on top of the roll was supposed to be raw, instead was tempera and drenched in sauces.I would have been disappointed getting this roll from a grocery store/take out place.
(1)Cindy S.
I don't know who should be sorry, but I will step up and say it, sorry Sawa but your just not that great anymore. I feel like service now is a hit or miss. Its not bad. but just not a good as before. I think its because they have hired new people to serve. I feel like the serving sizes have gotten smaller, but the price is the same. Buying appetizers here is a complete waste of money, it taste good but knowing how much you paid puts a sour taste in your mouth. Sushi is still great, but I have been a little disappointed with the overall experience the last couple visits. I think it is safe to say I may not ever stop in again.
(3)Mia T.
This place is in the same building as BWW so there's ample parking. We came here on a Wed. night and there was only 1 other table & a small hibachi group. We have no major complaints about service other than that it was 'slower' than normal. The waitress wasn't as 'attentive' as she could be for this type of food/seating. The food was mediocre. We didn't order any sushi, just the terriyaki beef & udon. The udon (broth) was flavorless & didn't have much to it. I could probably do this at home if I put in a little effort. The teriyaki beef was ok. For a Japanese restaurant (although owned by Chinese) it's hard to to stay in business if you can't make a teriyaki rice dish. It wasn't the best or the worst. Just edible. Overall, I wouldn't go here again. We didn't have a groupon but even with a groupon, I'd probably say no. I'd rather pay full price for a meal we thoroughly enjoy. Thought we give it a try since it was close to home.
(3)Jason S.
My wife and I enjoy sushi takeout once a week and have discovered that Sawa Japan by far offers the best Sushi in the Burnsville/Lakeville/Apple Valley area.
(4)Mary G.
Called for a reservation a night ahead for six people at the Hibachi Grill for Monday night at 6 p.m. We arrived and was seated right away. Drinks and orders were taken in a timely fashion. We had Rainbow and Spicy Tuna Sushi very good and fresh!! Next we had Steak, Chicken, Shrimp and Lobster. All perfectly done and also, fresh! We asked for no egg in the fried rice and no problems. Had a wonderful birthday celebration and WE ALL will come back again!!!
(4)Karin G.
Not the best place I've ever eaten. We were there on New Years Eve. Our waiter was new and poorly trained. He spilled soup on one of the people at our table and it only got worse from there. Drinks were slow, items ordered were forgotten and charge for. Our soup was inedible! It was salty and had a strange taste. Our cook was ok. The steak was cooked perfectly, but my shrimp were very over cooked and our friends chicken was horrible. I don't think we will be going here again
(2)Jessica K.
Thank goodness it was a groupon so we didnt have to pay all that we paid. The service was HORRIBLE! We got there and had a 10 minute wait to be seated, no big deal. Then it took forever to get our drink orders, then just as long to get out drinks. We literally waiting 40 minutes to get our sushi and had to wait forever to get our drink refills. The waiter seemed very apathetic and possibly understaffed. The sushi itself was decent, not the best not the worst that we have had. Now if you want entertainment, read the menu and see how many spelling mistakes you can discover. Its amazing how many spelling mistakes made it to print. Some of them are even on the website.
(2)William C.
good food, very nice sushi, i will come back soon.
(5)Joseph V.
So me & my friends decided that we were in the mood for a sushi run so we had to decide however which sushi place to go too. My friend Tracy had a Groupon coupon for Sawa Japan & she's had a great prior experience there so it made the choice pretty simple. We got there & decided to sit at the sushi bar so we could watch the sushi chef make all the different pieces. Once we sat down to eat the server was pretty quick to coming over to take our drink orders & to give us the menus. We all decided to have one cocktail & while the server was getting our drinks we glanced over the menu. It was during this time that the sushi chef which my friend Tracy knows & thinks he has great dimples ends up giving us a free white fish appetizer. As we were eating this free appetizer, the server brings out the other appetizers that my friend Catlin order, which was Japanese Dumplings & Spring Rolls. We all shared these appetizers. We then all received our entrees & we all got different ones. I order the sushmi dinner box which I thought was the most bang for your bucks. In my box I had 9 pieces of chef's choice sushmi, 2 pieces of tempura shrimp, 6 pieces of California roll, 3 tempura scallops, some tempura vegetables, a cup of miso soup & a side salad. Tracy got the Valentine's special called the Sweetheat which contain spicy tuna. My friend Catlin got another Valentine's special but can't remember the name but it contained salmon. Tracy's quote is don't get the Spanish Mackeral but that's just her choice. I think that this place is awesome. Great atmosphere with a good staff. Very cheap for sushi here in Minnesota. Come check it out I highly recommend it!
(4)Grace M.
I'm a regular at Sawa, it's pretty near my house. The quality of the food keeps bringing me back because the sushi is AMAZING. But honestly, I am so tired of the rude staff. You never know what mood they will be in when you visit/call. There have been times when they chewed me out for an obvious accident, and also sternly told me to "hurry up and order" on the phone. As a business, having the kind of attitude that humiliates the customer... Isn't exactly inviting. I probably won't be a customer much longer. Too bad the food is so good.
(3)Lisa D.
Made a hibachi reservation, when we came in, they were significantly behind and could not give us a time when we would actually be seated.
(1)David H.
The place looked busy and we would have actually stayed had we been greeted or explained to us that they were short staffed (We're hoping that was the case). Unfortunately we were hastily seated with no greeting and left to sit with nobody returning to check on us.....we are now going elsewhere. A simple statement of their being busy, short staffed, or any apology in general would have been fine.
(1)Tiffany L.
In my local ad where they offer coupons I noticed they had up to 50%off sushi after 8pm to close so of course after calling to confirm they still offered it my bf and I went to give this place a try. The place wasn't very full for a Friday night and we did have to ask for the special menu for the discounted rolls but after picking out the rolls we ordered Tuna tataki- Sushi tango still beats this but its descent and not bad Sawa, pink lady, tiger eye,unagi and cucumber, salmon skin. The special rolls were a really nice size with not that much rice but a good amount of actual fish which I liked. I would say I had a hard time stuffing a roll into my mouth because it was massive but in a good way. The service was very prompt and super friendly I will definitely come back to this place because its inexpensive pricing and they impressed me with not only their food but the customer service they gave me. Plus I have to try happy hour which is from 4-6 ;) can't beat a glass of wine for $3!
(4)R G.
I've been there three times. Once it was a Monday, and it was barely edible - the nigiri was small and almost stiff. The third time was a Saturday night and was some of the most beautiful, edible nigiri I've ever had. I'll upload the picture so you too can behold it's magnificence. I saw another Yelp user mention discounted rolls after 8:30pm so I called and the person was a bit rude and said no. So I guess i'm a bit at a loss. They are a little expensive for their inconsistency.
(3)Christina O.
I am thankful that I had a GroupOn for this place. Sushi - Not good. Not well rolled, was coming undone as we were trying to pick it up. Hibachi - lacking flavor big time! Steak was nicely cooked, chicken was rubbery. Very very bland. Sushi came out after our main course, which was odd. Also we had to shoo off a fly quite a few times. Soon after our dinner both me and my husband had upset stomach. Not retuning there.
(1)Brian B.
Took 35 minutes for a to go order on a slow night. Hostess knew nothing about the food/menu. Enough said
(1)Benjamin S.
I tried Sawa on a whim while in Lakeville to see a movie, and I was pleasantly surprised. The decor was markedly tasteful considering its strip mall locale, and the atmosphere was quite pleasant. The waitstaff were attentive, helpful, and offered timely service. The food at Sawa was very enjoyable. The salad, although surprisingly cold (seriously - a few pieces of lettuce were literally frozen), tasted very refreshing and was served with a delicious zesty ginger dressing. The miso soup was average - not particularly good or bad. I ordered a sashimi bento for my entree, and was not disappointed. The sashimi was fresh and flavorful, and the accompanying california rolls were well-made. The tempura shrimp and vegetables were average; they were tasty and filling, but nothing special (although I can't say I've ever had any particularly memorable tempura). The shumai were some of the best I have ever eaten; they were so good that my date kept trying to snatch one when I wasn't looking! The sauces accompanying the shumai and tempura were also exceptional- I could tell they were made from scratch. My date's udon noodle bowl was large, fresh, and flavorful although it did contain a lot of celery. At its worst, the food I ordered at Sawa was merely unremarkable, but most of it was quite delicious. The prices were a little on the high side, but they were justified by the quality of the food (and weren't that high compared to other Japanese steakhouses I have visited). I did not try the hibachi seating, but I plan on visiting again the next time I'm in Lakeville. I'd recommend Sawa if you're in the area and hankering for some good Japanese food.
(4)Vince V.
This place has gone downhill! We used to love this place, but haven't been in awhile. The chef's here were at one time very entertaining, but not tonight. He was very boring. The sushi was ok, but what ruined it for us was the steak my two boys ordered was almost entirely fat. They didn't eat any of it and then I tried it and even the edible pieces were very chewy. I told the waitress that they couldn't eat it and she said sorry and just stared at us like too bad. I asked her to call the manager over to show him and she came back and said he told me to take half off the steak. Not the point! I wanted him to see it. For $130 for 5 people with a groupon you would think that he could come over. We won't be back! Food can get messed up, but it's how a place deals with it that matters. Terrible at Sawa.
(1)Anne L.
I went there on a Saturday afternoon and the place was very quiet. Service was awkward but not terrible. The timing was just odd. She asked for a drink order immediately when we say down then vanished for what seemed like way too long when we just wanted a moment to get our coats off. The food was hit or miss. Spicy lobster rolls were very good, my boyfriend's teriyaki chicken was also delicious. The salmon in the Philadelphia roll was off, the California roll was boring and the spicy tuna was decent but, bland. We'll probably give it another and ask for sushi recommendations from the server.
(3)Amber G.
I was very excited to have a Japanese restaurant open up down in my neck of the woods. Personally, Sawa has been hit and miss for me. Both times I have been there have been with 50% off groupons because the prices are pretty steep for my budget. The first time I went, I was totally distracted by a particular smell from the moment I walked in. The only way to discribe it was like dirty mop water. It wasn't a chemical smell, just like mop/rag water that wasn't rinsed out enough. I ordered plum wine and two signature rolls: the S & M roll and the Pink Lady roll. They were beautiful, fresh and delicious. The service was excellent: friendly, fast and accurate. I was unfortunately overcome by the smell though, and that left such a big impression on me that I cannot bring myself to give them more than 3 stars. On my second visit the smell was gone, yay!! I ordered the plum wine and the S & M roll, and my dining partner ordered the gyoza/dumplings as an appetizer and a couple of generic rolls (spicy tuna and avocado). Again, the service was good, the rolls beautiful and fresh, overall it was excellent. The reason for the 3 stars this time is in regards to the value. I feel like the prices are just too high. The "generic" rolls come out to about a dollar a bite. The specialty rolls are about 2 dollars per bite. Put this restaurant in Minneapolis and most people would expect to pay those prices, but in Lakeville it seems too high. It's hard to justify spending that amount of money on such a small amount of food, even though it is beautiful and delicious...especially the S & M roll...yum! If you are in the neighborhood, give it a try. You may find it's worth it.
(3)Bill D.
Noodles were good, and that is about the most I can say about our meal. The soup starter had too much ginger in it for her, but mine was quite tasty so after I finished mine I started in on hers, and she was right to begin with. Did the soups even come from the same batch? Salad was watery, so either it was just freshly rinsed and plated when we ordered it, or it sat in the cooler for who knows how many days waiting to be served. The dressing was weird, but had a kind of horseradishy flavor (no heat, just the taste) and I liked it. Lobster was rubbery and chewy and lacked any real flavor other than the sauce that was on it. Fillet Mignon was cold on the plate when I received it (it was the very first bite I tried). It was one of the things I was most looking forward to since this is a steakhouse. Shrimp were mostly undercooked (more so for her than for me I must admit) and the ones that were well cooked were also a bit tough, almost as though they were over cooked. Rice just tasted off (or perhaps old) and rice is an extra cost as in 'not included with the meal'. We weren't told that, just asked if we wanted white or fried rice when we ordered our food. If I had known that it wasn't included, I wouldn't have ordered it. We had multiple coupons for this place and decided to try it. After we got home from our meal, we threw the rest of them in the trash as we won't be back here again. I'll bet we'll get more coupons in the mail as the weeks go by, and they're going into the trash as well. We were looking forward to a good Japanese steakhouse meal, and hoped we would find it at Sawa at a better price than Kami (or Ichiban for that matter). Sawa was a disappointment all the way around. You want good Japanese steakhouse cooking? Try Kami!
(2)Jane d.
First, when I walked in the door, the hostess was nowhere to be found. The front bar had no bartender and there were 3 young children behind the bar. It was a few minutes before I was greeted. Once seated, she took our drink order and promptly returned. However, we had clear drink but not water and she came back and filled our drinks with water. Once we pointed out her mistake, she very politely took the drinks and came back with the right thing. We ordered sushi. I ordered the fire roll off the menu. However, I was brought the crunchy roll. It was ok, but i ws disappointed. i ate it because i didnt want to wait for the correct thing. There was a noisy group at the hibachi on the other side of the wall making it hard to hear my date. The servers brought our bill when we were finished eating but never asked if I wanted another drink. They were still open for another hour but I felt like they were rushing us out the door. I would only go back here out of convenience, not out of desire.
(2)Keena M.
Sawa Japan is one of my favorite sushi places to go to. The food tastes fresh and always looks great. My favorites are the Out of Control Roll and the Crispy Shrimp Tempura Roll. They have good tasty appetizers and the hibachi rice is wonderful with the oyster sauce. It's not a very large restaurant but it looks very nice inside. Service is relatively fast unless it's busy but even then it's not too bad. It can get pretty loud when it's busy. Prices are about what you would expect anywhere else. I would recommend this place to anyone! Keep your eye out for groupon deals since I've bought three $20 off of $40!
(4)Ryan B.
I liked this place. I took the family here. I like it better than Osaka in Apple Valley but very few tables. I could see not getting a Hiabachi table if you tried on a busy night. Shashimi was good for what I ordered. Only problem is the other people at the table can determine what you get as well. Example was the other family did not want mushrooms in the stir fry of vegetables. So the cook swaped it out in the kitchen and I guess I no longer got them either. Kinda pissed me off but whatever. Food was still good and service was good too. A little expensive but worth a try.
(4)Natalie E.
I went here because of the LivingSocial deal and had a very good time. We got the hibachi and the preparation show was very fun complete with sake squirted into your mouth if you want it. Overall solid hibachi experience. I got the salmon and it was delicious.
(4)Thomas K.
Best Gyoza outside of Japan, and I go there a lot. The sushi was nice and fresh. One of the better Sushi places in Minnesota that I have been to so far.
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