Izakaya Sakura

We love coming here and always come right when they open at 5pm because this place gets crowded. We ordered: -Chicken karaage - juicy thigh meat -Sukiyaki udon- when I crave for udon, I come here. The broth is so beefy and lots of tender fatty thin meats. It’s so rich in flavors. -Takoyaki - I like that this is on the smaller side because it’s less wheat flour and more octopus. -Fried meatloaf curry entree - It comes with miso soup and salad. The miso soup is so good. We got spice level 8 for the curry which had a tiny kick. The parking lot is super tight and small that people park on the street. Another reason why we come early is to get a parking spot.

Amazing find and likely my new favorite spot for Japanese food. I was craving both sashimi and curry, and found this spot to try. What surprised me was the quaint homely vibe of the place. The opening and closing of the restaurant door honestly transported me to family run Japanese places from when i visited Japan. The second thing that surprised me was each dinner entree came with multiple small plates that were different depending on the entree but seemed to match exactly (fried tofu with salmon bowl and lighter salad for the chicken katsu curry). The sides weren’t mentioned on the menu so it was a pleasant surprise. The food more than satisfied my sashimi and japanese curry craving. I will certainly be back.

Been here a couple of times with an old Japanese co worker. The food is pretty basic, standard Japanese food. Nothing fancy. My coworker says it reminds him of home. Interior is very tired, but the prices are competitive and the service is fast and the people are nice. This is a workweek lunch spot, not a place to take a date.

Sakura is definitely a go to spot for some fresh sushi and or hot plates! Sake list is on point with quite a few choices to choose from. What sells me is the welcoming atmosphere from all the workers! Nothing beats a nice welcome with great food and drinks. Quick tip, it is quite hard to find parking at times, but where in kearny mesa has great parking 🤷

Izakaya Sakura was real authentic Japanese, and very delicious. If Japanese food your craving please give this restaurant a try. You will not be disappointed. The price it's worth it, the selection of variety of different Japanese food was very impressive but the customer service was the impeccable, awesome to intact with the waiters and chiefs very down to earth. Also very child friendly has well so bring the whole family. Highly recommended and will be going back again.