Sakura in Lady Lake: Hibachi Dinner and a Show Near The Villages

We recently met up with a group of friends at Sakura Japanese Restaurant in Lady Lake for hibachi. It had been a while since we’d done a hibachi dinner, and this turned out to be a good place for a group.

We had a reservation and were seated promptly at one of the hibachi tables. Dinner started with soup and salad, and then our chef took over the grill for the main part of the evening.

Hibachi at Sakura in Lady Lake

If you’ve been to a hibachi restaurant before, most of this will feel familiar. Part of the experience is watching dinner being prepared right in front of you, with the chef keeping the table involved along the way.

Our chef kept things moving with the usual hibachi tricks, some back-and-forth with the table and, of course, plenty of fire. With a group of friends, it added a little more to the evening than simply sitting down for dinner.

What We Had for Dinner

I ordered the steak and chicken hibachi, which also came with two shrimp. One of us had the salmon and shrimp, and around the rest of the table there were orders of filet mignon, scallops and a few other combinations.

Everyone at our table seemed happy with what they ordered. More noticeable, though, was just how much food came with dinner.

The hibachi meals include soup, salad, vegetables, noodles and a choice of fried or steamed rice along with the main protein. Portions ranged from large to very large, and several of us ended up taking food home.

That’s something I’d keep in mind when looking at the menu prices. These are substantial dinners, and in our case there was enough left over for another meal.

There’s a Lot More on the Menu

We went specifically for hibachi, so that’s what this review is based on. Sakura’s menu goes quite a bit beyond that, though, with sushi and sashimi, specialty rolls, teriyaki, tempura, noodles and other Japanese dishes.

We didn’t try enough of those items on this visit to offer much of an opinion on them, but there are plenty of options if someone in your group isn’t interested in hibachi.

One Thing We Didn’t Expect: The Drink Specials

The drink prices caught our attention, mostly because we weren’t expecting them to be as reasonable as they were.

During our visit, some specials changed at 7 p.m. while others continued into the evening. A gin and tonic was under $4 during the special, and a Long Island iced tea was $5.50.

Those were the prices we saw during our visit, not necessarily what you’ll find when you go. Specials and prices change, so it’s worth asking what’s available rather than going in expecting those exact numbers.

Good Service Made a Difference

Our waitress, Bailey, deserves a mention too.

She was friendly and attentive without hovering, and she handled a table full of food and drink orders without things feeling rushed or confused. That’s especially helpful with a group gathered around a hibachi table, where there’s already quite a bit going on.

Good service doesn’t need to be complicated. Bailey took care of us, kept things moving and added to an already enjoyable evening.

Would We Go Back?

Yes, we would.

The food was good, the portions were larger than we expected, our reservation was handled promptly, and we enjoyed both the chef and the service.

I probably wouldn’t choose Sakura’s hibachi room for a quiet dinner for two. That’s really not what the experience is about. Sitting around the grill is social, a little noisy and intentionally interactive.

For our group, though, that was exactly what we wanted. We’d go back, particularly for another dinner with friends or when family is visiting and we’re looking for something a little different from a standard sit-down meal.