Waka Sakura Gardena
Sushi restaurant · Gardena
1740 Artesia Blvd, Gardena, CA 90248
Highlights
Made-to-order conveyor belt sushi with fresh ingredients
Made-to-order conveyor belt sushi with fresh ingredients
"We were born too late to explore the world, and born too early to explore the universe, but at least we were born in time to experience the futuristic conveyor belt sushi at Waka Sakura. Located on the second floor of Gardena's Tokyo Central supermarket, this sleek operation has you order via tablet or your phone, then whisks sushi to your table minutes later (a common setup in Japan). Everything here is a bit more polished than your average conveyor belt spot, and the sushi is a notch above what's in the supermarket cold case downstairs, but it's still very affordable. The big menu covers a range of sushi, sashimi, and rolls, but the nigiri combos offer the best bang for your buck, like the six-piece Salmon Party for $12. Waits are no longer as bad as they were when Waka Sakura first opened (aside from weekends), but if there's a line, just put your phone number in and do some shopping until you're called." - Garrett Snyder
"On the second floor of Tokyo Central market in Gardena Waka Sakura operates a conveyor-belt sushi concept where diners order via tablet or QR code for nigiri, rolls, hand rolls, sashimi, and grilled items that arrive on a moving belt." - Eater Staff
"A tremendous addition to the Gardena dining scene, Waka Sakura is a higher-end conveyor belt sushi restaurant (kaitenzushi) that feels plucked right out of a tony Tokyo shopping district. With no windows and a sleek, minimalist dining room, all the focus goes to the extensive sushi menu that is ordered through tableside tablets. Expect well-seasoned rice, fresh fish, and well-executed rolls that, altogether, add up to a great value. Waits can add up during meal times, so take a stroll through the first-floor Tokyo Central grocery store." - Matthew Kang
"Tucked into a hard-to-find second-floor space with no windows at Gardena’s Tokyo Central Market, Waka Sakura represents a new level of quality in conveyor belt sushi that one would typically find in Japan. Here, plates run a few dollars more than at budget spots like Kura Sushi, but the overall freshness and execution, from the provenance and seasoning of the rice to the freshness of the fish, are worth the premium. Waits are pretty long, up to an hour, so put your name down and go shopping for Japanese groceries downstairs. — Matthew Kang, lead editor" - Eater Staff
"Tucked into a hard-to-find second-floor, windowless space inside Tokyo Central Market, I found Waka Sakura to be a more upscale conveyor-belt sushi experience with a sleek, dimly lit dining room, hushed jazz piano, and helpful staff. Diners receive a heavy paper booklet with photos and can order via a tableside tablet or QR code; the menu touts freshly grated wasabi, Hitomebore rice, red vinegar and Junmai Daijingo rice seasoning, and Kyushu-sourced nori. The nigiri selection includes tuna, yellowtail, salmon, sea bream, seared wagyu beef and higher-end cuts like engawa (halibut fin), surf clam, uni, and jack mackerel; the rice is well-seasoned and served not quite warm but not frigid cold. Prices for two-piece nigiri plates start at $3.99 for albacore with garlic chips and go up to $5.49 for roe-topped salmon, and the menu also offers saucy rolls, hand rolls, sashimi, and grilled plates such as salmon filet and hamachi collar. Early buzz led to diners queuing for upwards of two hours and the market even dedicated a small waiting area, though waits more typically run about an hour. Owned by Pan Pacific International, Waka Sakura charges a few dollars more than budget kaitenzushi chains, but I thought the freshness and execution—from rice provenance and seasoning to the quality of fish—made it worth the premium as a quick sushi lunch or dinner." - Matthew Kang
