Sakura In Tradate

17/03/2026: Good food but not up to the standard you'd expect, to be confirmed.

15/02/2026: We went to this restaurant on the evening of February 14th for Valentine's Day. I had made a reservation about a week in advance, and only a few days later I was contacted to inform me that the only available times were from 7:30 PM to 9 PM or from 10 PM onward. We chose 10 PM to enjoy a leisurely dinner. We arrived promptly, but we had to wait for a table to become available, and we were seated around 10:15 PM. While we waited, we stood with our coats in hand, and to avoid inconveniencing other customers already seated, we even stepped outside for a few minutes. It wasn't a long wait, but with a reservation and on a night like that, a warm welcome makes all the difference. We ordered almost immediately, and by 10:20 PM we had already chosen everything. From there, we waited over an hour before receiving our dishes. During the wait, we witnessed two incidents that made us uncomfortable. In both cases, the owner reprimanded the same waiter in front of the customers. The first time was for charging a table: the waiter calmly replied that from now on he would ask him first. The second time was for a glass issue, in a decidedly rude tone. Shortly afterward, the waiter took his things and left. We don't know what had happened before our arrival, but the scenes we witnessed were unpleasant. I say this even as a waiter: the pressure is understandable, but certain warnings should be made away from the dining room. Around 11:15 PM, while we were checking the time several times and our disappointment was evident, I heard the owner go to the kitchen and say something like, "Give me something for table X." Our dishes arrived immediately: 24 pieces of sushi, and a few minutes later, another 12. The sushi was very good, no complaints about the quality. However, waiting over an hour for 36 pieces is objectively excessive. One detail that got us thinking: we noticed that many tables were being offered two glasses of sparkling wine for Valentine's Day. We weren't offered anything. It wasn't written anywhere and it wasn't something we were supposed to, but seeing this treatment reserved for other tables and not ours left us feeling unpleasant. Furthermore, at checkout, we heard that some tables were being asked how their evening had gone. We weren't asked this question. This, combined with the rest, gives the impression that they prefer to ask for feedback only when they're certain it will be positive. A post-it note had been placed on the menu indicating a €5 cover charge per person for Valentine's Day. This was a legitimate choice, but, combined with the overall organization of the evening, it gave the impression that management was more focused on the number of seats than on the quality of the experience. We know the place and are aware of the price point, so we were prepared. For this very reason, however, we would have expected service to match the quality of the food. The sushi is worth it, but this time the overall experience was not positive.