Empire Steak House Roppongi — Restaurant in Tokyo

My adult son and I had a long exhausting day traveling from Kinosaki back to Tokyo, packing me up and getting me checked into the Candeo Hotel. I was tired and hungry. After showering I wanted a good bourbon and a nice steak.

From the moment we walked in I could feel the judgement of the staff from the hostess to the maître D. The condescension was obvious and pointed. Seeing that we were already there, seated and hungry, I decided we would stay and eat.

Although the bourbon was good and the steak delicious, the meal was ruined by the rushed service and contemptuous stares from the staff. Their continuous glances and open expressions of derision were obvious. After barely finishing our last bites the server rushed over with our bill and stood waiting for payment.

I've never been made to feel more unwelcome in a fine dining restaurant where I spent over $200! Although the meal was good the service was appalling and disgusting. I'd never return nor recommend...

It was a long awaited dinner for both hello & good-bye.

Hello to the brand spanking new steak hot spot and good-bye to a friendship.

What better occasion than a meal fit for a king - or Emperor in this case. The jumbo shrimp starter was New York sized indeed, and the signature Empire salad really satisfying if quaintly sized.

And when the steak finally arrived, it was indeed a meal for a king-sized appetite. Succulent and meaty in the traditional dry-aged American way, it could be cut with a fork and was satisfyingly chewy soft.

Perfectly blended, it had a bite that belied it's tender leanish marbling. Decidedly different from the local "kuro wagyu" but none the less satisfying. 'Nuf said.

The wine selections are varied but spot on, and quite extensive. Do your homework!

Value is always a relative judgement. EHS is expensive, but memories are priceless.

Though there will be farewells, this meal will live long...

My friends and I came to this restaurant very last minute, an hour before closing. We had planned to visit Roppongi/Tokyo for the weekend for just the night-life experience, so we weren't dressed aesthetically for this restaurant. However, we came and got a table for four. The food was very delicious and the service was extremely nice. We also got the opportunity to meet the owner on Saturday night. Coincidently, he was sitting at the bar and my friends and I had a great conversation with him. Next time we will plan to come and make a reservation, and enjoy the ambiance. I do recommend this restaurant. Especially for a date night, anniversary or a birthday. The next time I will come and post pictures of the fantastic food,...