HIBACHI Restaurant — Restaurant in Christchurch

We ordered the $98 set menu, mainly drawn by the promise of A5 Japanese Wagyu.

Final verdict: Service: 4.8/5 Food: 3.5/5

Service was excellent — attentive without being overbearing. Staff seemed aware of customers’ needs without us needing to press the service bell. However, there was some noticeable waiting time between dishes.

Appetizers were well-executed. The salad with sesame dressing was refreshing and opened up the appetite. The wasabi served with the sashimi was real — not the industrial kind, which was a nice touch. That said, the edamame was served warm, which we’re not quite used to. The wagyu tataki was sliced very thinly — so thin it felt like the dish was more about the garnish than the meat itself. Since it was our first time having tataki, we’re not sure if that portioning is typical.

Now to the highlight — the Wagyu selection, which included both New Zealand and Japanese Wagyu. Before ordering, we specifically asked if the Japanese Wagyu was truly imported, and they said yes. We’ve had Wagyu in Japan before that literally melts in your mouth. In contrast, the one here still had a noticeable chew. Some cuts were inconsistently sized — one was nearly 70% fat, which made it hard to enjoy. It’s possible we didn’t grill it properly, but the texture was underwhelming. The New Zealand Wagyu was decent — not exceptionally marbled, but flavorful enough, especially paired with rice.

Speaking of rice, it was on the firmer side. For a Japanese-style restaurant, I believe this is something that can be improved. We’ve had much better rice elsewhere — soft, fluffy, with a nice chew.

We also ordered scallops and Wagyu tongue separately. I won’t comment on the tongue since I don’t have a reference for comparison. As for the scallops, they were very small — almost like they were halved. I’ve never had scallops that tiny, so I’m not sure if it’s intentional or just how they come. Slightly fishy, but still within an acceptable range.

The dessert was ice cream, but parts of it were frozen solid — not something I’d expect from a restaurant of this level.

Final thoughts: Worth a one-time visit, but personally, I...

Environment very good 4 star Food quality very good 4 star Menu options average 3 star (tapas name food option on Japanese cuisine is totally weird) Price very high according to the service 2 star Service, really bad. No management no order no training just people running around without knowing exactly what how where and when to do things totally uncoordinated between them. One hour till the first order come to table Two waiters need to ask for bring us some water Three waiters passing by ask us if they won’t us to take the menu list out of the table and we said no to all of them and explained to all we may want to order something extra later. Until a fourth waiter pass by took them without asking. An order was missed that we reminded two waiters and still nothing. At least the only positive is that they offer a free sake, that’s the reason for the one star. Then we getting closer to finish our dinner and continuously waiters were passing by and asking to take dishes out of the table when we were still eating like they wanted us to live, although the restaurant was more than half empty. It’s sad to see new businesses starting and falling so dramatically on the service. Restaurants are in the hospitality industry and services are the number one thing next to the food quality that they...

📍Christchurch’s Stunning Japanese BBQ – HIBACHI 🍖✨

Just discovered a next-level Japanese BBQ spot in Christchurch – HIBACHI, and I’m honestly still dreaming about it 🤤 Every dish was like art on a plate!

🍣 Scallop Sashimi Melt-in-your-mouth fresh scallops paired with slices of kumquat – sweet, tangy, refreshing! Plus, the edible flowers? Chef’s kiss 💐

🐙 Tacowasa (Octopus with Wasabi) If you like a little kick, this is it! Crunchy octopus mixed with wasabi that hits just right – super addictive as a starter!

🐄 Beef Tataki Lightly seared premium beef with microgreens and dipping sauce – juicy, tender, and packed with umami. This was gone in seconds 😍

🥩 Wagyu Platter The highlight of the night! Two gorgeous platters of A5-style marbled Wagyu. From rib cuts to sirloin – grilled to perfection, buttery soft, and exploding with flavor. The marbling was insane 🔥

📸 Everything was beautifully plated – honestly felt like I was eating gourmet art. If you’re into Japanese food or premium BBQ, this place is a MUST.

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🎉 Perfect spot for dates, birthdays, or just treating yourself. Stylish but chill vibe. Definitely book ahead –...