I wasted 2 of my birthdays here, as I tried to give them a second chance. I don't have much details of the first one spent here, but here are the details from my second one:
When we arrived, there was a bunch of spilt food underneath our table. Which wasn't a good start to the night.
Second of all (and maybe most important), what hibachi place DOES NOT have any yum-yum sauce?! Their sauce (which was like a horseradish/ginger one) can't even compare to traditional yum-yum sauce.
Their fried rice was dry because they don't put in any butter or margarine like they do at other hibachi places that I've been to. I guess this makes it a bit healthier, but no one comes to hibachi to be healthy (maybe they do try to be healthier without the yum-yum sauce too?). But, they charge an EXTRA $3 to actually get the fried rice, which would be fine if it actually tasted like hibachi!
For birthdays, they give you a dressed up pineapple with whipped cream and chocolate drizzle. I know this from my first birthday here. It was a nice treat then. However, on my second birthday here, the server was way too quick to leave our table before we could even bring it up. But, she literally looked at my ID for me to get a beer (while taking other people's orders) which they could've made the realization that it was my actual birthday if they actually looked at my DOB. So when we finally got the chance to bring it up, they said that they had already closed up the part of the kitchen that makes those treats, even though it was still within their open business hours. So that was a bummer.
They also did not have the beer that I had ordered from their menu so I had to get an alternative beer.
The other half of our table got asked what they wanted for desert as I guess if you get the more expensive hibachi plates, it comes included, which wasn't clear to us from looking at the menu. Looking back at it, they have two sections: "Complete Dinner" and "Special Dinner"--this one is where dinners come with desert. But the special dinner section is marked up with fancy names, so we just went back and read the section that made the most sense to us non-Japanese readers, which was the "Complete Dinner" section. Anyways, it was awkward because our half of the table wasn't even asked if we wanted any deserts regardless. I was later told that they should have asked, because even though it would've been extra, a scoop of their ice cream only costs a $1!! We would have loved to indulge in that, especially in lieu of the pineapple for my birthday.
Now about the actual hibachi chef... he was kind but we noticed a few things. Normally we expect a somewhat entertaining show, as you'd expect from hibachi, but this time it was lackluster. We only got the big open flame, an sad onion volcano, and some short-lived egg spinning. He also did not get out all of the shells from the eggs that went into the fried rice. The chef also had his little order slip right in front of him, on the emergency sprayers, but he still got it wrong; he gave someone else at our table my steak, when they had ordered the chicken. If I wasn't drinking and the other person wasn't cool about giving it back, we would've had a big problem. The steak itself was mid. My wife got the salmon which was only good with the sweet glaze that they put on it.
The only food rating star that was well-deserved was from the Tyson Sushi Roll. Which was very delicious. We got it both times, but we forgot that we ordered it for my first birthday, so it was kinda funny that ended up picking it out again. If you find yourself coming here even after reading my review, know that this sushi roll is really good!
For as much business as this place seems to get and how highly rated it is (currently at 4.4), I am surprised we had not 1 but 2 overall unsatisfactory visits.
Send my regards to...
Read moreI don't think I've ever had a more hilariously terrible experience at a restaurant, especially one so highly rated. We had planned to order sushi and some hibachi. When we checked in we were told hibachi would be a 30 minute wait but tables were available immediately in sushi. We agreed to sit in sushi and were then advised they were OUT OF RICE (I don't understand either, but okay) and it would be another 30 minutes before we could order sushi. Since it would be 30 minutes either way we decided to wait for a hibachi table. Almost exactly 30 minutes later we were seated at a hibachi table with another party. About 5 minutes later the server came to take our food and drink order. I have a severe mushroom allergy, which we notified the server of. We asked that an alert be placed on both of our orders so we could share. He confirmed and placed the order. About 5 minutes after that, another party was also seated at our table. Our server came back about 10 minutes later to take their order too. Over 20 minutes later they finally brought out soup and salad. It was then another 10-15 minutes until the hibachi chef arrived. He began cooking the veggies and rice. The show was decent, until he grabbed a huge bowl of mushrooms and tossed it right into the center of the grill. He then realized his mistake, saying "that's not good" and proceeded to scoop them back into the bowl. After removing them from the grill he looked at my partner and me and said "it's ok, right?" I slowly shook my head, absolutely dumbfounded. This man clearly knows nothing about food safety or cross-contamination. I had to pull out me EpiPen and show it to him before he asked that our meal be prepared in the kitchen. We finally received our meals, but we did not get a dish for soy sauce. I requested one and waited. And waited. And waited. Concluding that the server had forgotten, my partner went to the sushi bar and requested one for me. The server came to the table to check on us about 5 minutes later, noting that we had retrieved our own dish and apologizing for forgetting. He then advised us that they had run out of rice (again???) for the hibachi entree. We requested a free upgrade to noodles and he magically produced rice. We then asked for more water and he departed to retrieve it. 10 minutes later we were both out of water and the server was nowhere in sight. I was considering putting my glass on the grill at this point to melt the ice. He eventually returned empty-handed, saw our empty glasses, and spun around so fast to get a pitcher I think he left shoe tread on the carpet. We paid as soon as we could and left, thankful to still be breathing (quite literally). Overall an underwhelming dining experience, with a touch of "this might kill me" thrown in for good measure. At least the...
Read moreI was a dine in customer at 7:54 on Saturday evening according to my receipt. Sat at the front bar area alone and ordered a sushi roll and cocktail. Close to 8:15 the bartender asked if I’d like another drink. I declined, but mentioned a friend planned to join me and another friend had requested a takeout roll.
At that point I was told the kitchen would be closing within two minutes so I’d need to place an order. Because I anticipated one joining me and didn’t know what they’d like to eat, I commented that their sign on the door noted open until 10. Bartender replied that their website reflects current hours.
She then proceeded to rush me as I was texting to get a full to go order and let the one joining me know not to bother showing up. Not only was the kitchen closed, but they shut off the tvs and said that once the table near me cleared out they’d be closed. I was urged to phone my friend for their order rather than text and was made to feel hurried and unwelcome.
Guessed at an to go order on my friend’s behalf and he came in, thinking perhaps the kitchen was closed but he’d be able to sit and eat his roll but clearly they were closing and inhospitable.
I asked to speak to a manager given the discrepancy between their door posted hours and claimed hours and the young man who came over told me they do have the 8:15 closing time posted on the door, making me feel like I must be crazy since I was certain the posted hours were until 10.
On leaving, I turned to check the doors (there is one set of double doors), both of which prominently show their full hours and lo and behold, plainly indicate open until 10 pm on Saturday. My friend and I were both perplexed and I turned to look again at the printed hours. I then noticed that only the left door had what appeared to be a label maker sign with current hours stuck to the glass, under one of the two offical-looking prints that reflected open until 10. Additionally, the label maker type hours read 8:30 not 8:15.
Points being, 1. What restaurant with a full bar closes at 8:15 on Saturday night? 2. Why make your customer feel rushed and unwelcomed? 3. Why would you not at least cover your old hours with new hours? 4. If you close at 8:30, which only one of three references showed, your kitchen should remain open until then and you should continue to serve your guests until they have finished dining. 5. Why charge your customer full price, offer no apology, and argue that your correct hours are on the door when it’s minuscule print beneath two other opposing signs showing open later?
Really uncool. And sushi was average at best. I...
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