Japanese Palace — Restaurant in Fort Worth

Alright, folks, fasten your seatbelts, because I'm about to take you on a culinary journey to a place that's been knocking the socks off Fort Worth's food scene since bell bottoms were in fashion. I'm talking about the legendary, the one-and-only, Japanese Palace. This locally operated gem has been firing up the hibachi and dishing out top-tier Japanese fare since 1975. Yes, you read that right. They've been at it longer than most of us have been alive!

From the moment you walk into Japanese Palace, you're whisked away on a journey straight to the heart of Tokyo. The decor is as authentically Japanese as a haiku about cherry blossoms, and the atmosphere is so welcoming, you'd think you just walked into your grandma's house. If, you know, your grandma was a hibachi chef in Fort Worth, Texas.

Now, let's get down to the nitty-gritty: the food. I swear on my momma's cowboy boots, the hibachi here is so good it should be illegal. The chef's knife skills are flashier than a Vegas magic show, and the sizzle of the grill is sweeter music to my ears than Willie Nelson strumming on Trigger. The steak is seared to perfection, with a melt-in-your-mouth tenderness that would bring a tear to a samurai's eye.

But let me tell you, the culinary party doesn't stop at hibachi. Their sushi rolls are tighter than a new pair of Wranglers, packed full of the freshest fish this side of the Pacific. And the teriyaki chicken? So flavorful, I'm half convinced it's been marinated in unicorn tears. Every dish comes out of the kitchen like a work of art so beautiful, you almost feel bad for eating it. Almost.

And hey, let's not forget the sake! I'm talking about that warm, comforting nectar of the gods that makes your insides feel as toasty as a Texas campfire under the stars. The list is longer than a country mile, with something to please every palate.

The service at Japanese Palace is as refreshing as a cool breeze on a hot Texas afternoon. The staff treats you like you're part of the family. Y'all, I've been to rodeos that weren't this much fun.

If you're still reading this, I reckon you're either stuck in traffic or your boots are glued to the floor. 'Cause let me tell ya, partner, if you ain't making a beeline for Japanese Palace by now, you're missing out on the most authentically fun and delicious Japanese experience this side of Tokyo. So get off your saddle, round up your posse, and mosey on down to the Japanese Palace. You'll be grinning wider than a jackrabbit in a carrot patch. And that, my friend, is a...

Right off the bat, they advertise that they open at 5:00pm. We got there at 4:57 and people were already being seated. The parking lot was already nearly packed. We were able to find a parking space. We couldn't get seated right away. I expected that, due to the amount of cars in the parking lot. They did an admirable job getting everyone seated so quickly. They gave us a blinker to let us know when they were ready to seat us. After about 15 minutes they were ready for us. It's a Hibachi style restaurant so the food is made right in front of you. The soup/broth they bring is very hot, so take care and it very flavorful. The water doesn't have an after taste, which I really loved. The house salad was small, but very good. It was cold and the dressing complimented it well. I had the tempura veggies with the Emperor's Dinner. The tempura was delicious, the veggies were still crisp and the batter was lightly crunchy. The sauces were killer. There was a "show" that accompanied the meal, but our chef must have been new or nervous. It was not what I have come to expect from previous Hibachi experiences. As I said, the chef might have been new or nervous or just had a bad night. Things happen. I can accept that. My disappointment and the reason for the 4 star vs a 5 star rating was the lobster and steak. For $62.00 just for my dinner, I wasn't expecting steak house quality, but I did expect better than what was delivered. They advertise a New York strip aged to perfection. The steak and lobster both fell flat. The steak was very chewy, and the lobster didn't feel right when I bit into it. I had read the reviews before I went. I might have pumped the place up in my mind and expected far more than was delivered. There are a LOT of folks that love this place. I guess I hit it on a bad night. We will go back, but I will set my sights lower and go...

What a TERRIBLE experience. Ordered a tea, my husband and daughters drinks came out, the tea never came, so I asked for a coke instead. Had to ask 4 more times for my come to come. Then, being 4 months pregnant, I didn't realize every single thing besides tempura veggies in the bento box would be raw. When the waitress brought it out, before she set it down, I apologized and told her I did not realize everything would be raw and being pregnant I could not eat it. So instead of taking it away immediately she set it down in front of me to be contaminated and said she had to go get the manager. The manager came over and I again explained I didn't know what the words meant and I was really sorry but I couldn't eat it. She looked at me rude ly and told me it says what's in the box on the menu. I told her I understand that but I really didn't know what the words meant and that was my mistake but I'm pregnant and I cannot eat raw fish. She then pointed at The temper of vegetables and told me those were cooked. I told her I'm not paying $28 for some fried vegetables. She picked it up angrily and walked away without another word and they let me pick something else. we ended up having to leave because our two year old was terrified of the fire on the grill and we didn't want her disrupting other guests. My husband paid at the front and the waitress came over and started digging through our stuff still on the table while I waited for the rest of the food so I could back it up. She told me he said he left the tip on the table and I said I didn't know about that. She then brought me the change from where he had paid cash at the front and I said that's the tip and she stood over me until I finished bagging our food and left. Very awkward we...