Tanaka of Tokyo West — Restaurant in Honolulu

Really disappointed in the overall quality and service of everything and especially at the price point.

We waited outside even when making a reservation and even after seated it took probably near 10 minutes to order and another 20 for the chef to come to start.

The chef was quiet and unenthusiastic. Watching other tables it was clear he wasn't doing a lot of the normal hibachi tricks all the other tables were getting. He didn't do anything special with the fried rice whereas other tables got a show. We watched other chefs spin or toss the eggs and have them Crack as they landed on the spatula. Our chef simply cracked the eggs with his hand. Other chefs shaped their rice into a heart or even made a pikachu as seen on photos online. Our chef just mixed it all together and made fried rice. I understand he did make the food okay but when you're paying a premium for the show I do want a show.

The steak was alright but cooked really inconsistently. We all ordered medium rare and one came out rare and two came out more medium well. Steak was also not seasoned very well.

In the end we realized we never got our shrimp appetizer because one of us 3 mentioned they were allergic. We were sharing the grill with another couple and I dont know if they ever noticed that they missed out on the entire appetizer because of one person at the table not even in their group. I would have loved if they asked us to either substitute it with something else or made it in the back and brought it out separately. I don't understand how they could just not serve it and not tell us they weren't serving it.

For my birthday, we ordered the 9" cake and it came out and they sang a song for me. I blew out the candle and they left. We were then left with this cake with 0 utensils and no knife for 15-20 minutes until they came to give us the check. I don't understand how they expected us to eat an unsliced cake with nothing.

All in all, way too much waiting watching other chefs perform and talk to their guests much better than ours which just made us sadder and sadder. Paid over $200 for 3 people and didn't get a great experience for my birthday. Maybe the experience is better if you get a better chef but I wouldn't go again...

Got seated, took a while just for the chef to come out. Took longer for the food to come out for everything to get started. our alcohol drinks took a while too but regular drinks came at an ok pace. Food was alright. The steak was super juicy just not a whole lot of flavor as well as the shrimp and everything else we had. You’d think it’d be a lot better for the price but oh well. Our chef was great and our server was good. Lots of energy and attentiveness. Pretty much the only thing that’s saving this from being a 1 star. In the middle of ordering dude comes and says the restaurant is partnered with somebody or something I don’t really remember. Anyway he says they’re taking complimentary pictures so we’re excited. Towards the end of the dinner he comes back with ONE complimentary picture, no frame And a bunch of other pictures all nice and framed up. We’re happy and he hits us with “these are $15 each” so we’re like whatever and still buy about 7-10 pictures. Took forever to get our check after asking multiple times because we had a reservation for the escape rooms so we were trying to just pay and go since we were already late due to everything taking so long. Waited 30-40 damn minutes for a check. I cannot even begin or try to understand at all why it takes that long for a receipt. After finally getting our checks and paying we get our receipts back. This was Saturday August 2nd. They just contacted one of us THREE DAYS LATER! ( August 5th ) at NIGHT TIME mind you. saying that payment didn’t go through and we didn’t pay & they’re going to take action and file a report against us because the person they contacted didn’t respond. They were on a flight back to the mainland, just visiting home. Nothing she can do on the plane. So not only did they have three whole days to say something, they give us a receipt for a paid bill. WHY DID WE GET A RECEIPT THAT SAID PAID IF IT APPARENTLY DIDN’T GO THROUGH? How do you take that long to charge someone out AND STILL MESS UP? & then threatening to file something because of their lack of? If that even is actually the case or they were just trying to scam us out of 500 more dollars for sub par food. Insanely ridiculous. Won’t ever...

I had reservations for 6:45 at Tanaka of Tokyo. The called me at 6:03 saying I was not welcome to come back because I don’t tip. I’m a regular customer I’m even on the vip list so I’m not understanding where these allegations are from. The manager also said that the cooks doesn’t feel comfortable serving me as if I’m a criminal. She said that they rely on tips to live, which is the responsibility of the restaurant as they should be taking care of their employees tips should be extra. But I guarantee I always tip whenever I go. But if I didn’t there’s no mandatory rule that’s say I have to tip. But I ensure I always tip bcuz the service is really great. I also have a video from the restaurant of them turning around me and my party. I was recognized as soon as I walked in so that should let you know that I’m a regular customer I’ve been coming there for years and now you say I haven’t tipped the last two times don’t come back.

Now the manager replied saying I was bringing outside food, yes I brought my own salad dressing because I didn’t eat the onion dressing, which is confusing because you said at first it was because I didn’t tip now it’s because I’m bringing outside food(salad dressing) which one is it. And yes they are very racist you saw black people walk in and insisted on approaching us. After all the embarrassment you caused me I still was able to get food tonight, try harder next time. I don’t have to be there I can have friends and family to come order food and take it out once the show is over. Make up your mind at first you said it’s because I don’t tip which I’m not obligated to now you’re saying I’m bringing in outside food. Check the times I’ve been there over, 10 and now all of the sudden you’re concerned about the safety of your employees. I will be taking this video and voice recording to social media. So they can hear the real reason you claim to not allow me back in the establishment is because...