Nikko Hibachi — Restaurant in New York

Where do I begin with my review. To start, I want to state all the positive in my experience before we dive into the negative. As a start, I was happy there is parking out in the back, I was accommodated with seating quickly without a reservation. The hibachi experience was great; hibachi chef put on a show that made us laugh and feel better after all. Most importantly we were there to celebrate my sons 5th grade graduation. Now, let’s dive my family and I arrived to NIKKO around 12pm. Restaurant opens at 1130am but working in the service industry myself know that although we say we are open at 1130 we are not ready until 12pm. Upon entering the establishment, we were asked if we wanted regular seating or Hibachi lunch- I misunderstood what I was asked and quickly replied regular. My husband upon sitting asked the host if the hibachi area was available, the host immediately jumped out annoyed and said I asked you guys hibachi or regular. My fault is that I understood “bachelorette or regular”. Please spare me grace, yesterday it was 100 degrees in NYC, and I was hot and dehydrated. We are promptly seated at the Hibachi area; there was another family who arrived minutes before we did. Mentally, I prepared myself that there was going to be wait before a server came over. But let me tell you that we were sitting at our table for 20 mins, probably more, being generous before we were greeted. I want to emphasize here again that I work in the hospitality and we go out to eat pretty often and have picked up on terrible experience before it begins. My husband said to my brother and son out loud that he already knows what experience we are about to encounter so make sure that we order everything we may need. The server immediately jumped in to take our orders, we placed our drinks, apps, food extra bottle water because they don’t offer you anything that you are not paying for. My husband is asking the server that he is interested in the Japanese Saki, my husband can’t pronounce the name of it but he is pointing at what he wants. To confirm my husband asked the server for the pronunciation of the saki. The menus are sheets of paper stuffed in a menu case that does not fit so everything looks stuff in. The server aggressively replied “ I, don’t know I am not Japanese”. As a server you are supposed to know pronunciation, what goes in every dish if there is allergies or whatever upsell too. Hello, we do not need to be a certain race to know certain things but if I am working in an Italian restaurant I should know how to pronounce and describe what’s in the menu. My husband, to avoid any further back and forth just pointed at it and told her that is what he wants. I ordered a lychee martini. I noticed that the food came out quick our apps, main dishes. The chef made the rice; veggies and mid-way through I noticed that my Lychee Martini had not come out. We had placed this a while ago so I called the server over and asked about my Lychee Martini. She did reply that she would check with the bartender, okay. Continuing with my meal, now I am finishing up the main course and I was hot, parched and drank my husband’s soda at this point I asked her again where my martini is she aggressively said I do not know and walked away. I loudly got upset and said how the F you are upset at me if I am nearly done eating. A minute later the server appears with my drink. She tried to walk off quick, so I called her back and asked what the status of my husband drink was, the Saki. Her reply was oh- I do not know. My husband is not trying to ruin lunch very kindly and said I do not want it anymore. The check comes we are a party of 4 and bam automatic gratuity for such a shitty as service. We paid for the shitty service which thinking back I should have said to remove. So please be aware the service sucks and remember to tip your hibachi chef. He will ask if everything is okay three times after cleaning the stove, but I did not mind tipping him the cash...

SERVICE Very good service. Accommodating with my seat selection as well as my food allergy(shrimp). Everyone from beginning to end treated me and my wife with kindness and respect. Appetizers came on time as well as a couple of side dish they provide free salads and soup. Very well ran business establishment.

ATMOSPHERE Nice atmosphere. Very nice dimmed lighting throughout restaurant. Nice crowd of ppl of all ages and race very diversified throughout. May not be a lot of free parking but worth parking between residential blocks and walking.

FOOD Food amazing. Food was really good. I had steak and salmon combination with fried rice and vegetables. Everything I have eaten was delicious. The appetizer were great to had chicken wings and duck rolls which was my favorite. Food cooked in face and prepared on your plate. Love all the sauces provided. Even the salad that they start you off with was really good and fresh. Dessert was great too. I had the fried cheesecake that was really good. Food gets A+++++++.

PRICE Price is decent and falls on line with other restaurants. For a couple or two ppl it cost me about 123.00. That's for a full bottle of wine 2 appetizers two specialty entrees and dessert. Wine bottle was 36 so that was a big portion of the overall price. Pricing seems in line with others.

ENTERTAINMENT Entertainment was awesome. The cook was very funny and adaptable. Kept everyone well engaged all while respecting conversations. Had fun the whole time watching the food sizzle as well as cooks funny acts.

SUMMARY In recap this is a place I would definitely recommend and come to many times in the future. If you have a family or couple this place is suitable. Also time I came in was 630pm which was the best time as...

A bit pricey but nice & comfortable. Portions aren't too big but overall okay. Friendly staff.

EDIT** I've been here a few times and prior to this final time I found it to be okay.  Acceptable food as in fresh sushi, seemingly polite service, cleanly atmosphere, but so-so to poorly flavored rolls, & overall small portions.  But my last experience was very poor and as a result will ultimately be my last.

Came here on a Saturday for a lunch service between 11:30am to 12:30pm.  So not exactly a prime time for a Saturday because we were the first to arrive and as we were about to leave their 2nd party just sat down for.  For the 1st half of lunch all started as it always did - okay service with only minor mishaps(forgot to serve rice with my sushi-no biggie), okay food.

HOWEVER, towards the end of the meal while I was still eating they presented the check to my table.  Okay I thought, a bit rude but I'll just let it slide & put down my credit card after I'm done eating.  Well, 1~2 minutes later the server comes by to take the empty check.  Also somewhere in the middle of all this they attempted to clear the plate I was still working on.  Within minutes another server came to ask us if "we wanted anything else.". Really?  Wow.  In any case I paid & left not long after that.  So you might be thinking we'll there must be some valid for all this.  Was I there for ages?  Nope - under an hour.  Was my party of two unruly?  Nope again - just 1 physically disabled middle aged man & a senior who were nothing but courteous and proper.  Whatever their reasons I just wanted to let them know - yes point taken. ...