Sumo Japanese Steakhouse — Restaurant in San Antonio

I've been to Sumo a number of times but I've only come here once on my own volition. My best friend loves to come here so I'm often forced to go, however, it's not my favorite place to dine, not by a long shot. This restaurant used to be a Benihana (which my best friend has never gone to) and it is evident that Sumo is a watered down remnant of what this restaurant used to be. Everytime we go, within minutes of arriving, I attempt to explain to my BFF the magic of what walking into a Benihana was like and every time, she simply rolls her eyes and pretends to listen as I talk about porcelain geisha shaped drink vessels, the sushi bar, and bamboo and rice paper dividing walls. The interior of Sumo was haphazardly smacked together after the franchise license for Bennihana was lost and this is evident by the missing paint, tired and peeling counter tops, dented teplanyaki grills, old leather inspired seats that are peeling and dust filled rafters. When you walk in, it's dimly lit and the black color scheme inside make you feel like you're dining in a cave. Nothing in the restaurant is pleasant to look at. The Japanese theme is only in the name as it does a poor job of remaking the Japanese ambiance that most teplanyakis have. This restaurant takes no pride in its presentation and it's evident that the proprietors of the place simply don't care. Every time I come in, it seems like half the restaurant is shut down and it's never incredibly lively and buzzing like it used to be when it was a Benihana. It's been 3 years after COVID, and I'm still being handed a poorly xeroxed menu which is unacceptable when I'm spending upwards of $60 a plate. The only bright spot of the restaurant are the teplanyaki cooks who are quite good and entertaining. However, despite their prowess on the grill, I always find that the food quality is fair but not great. The quality of the ingredients is definitely lacking and that shines through with every lackluster bite. When forced to go, I genuinely used to enjoy the fried rice but something has changed and it's not near as good as it used to be. I also used to enjoy the yum yum sauce and the ginger dipping sauce, but much like the restaurant, these sauces have been watered down too and and is nothing like what it was before. There are better teppanyaki grills in town that offer better food at better prices in a much more pleasing ambiance. I kept seeing commercials that they were opening up a hibachi bar, however I wish these funds would have been reallocated to renovating the restaurant and making it seem like a place you want to be if you're going to spend $200 plus dollars on your date night. Somehow this restaurant was voted the best steakhouse in town and I'm not sure why when you've got the likes of Bohannon's, Myron's, and others that I would much rather spend the cash on. I love what Sumo is trying to do, but the execution is an abysmal nightmare. Sumo reminds me of trying to paint a watercolor painting with the water you use to clean the brushes with; yeah, they were all once vibrant colors but now it's a gray jumbled and contorted mess with only hints of the colors that...

I recently took my family to Sumo Japanese Steakhouse for my niece's birthday, and it was hands down one of the worst dining experiences we've ever had. What should have been a celebratory night turned into a complete fiasco, leaving us all frustrated, ripped off, and in my case, physically ill. From the moment we arrived, the place screamed neglect—the exterior is rundown and uninviting, and the interior hasn't been updated in decades, with faded decor and a dingy atmosphere that feels more like a forgotten diner than a steakhouse. They even served our food on cheap plastic plates, which just amplified how overpriced and low-effort everything was. Our waitress was a nightmare; she completely botched multiple orders in our group, mixing up proteins and sides, and when we politely pointed it out, she acted like it was our fault for not speaking clearly enough. No apology, just attitude—it set a sour tone for the entire meal. The hibachi chef tried to salvage things with some personality and tricks, but the food was abysmal. My steak was tough and bland, my wife's chicken arrived undercooked (a huge red flag), and the portions were skimpy for the premium prices. Worst of all, I started feeling queasy before we even left—almost threw up in the car on the way home. That turned into three full days of being sick, stuck in bed with stomach issues that I can only attribute to their subpar food handling. The cherry on top? The bill for our group soared over $1,000, which is insane for such mediocre quality. For context, I just dined at a Gordon Ramsay restaurant in Vegas, and the entire meal there cost one-fifth of what we paid at Sumo—yet it was worlds better in every way. And they sneakily tacked on a mandatory 30% gratuity to every receipt without any heads-up, making us feel deceived on top of everything else. We were ready to tip based on the service (which was poor), but forcing that amount is just unethical. Do yourself a favor and avoid Sumo Japanese Steakhouse at all costs. It's not worth the money, the hassle, or the potential food poisoning. We won't be returning, and I urge you to find a better spot for your...

This was my first time at Sumo. I have mixed thoughts on the experience. I made a reservation online for 6 for my son's birthday. I didn't realize the tables sat 8 so we had 2 strangers sitting with us. I should have done my research ahead of time. I would have invited 2 more family members. Our reservations were at 6:30 during the week. They sat us on time and took our drink orders and served us miso soup and a salad. Both were okay. Not the best I have ever had. They do not have sushi right now so there was nothing for us to order, except drinks, until the chef came to our table. He didn't get to the table until 7:30. He was friendly, but not as interactive and fun as the other chefs at the other tables. However, the food was awesome! The fried rice costs a little extra, but is worth it because it is the star of the show! The steak and chicken were cooked perfectly as well as the shrimp and scallops. The vegetables were good, but were not served until after we were done with the meat and seafood. I would have liked to have it at the same time. There is no dessert on the menu, but I saw that other people brought birthday cakes. They sang happy birthday to other people in the restaurant, but not to my son. The restaurant is clean, but the furnishings are a little on the tired side and need to be updated. (One of the chairs at our table had to be replaced because it was broken.) It is also very pricey, but not upscale and elegant for that price. We spent well over $400 for the 6 of us. Gratuity is suggested at the bottom of the bill, but remember they add 18% gratuity for parties of 6 or more. We also were able to tip our chef in cash before he left the table. All in all it was an okay experience, but I am not sure I would go again. I would really like to investigate other Japanese steakhouses in...