Tokyo Japanese Steak House — Restaurant in Smyrna

I have celiac disease and was after taking multiple precautions glutened. I saw reviews on an app called find me gluten free which is very helpful for people with celiac disease/gluten intolerances as it can be very anxiety inducing eating out. The reviews were helpful and were positive except for one saying to remind the waiters of an allergy, so we decided we would go in and ask about Celiac safe options and if they weren’t great or I felt anxious about it we would go to a pizza joint near by that was celiac safe. We asked the hostess about celiac safe options she assured me that I could have the hibachi dinner and they would cook all the food in the back to get rid of cross contamination risks. We said great and got seated. I told the waitress right away that I was gluten free even though she was only taking drink orders. When she took out actual orders I said again I am celiac and she assured me that everything was made in the back and would be adapted to gluten free. She came back again as she asked for the dressing for our salads I asked what is gluten free and she went and asked someone to double check, which is nice to know she wanted to make sure it was gluten free. We started with a soup to which she gave everyone there soups first and than handed me mine and said gluten free. However it was not gluten free and contained deep fried onions (I believe that’s what they were), that had been coated in wheat flour and put in a shared deep fryer. I was not told this was gluten free till the chef came to the table and asked me what dressing I had on the salad and to make sure not to eat the soup as it was not gluten free. I said she already gave me the soup and said gluten free to which he than pulled someone else into the conversation. He said the soup is not gluten free and if I would like a different soup instead (mind you soup was the first course, salad the second and they had at this point already been cleared form the table). When I said I was already given the soup he said you shouldn’t have eaten it and that he was sorry. I was tempted to just get up from the table and leave however the person with me had already ordered and was excited about hibachi, and the entire table was looking and listening to this conversation. It is hard eating out with celiac and the anxiety that comes with it for many people is plentiful. I stayed wearily ate the rest of my meal triple checking everything was gluten free. Not that you should expect it but I was thinking they would discount something for glutening me or atleast get an apology at the end of the meal from a manager, but nothing just bye. Along with this the person I was with had an allergic reaction from there meal after receiving shrimp with there meal after asking for it without (two other people at our table asked for no shrimp and received it as well) . Please do not claim to be gluten free and have many precautions in place if not. I’d rather have been told there is a risk of contaminants at the door so I could’ve made sure I went some where safe instead of being in the boat I am in now to which I will likely be sick for...

Let me begin this review with saying I have been eating here ever since they opened and have given them a lot of business… both eating in the restaurant and to go orders always large orders as well we always tip great ect and I feel I have given plenty of chances and looked over many things for many years now and I am finally fed up with their lack of customer service…. If you order Togo they cut your order amount in half but charge the same amount and they also will not give you sauce without wanting to charge you per cup so me thinking that’s because of the cup so I even said you can just put the sauce on it and they still want to charge you .. yet when you eat in the restaurant they bring you whatever sauce you request… it just blows my Mind that they will refuse to give you the sauce you request… also we do not request a ridiculous amount of sauce just ask that it be put on the sushi or even on the side if needed and then they always say it doesn’t come with that sauce …. That’s like telling a customer that only ketchup is included with ordering fries … when the customer requests a pack of mustard with their fries and then trying to charge them for the mustard “because it doesn’t come with mustard” see how silly that sounds… they also make crazy menu changes and don’t actually change the menu they just verbally say it after you order and don’t get what you wanted… I have many complaints with this place and we only eat here due to the convenience over going to Knoxville but it looks like we will just have to start waiting for our Knoxville trips or eating other types of food when we choose to eat in crossville … because this happens almost every time we order from them … the waitresses are always great! It’s more the owners and owners wife that give you the hard time and I just feel if you are giving a restaurant this type of business they could work on their customer service skills and give you the type of sauce you ask for without fighting with you about it ever time. They can’t keep help do to the way they run their restaurant and treat their customers along with their employees and the entire place could use a Good cleaning…. It takes a lot for me to leave a bad review so if I do that’s saying a lot. Their food is fine for what we have to choose from in crossville but it’s definitely nothing compared to going to Knoxville. I will not be dining with them any longer and feel others should know the type of service you get when ordering with...

I called ahead to check on pricing and what items came with a particular to-go meal. The team answered the phone quickly and gave confident answers, but let me know that their system would not allow me to order for a specific time. I called back about 15 minutes before I wanted to pick up my food and, once again, the phone was answered quickly and confidently.

I arrived and immediately know that I was going to give this place a good review. The restaurant smelled delicious, yes, but the staff were all incredibly responsive and friendly. The host quickly went to get my food and was ready to make adjustments on how I needed to pay. Over the phone, I forgot to ask for ginger. As the host ran to the back to get my sauce, someone saw me waiting and within seconds asked if I was being helped. He wasn't the last one.

When I got back to work to eat my lunch, I noticed how much food came with a $15 lunch special. If I were a more responsible person, I could easily have split it all into 2-3 meals. The only reason I took a star off was the soup, salad dressing, and white sauce all tasted slightly differently than other hibachi restaurants. It wasn't bad, just different. The fried pork, fried rice, egg roll, and sushi were all delicious, as were the ginger, white sauce (different but still tasty!), and the tonkatsu sauce.

This team went above and beyond to make my little to-go order feel welcomed and wanted. I don't eat out a ton, as my wife and I are trying to save money, so I want my dollars to count. I truly feel like the excellence in service, amount and quality of the food all make this a place I will definitely be...