Tanaka of Tokyo Central

Our experience at Tanaka of Tokyo in Waikiki was outstanding from start to finish. The restaurant has a lively, welcoming atmosphere, and the staff was warm and attentive. We had a reservation for a party of eight, and they were ready for us as soon as we arrived—seamless and well-organized. The food itself was excellent—we ordered a mix of their offerings, including steak and shrimp, and everyone at our table left happy and full. But what really made the night unforgettable was our chef, Roel. Roel wasn’t just a skilled chef; he was the highlight of the entire evening. He brought incredible energy, humor, and charisma to the table. He seamlessly switched between English and fluent Japanese, which impressed us even though we didn’t fully understand—it just added to the authenticity and entertainment value. He also tied in pop culture references throughout the meal, keeping the whole table engaged and laughing. His friendly, outgoing personality made the dinner feel more like a show than just a meal, and it’s clear he genuinely enjoys connecting with his guests. On top of that, the restaurant offered a professional photographer who took group photos during our meal. They gave us a few as keepsakes and offered additional ones for purchase, which was a fun touch to remember the night. Overall, Tanaka of Tokyo delivered fantastic food, great service, and an unforgettable dining experience—thanks in large part to Chef Roel, who stole the show. If you go, I can’t recommend him enough!

Had a group dinner at the Waikiki location. As it is the holiday weeks, reservation is needed especially dinner time. Hosted by chef Cyrus. He is very entertaining with his kitchen skills, and jokes. Foods are marvelous. We had a good time to dine and watch chef Cyrus preparing dishes and performing several tricks.

Came here for a birthday dinner 530pm on a Friday. Wife and I shared the kotobuki set which was the right amount food for each of us. Our food was cooked perfectly and the pace of the meal was spot on (hence the photos with half empty plates, food came out as a smooth rollout). We were offered the Japanese A5 Wagyu for $30, which apparently is a brand new offering and was debuted that day. We had it cooked medium and it was perfectly cooked to temperature. It wasn’t too buttery as some wagyu can be, and maintained that great steak flavor. Definitely recommend! The lobster was sweet and the scallops/shrimp (not pictured) were cooked beautifully and paired well with the steak. We opted for the blackened ahi appetizer and it was a great starter. Our chef was entertaining without being overbearing (imo understanding the crowd is key to being a great teppanyaki chef). We had two unrelated parties of two but there were plenty of tables with bigger groups with vibes that fit their crew. ごちそうさまでした! Thanks for the meal!

Very friendly service specifically our waitress Felicia and our chef Joseph. Food and drinks were both impeccable! Joseph kept the table alive with his humor and excellent personality. We will absolutely be returning to this establishment whenever we are in Hawaii. 10/10 HIGHLY recommended!

Since we walked in the door they acknowledge me as a regular and made the experience that much better... the entire staff was amazing. The management was wonderful the hosts amazing and Christian the chef was beyond wonderful thanks so much everyone.. you all are so amazing we love u all so much... I feel so full and happy sad we live in california and can't come at least every week but I know when we are here (about 4 times a year) we make sure we come ar least 1 time each visit if not 2 or more. We love you all.. food is beyond the best

Had an amazing experience at Tanaka of Tokyo Japanese Restaurant! The food was outstanding and everything was fresh, flavorful, and cooked right in front of us. The drinks were also delicious. The chef was not only talented but also made the meal really fun and interactive. Great atmosphere, friendly staff, and delicious food. Highly recommend if you're looking for a memorable dining experience! The owners were also very sweet and kind. Overall experience was a 10/10. Thank you!

We choose Tanaka of Tokyo Central to celebrate our daughter's 18th birthday and it was wonderful. We were seated on time and our family of 5 had our own table & chef. The Japanese Peach Sangria was amazing. Our water and soft drinks were refilled continously. Our dinners were delicious and prepared by Chef Rico with expertise, flare and humor, which we all loved. Kiyoshi served us well in a quiet and professional way, which we also loved. The staff sang happy birthday to our daughter and we enjoyed dessert that was included with our dinners. A photographer came around to take our picture. A postcard sized photo was included with our visit, but also purchased a 5 x 7 photo for $20 because it was such a nice memento. We will definitely go back the next time we are in Oahu.

We had a wonderful dinner and experience here on our final evening in Waikiki. Our Chef Cyrus was incredible. He was extremely friendly and also did some cool tricks with the utentils and the hot plate/food etc. the food was excellent, I probably could’ve shared with someone as the portions were large for me however all of our group was extremely satisfied. We had a range of the steak, teriyaki chicken and the lobster and all were excellent!! They even brought out a cake for our dad’s birthday. Overall a great dining experience and would highly recommend if you are in Waikiki and want to experience Tepanyaki.

We had the absolute best time! Our cook John was incredible and made the experience. The food was perfectly seasoned, and it was overall such an entertaining dinner. The atmosphere was a fun change from your typical dining. The live cooking and entertainment made it all worth it! Would recommend to anyone visiting Waikiki or for those who live here and want to try something new-- hopefully you get John as your chef!!

We had an amazing experience at Tanaka of Tokyo Central! Our hibachi chef, Jonah, made us feel like true Kamaʻāina from the moment we sat down -- not just diners, but the star guests of the evening. His sense of humor and the way he involved us throughout the meal was refreshing and made the whole experience so much fun. We came in early summer from the mainland and I've been meaning to leave this as my lone review from the trip for a few months now. Even though the restaurant was a little crowded, Jonah's attention to detail stood out. The grill area stayed spotless, and the care he took preparing our A5 Wagyu was much appreciated. The combination of entertainment, professionalism, and incredible food made this visit unforgettable. Highly recommend asking for Jonah if you want a memorable hibachi night and work on one's own comedy routine. Tanks Cuz

We made a reservation via OpenTable the day before, so we were able to be seated right away. The entrees came with a lot of accompaniment. Our hibachi chef was super hospitable and fun - we had 2 parties at the table, and he made everyone at the table feel comfortable. Compared to other hibachi experiences I've been to, I would say Tanaka wasn't extremely memorable, but the quality of food was decent. The total came out to around $50pp. I got the Sirloin and Shrimp (5/5) and the rest of my party got the Steak and Chicken Teriyaki (4/5) and the Ribeye (4/5). I also upgraded my rice to the Fried Rice, which did not disappoint.

This has been our most favorite hibachi restaurant. First, we didn't need a reservation and we got right in at 6pm. The host asked about any allergies and they have a menu for both dairy free and gluten free. I was blown away by how accommodating they are for allergies. They were able to cook my entire meal dairy free and gluten free. The rest of our table ate it the normal way and the chef was able to cook all the food super fast while doing both. This restaurant should be at the top of your list if you have allergies or don't eat gluten or dairy. The food was also so good. I highly recommend getting the fried rice. It's delicious. They give you a lot of food and we couldn't finish it all. Just go eat here and you won't be disappointed.

A lot of fun with very large portions of food! Jonah our chef was funny and kept us entertained the entire time! The space was really modern with some great lighting. Had a great time!

Came here to celebrate my son's birthday (the exact birthdate!). We thought this would be a fun way to celebrate while on the island. We had a chef who just cooked our meal. One of the reasons you come to a place like this and pay the $$$ is for the entertainment value which was very lacking. The food was OK - for the price you pay, i think one can get a much better meal at another decent restaurant. There was one table that had the entertaining chef as you could hear the interactions between the chef and the patrons! Our server was friendly and did a great job of making sure we were served the side dishes that accompanied our meal as well as to refresh our water etc. While they did sing and acknowledge my son's birthday with a group song and ice cream with a candle on it- Thank you! Overall, I felt that it was quite a let down.

Tanaka of Tokyo is the absolute best place to dine. Great taste, reasonably priced for the high quality of food, and a truly outstanding show and friendly atmosphere. The service is always prompt and polite. We are loyal "Tanaka-ers" and recommend everyone to visit as soon as possible. Eric is the best chef, friendly show, great conversations, and ono tasting food. Cody is the absolute BEST manager, making us all fell like family! Kiyoshi's service is right-on too! Make your reservations today!!

Pang! Pang! Pang! And corny jokes is one of the things you'll get when one goes to a Tanaka of Tokyo restaurant, Lol! On my recent adventures for holiday grub with my coworkers, we ventured out to the Waikiki Shopping Plaza for a get together at the - Tanaka of Tokyo Central for a meal. Apparently, there are (3) Tanaka of Tokyo's on Oahu. - 1. Ala Moana Shopping Center which is called Tanaka of Tokyo West. 2. Located at the Outrigger Waikiki Paradise Hotel, there is another Tanaka of Tokyo called Tanaka of Tokyo East. 3. And last of all, the restaurant I had visited last night which was called - Tanaka of Tokyo Central which is located inside of the Waikiki Shopping Plaza (3rd Floor). What can I say about the restaurant? Beautiful décor, the restaurant features certified Angus Sirlion, & thr highest quality seafood. When our chef arrived at our table, he was banging his cooking tools (spatulas) around, that's why I was saying - Pang! Pang! Pang! I guess the chef does this to get our attention, then he starts dropping all these corny jokes. Lol! As for the grub? It was as advertised, we had ordered an array of steaks & seafood items. Since I no longer do red meat I mainly stayed with the lobster, scallops, & salmon. The garlic fried rice was outstanding! So simply made, yet so good! I haven't been to a Tanaka of Tokyo for awhile, but I must stay that the restaurant still has a very strong following, as the weekday night we dined here, the restaurant was PACKED! Good food, great service, & of course an entertaining chef. Check 'em out gang!

When we are in the mood for a guarantee dinner meeting spot, or to entertain friends from out of town, Tanaka of Tokyo always over delivers!

From the moment we entered the restaurant, we were greeted with a warm welcome and ushered to our table. The waiter introduced himself and took our drink order. Christian, the chef assured us we would be well taken care of. He asked us if we had any dietary restrictions or allergies. His performance skill with his utensils was very impressive. I ordered the sirloin and lobster. The sirloin was so tender it practically melted in my mouth. The lobster was sweet and paired well with the steak. All the food prepared by Christian was seasoned perfectly. The staff was very attentive and the service was outstanding. The ambiance was warm, inviting and upscale; the perfect place to take a date, celebrate a special occasion or get together with a dozen or more of your closest friends as each table seats 8-16 people. You will leave feeling you have just enjoyed a delicious meal and a show!

We went here last month, January 2025 and it was our 2nd time. Every time I'd always a good experience dining. I ordered wagyu beef and lobster and our chef cooked it perfectly in front of us. This is a big restaurant and it gets full all the time. The ambiance is always fun and lively. I highly recommend this restaurant.

BEST TEPPANYAKI SPOT IN HAWAII! We always leave here happy and full. Great service from beginning to end, our server was sumin and she was so attentive to us and our needs (my drink was never empty!). Food is always delicious. I mean you can't go wrong when your food is prepared fresh right in front of you! Our chef Jonah did a great job taking care of our allergies and he was so funny. If you wanna support a local restaurant, visit them! They are located in the heart of Waikiki and they validate parking!

Food was very good quality is great and price was very reasonable Service was good great Ambiance very nice , overall it was a very nice experience. The chef was a bit late in arriving but the manager Eduardo Houphmann attended to us with complementary desert and appetizers.

What amazes me with Tanaka's teppanyaki is their skilled performance of each chef that makes all guests feeling comfortable and happy with their meal grilled in front of them! Once a server myself at a first ever teppan yaki restaurant in Honolulu the Japanese chef trained two servers on how to grill on the job training for teppan yaki. I was the chosen one I never knew how to hold a knife not a spatula! No performance was done those days! Aunty will make her secret dipping sauces everyday! Nonetheless Tanaka of Waikiki never disappoints the flair of the chef outstanding performances cooks to perfection! The only option I suggest the dipping sauces for the Ahi tataki was too spicy! I love spicy food but it not for Ahi tataki dipping sauce.. I'd suggest a taste over by chefs and owners for a better dipping sauce. That will be surely a favorable taste for all! I'd not to sway from this topic but my son worked years at a omakase sushi restaurant. Therefore we love to eat out quite frequently to enjoy the atmosphere of other great restaurants! I highly recommend Tanaka Waikiki Central for all to enjoy Japanese teppan cuisine!

Our favorite place to spend an evening out. Good service, good show, great food. Love all the courses. The chef was entertaining. Love it!

Came here for our anniversary and they made us feel very special! Eduard is an amazing manager and kept us comfortable! The vibe was very good and energetic! Our food was DELISH! They gave us a free cake with candles and a cute "happy anniversary" note in chocolate! And gave us some free pictures aswell! An amazing time! Thank you to Eduard and our chef Nathan, very funny, sweet and skilled chef! And our server was beyond sweet aswell!

If I was being generous, I would say this place has a curious interpretation of Japanese teppanyaki. If I'm being ungenerous, I would say this place is a tourist trap and not even close to a teppanyaki experience. Teppanyaki involves many courses over around 2 hours. It was hardly that as they tried to get us out in 45 minutes. Our plates were literally full of food and we had been there less than 45 minutes and the aggressive server came by to ask us if we wanted coffee or tea. We still had two courses left. This is not even remotely how it works in actual teppanyaki restaurants in my experience. Also, they had one Japanese whiskey at the bar and only one Japanese beef which we had to ask for and our server Mina, did not even know if they had it. Again, just not what teppanyaki is supposed to be. This place had gobs of tourists in front of a grill and a photographer came over as soon as we sat down as took our picture, like they do at a theme park. And while the food is supposed to come in courses, we were pressured to have our soup and salad right away and together (traditionally the miso soup is after the steak) and then literally, we got some grilled vegetables and steak poured on our plate with a side of rice. We ordered fried rice as that is often so good, they make it with garlic, but this was so awful. Rice was processed within an inch of its life, definitely not Japanese rice ( when I mentioned this to a couple of servers and they did not deny it.) In terms of the food we did eat, we asked for the wagyu and they had some A5 Wagyu and it was good. Typically a teppanyaki restaurant has several types of Japanese beef to choose from, but they only had this and it was good, like you'd expect with Japanese beef. But they had few sauces to go with the beef and it was poured over vegetables and so it was like eating stir fry. And it was fine, just the steak and vegetables, but not for that price. And the guy who did the grilling was great--he understood we were not into this fake thing. He cooked the food perfectly. After he was done, the waitress came by and said, "How was the show?" We did not come for a show, we came for quality food and a Japanese experience. This wasn't that, based on my experience. But a family across from us that included a young girl around the age of 8-9, maybe. She was having the time of her life. So there's that.

Had such a experience here. We came for dinner on a week night. The restaurant was pretty full, but we got lucky and the two of us had a half section all to ourselves. It was like having our own price chef! Our chef was very entertaining. He's from Guam and has been working at TOT for a few years now. Hubby and I got the lobster and steak set.We also got the shrimp and steak set. It was paired with garlic fried rice. That was definitely a treat considering I rarely eat rice anymore. It's a must try! The manager kept coming by to check on us. Everyone was kind and courteous. I've been to all the locations, but I like this one the best.

Tanaka was great..everything we expected like a Benihana. The service was great and the drinks were amazing. I tried the lychee martini 3 times to make sure the consistency was there!! They were all delicious!! The food is standard, but we go for the show. Our chef was great. He dazzled with his hand eye coordination! Cooked our order to perfection! I would go back!

Tanaka of Tokyo (Central) never disappoints. Despite monthly visits over the course of many years, we have always left with the utmost gratitude for the great service and food preparation. The entire staff, management included, want nothing more than to provide the best dining experience. On our most recent visit on New Years Day, Head Chef Christian was our chef and entertainer. What a stellar experience and delicious food preparation. The shrimp, filet, chicken and all the accompanying sides were prepared perfectly and absolutely delicious. Service never disappoints and the drinks flow wonderfully. Thank you Tanaka for your outstanding customer service and hospitality. We will continue to recommend your restaurant to all our local and mainland friends.

We had read about this restaurant and then found out it was in the mall we were at when we had to go to the Apple Store. We got seated right away and Joe was an amazing chef ... so entertaining , he made it a great night

Fine dining absolutely. The chief is very good and the food is delicious. I think I'll go again

Such a good experience! Ive been here many times with my family and John was definitely the best chef I've experienced. He made us laugh the whole night and the food was cooked perfectly. Luke was a great server as well. Quick service and was on top of everything.

Everything and the entire staff were amazing from the wonderful food to everyone we encountered...made our family Christmas PeEve dinner fabulous!!' Thank u very much...

Dinner with a show. Perfect for the kids. Food and service was really good! The chef is super entertaining. It is a bit dark in there but fits with the vibe.

Interesting entrance from an elevator off of kalakaua. As you are whisked up to the 3rd floor you kinda wish there was air conditioning in the muggy elevator. Door opens and you are greeted by a very dark interior. The restaurant is bustling with many guests situated around a chef doing tricks around the grill. We were seated with another party and I kinda felt sorry for the other party because our group had distracting little kids. Plus we were a little loud. So the seating with strangers is not my preference but that's what we got, The menu selections and prices are fair and all inclusive of salad, soup, rice and dessert. You just pick your main. We ordered chicken and steak.. and it was soo entertaining. The chef did tricks while cooking our food and it was fun to watch. Flip of steaks, tossing foods high up while seasoning and talking. That is a lot to do so hopefully these guys get paid more. Garlic fried rice and meat are my favorites combos. Green tea ice cream is super good and thick. Overall a good experience. Will return one day!

We eat hibachi at home quite a bit. I was able to make reservations quite easily and was seated promptly. We were here on Fourth of July 2025. We had an American chef, which was a first for me. He did a fine job with all the typical chef moves. The seating spacing was comfortable, despite the chefs range quite a bit smaller than I am accustomed. Food was cooked as requested and no issues from the family. They did serve a miso soup, and would rather have a choice of different soup, more of a beef stock. The dinner meal included a ginger salad. Fried rice was given with the upcharge. There was no garlic noodles part of the meal, which would have been nice. At the end of dinner, a photographer was taking pictures. They did offer the pictures at an upcharge. It's a nice option to have a high resolution picture, but wish it was done before eating so there would be no food on the table in the pictures. All in all, this was the best meal we had during our stay. I thought the price was more than reasonable considering how expensive other meals are on the island. My one suggestion is to have signs outside the building. It's on the third story inside a building and we found it on accident.

We love this restaurant! We make sure to have a reservation every time we visit Hawaii. The central location is our favorite since it's right in the middle of everything! The food is always delicious! Would recommend the filet and add on of chicken! Also, the Kona coffee ice cream is a must.

The chef was very talented and food was very good. My husband liked his chicken teriyaki but maybe should try steak next time. I got the filet mignon and shrimp and enjoyed my shrimp but would probably get the shrimp and lobster next time.

Incredible! Chef Seth was sexyyyyy and I had the BEST steak and lobster i've ever had would highly recommend!!! but mostly for chef seth he made the meal

Food was ok, but nothing over the top. I found the overly dark rooms suffocating, and the tricks of the chef very average. All in all just a blah experience. The things they don't tell you is that you will pay $4.50 for tap water and an entertainment fee to the chef for flipping his spatula.

Everything! We were here about 56 years ago and got to find this hidden gem. This is off the beaten path, but they must if you ever get an opportunity. Our server, Mikaela, cook Logan, and assistant manager Eduard were absolutely amazing and went above and beyond. A must if you are in the area!!!

I have been coming to Tanaka's for YEARS and I have to say that tonite was DA BEST experience! From out server LUKE and chef JOHN, it was perfect!! These 2 made it the best experience at Tanaka's and they deserve the recognition. Mahalos to you both!

This is a very interesting restaurant. First of all there is some smoke from the fires so I don't recommend going there with freshly washed hair... at least for the ladies that don't wash their hair everyday. Fun spot to go with friends or family for a special occasion but it's just fun, nothing more. The food is ok, I tried the teriyaki chicken and it was decent. My boyfriend got the filet and if it was cooked well done I think I would have liked it more than the chicken, but he got medium well. I think I would have also liked to get the shrimp for my main entree. My favorite items were the fried rice (appetizer) though it's a lot for one person, probably feeds 3. And the coffee ice cream wow!! Miso soup was pretty good, salad not good. They should use the popular Japan roasted sesame dressing! Yeah don't really recommend overall but service was good and the cook (Austin) was very entertaining! It's also easy to find - just go in the Waikiki shopping plaza and take the elevator to level 3!

Absolutely outstanding meal & service. Alex our server & Kyle our chef made the entire evening a delight. I honestly wasn't expecting much given the touristy area and given my only teppanyaki experience has been at Benihana. Boy were we pleasantly surprised by the decor, the attentive service and delicious well executed food. Kyle, prepared the shrimp perfectly sweet & succulent. Scallops seared to perfection and not over cooked, steak perfectly med rare & all the accompaniments excellent. I'm not a fan of Waikiki but will definitely make the sacrifice to return.

We made reservation for family of 3 adults and 2 kids. Took about 15 min to be seated. We were sat with 2 other parties: 1 was family of 2 adults and 1 kid, the other party was 4 adults. It took another 20 min for to cook to arrive and cook for us. The whole entire the time we were just sitting there, without a choice but to listen to the party of 4 adults being obnoxiously loud, and using profanity nonstop. The cook must be an inexperience bc food particles were flying everywhere. Experience - bad Food - mediocre Must be our unlucky day! What could be improved? Maybe don't seat family with young children with people who like to get drunk and being obnoxious!

I had high hopes for Tanaka of Tokyo, but overall, the experience was pretty underwhelming. The food was just okay--not bad, but definitely not memorable. The service matched the food: just okay. Nothing particularly warm or welcoming, just kind of going through the motions. The first thing I noticed when we walked in was the smell--it had that musty, old-restaurant scent that made the place feel a little rundown. Not the best first impression. The most unfortunate part of the night was during the teppanyaki show. When the chef was doing the usual salt-shaker flip, it slipped out of his hand and ended up knocking over a bowl of sauce--right onto my clothes. Accidents happen, but there wasn't much of an apology or attempt to make it right, which was disappointing. Not the worst meal I've had, but definitely not worth the hype (or the price). Probably won't be back.

Luke was the best server! So friendly and accommodating, he made our experience so great and easy! John was our chef for the night and he was hands down the BEST chef I've had at Tanakas. The food, vibes, everything! Thank you so much to you both!

This was one of the better meals we had on our most recent Hawaii trip! It was my kids' first time having hibachi, and they loved the dinner and a show concept. The other family at our table were semi-regulars, and they said there were some tricks that they hadn't seen before despite having been to Tanaka multiple times. Our chef, Lee, was great at engaging everyone at the table. He was a great chef as well; all the food was delicious. My husband ordered the Sho-Gun, while I ordered the Daimyo. Both will get you the filet, lobster tail and scallops combination, but the Sho-Gun is way too much food. I would recommend the Daimyo, even for those with a hearty appetite. Tanaka is on our list of Waikiki restaurants we'd return to next time we're in the area.

I loved my time with my family. Anthony is very entertaining. He made us all laugh. Excellent cook. The lobster was so good just a great atmosphere and family experience!! I definitely recommend this place

This place gets packed and you definitely need reservations on the weekend. It's really dark inside until you get seated. The lights are turned down for the flame effect. We got seated first at our table but got probably the worse seat. We were bunched up with another table behind us that left us no room to maneuver. No way of getting up without hitting the person behind you. These grills and tables are not designed to move, so it's just poorly designed. Our chef, John was great. Good vibes and jokes. I'm use to marinated foods so when it comes to teppanyaki, the flavors are not as deep. There is plenty use of soy sauce and butter. Plenty of food for the price. We could not finish our entire meal due to the portion size. The team was tentative to patrons needs, stopped by several times to check on food, drinks and other needs.

Was a great experience! Had an amazing ambience. Very nice decor and very nice service. But the best part was our awesome chef that cooked in front of us, John was very funny and provided the best experience for me and my family. Could not have been happier with my dinner there. He also made the food very delicious I got the matsu special everything was very tasty. Definitely recommend 10 out of 10.

John put on a show and knew how to make the table laugh through the entire dinner. He is fantastic at what he does! The wagyu and lobster were both amazing

I stopped by for dinner last night at this venue at the request of my teenager kids who hold old memories of dining at similar style restaurants. Upon arrival, I was impressed by the service and appearance. The wait lobby was quaint, setting a great mood for couples. The hostess was warm and welcoming too. Upon seating at my table, I looked at the beverage menu and was surprised by the many choices in adult beverages. I order the shrimp dish while my kids ordered filet mignon. Our chef was "Chris." Chris did an amazing job keeping the table entertained. Chris delivered an overall memorable experience! I was thrilled to have stopped by Tanaka of Tokyo for dinner. They truly delivered a memorable experience. I would highly recommend this venue to families and couples interested in a unique Taipan experience. Mahalo!

I was so excited to try this place because teppanyaki has been hard for me to find. I'm so glad we came here. The food was very good! I ordered the vegetarian entree which is not on the menu and it was exceptional. Thank you, John! My tofu was very flavorful and he seasoned everything very well. He was also very friendly and his bad jokes got better after 2 glasses of wine. lol Our waiter was also great! The ambiance is moody and dark. I highly recommend this place. Miso soup is not vegetarian, FYI!

Chef Nate was fantastic! Great conversations, love the way he interacted with our family. The stories that was shared while dining made it memorable and authentic. The food was also yammy. Tonight I had salmon, while the rest of the family had steak, lobster and scallops. We went home stuffed.

This place was a very interesting experience that someone can experience. We ordered 4 combo, then got 4 shared portions as we have 8 people total. I forgot the exact amount, but I think you paid around $10-20 for every shared portion. We ended up with the bill of nearly $700 for 8 people. The foods were unexpectedly good! This place has the best miso soup I have ever tried in the U.S. as it was very flavorful. I personally do not like lobsters, but for some reason, they tasted really good too, perhaps due to how fresh the seafood was. The vegies were also very tasty, even though they were pepper, onion, and mushroom. The fried rice is also really good because you can taste the smokiness and garlic in the fried rice. Beansprout was the worst one among everything for some reason and it tasted so bad. I think because it was the end of the day, so the chef was kind of tired and dropped things a few times when he was performing. But it's understandable and he is still a very cool guy. There was so much food, even though we only ordered 4 main portions + 4 shared portions, so be careful when you order food. They look like they are very little, but when you start eating, you get filled quickly due to lots of fat from oil and butter. Overall, it was a good experience, but if you ask whether I would return to this, then I would say no because it was good but not that good. We only came here for the first experience.

CLEANLINESS: 4/5 SERVICE: 2/5 FOOD: 2/5 I had high expectations for this teppanyaki restaurant since it was in Hawaii, but was quite disappointed. Our waiter was clearly overwhelmed by our large group of 18 people, so I was surprised they didn't have two waiters for the table. I felt sorry for him (Brian). He did a great job though! He was courteous and had a tough crowd who was hangry. As for the cook (N_ _ _ _ _), he was not friendly at all. I won't state his name publicly for his own sake. It seems he was offended by some requests on how some of the guests wanted their meat cooked. He barely smiled and it really just ruined the whole experience. He barely did any special tricks and literally just cooked (which I understand is his job). However, if we just wanted a meal without entertainment then we would have just went to a regular Japanese restaurant. His colleague who was cooking for the other half of the table was charismatic and he was entertaining! Our half of the table ended up just looking at his colleague instead because he literally did nothing except some onion ring volcano fire... As for the food itself, it was mediocre. Most of us ordered the set and upgraded to wagyu. The wagyu wasn't bad, but he definitely overcooked it unfortunately. The worst was how overcooked the lobster tail was! It was rubbery and not edible. What a waste. After the experience with our cook, I definitely would NOT recommend this place to any friends or family. It felt like we just got unlucky with who they assigned as our cook because they really are the ones who would make an impact on the dining experience.

The restaurant should concentrate on providing good service to the guests of the restaurant. Some staff of the restaurant were okay but some do not feel like they want what they are doing or just lazy to work?. Other than that the food is okay.