My boyfriend took me here for our V-DAY dindin. First off, make sure to valley your car. It's only $5... but we were not quite sure (all the gates were closed and there was a lot of traffic at time and cops) so we parked in the Hilton hotel lot. NOBODY validated, so we ended up paying $24.00. We checked in and were told to wait in the lounge til our names were called. Luckily they have a nice waiting area, you can order drinks (cocktails, wine, sake, beer) and appetizers. ---DOWNSIDE... it took forever and a half to get their attention. By the time we got our drinks we were getting seated, so they had to bring our spicy ahi poke to our table. The poke was alright, I liked the cucumbers and onions - they added a nice crunchy texture - but it tasted more like kimchee with a lot of salt. THE DRINK WAS DELICIOUS, I got a piña colada! Gulped it up in a second. We had a super friendly chef, who was still relatively new (it was actually his 1 year anniversary). Impressive tricks! Very cute hello kitty (still on the masculine side) hat and tie thingy! I guess everyone chooses their own, based off of their personality... for a little variety within the cooking staff. According to him they all have to come up with their own tricks too! Like I said super friendly! Good conversations. I really enjoyed watching him cook. It made the time pass by quickly as I waited for the food to cook. The meals came with mushroom soup, shrimp, and sauteed onion,mushroom,zucchini (the perfect combo of veggies yummmy)! The broth was okay, I ate all the mushrooms. As I mentioned in my profile I can't do seafood :( so I gave my boyfriend the shrimp. The vegetables were good, I saved them for my meal! I ordered filet mignon! EXCITING. I loveeeeeeeeee my beef. I also opted for the garlic friend rice instead of white, it was good... nothing too fancy, but I still enjoyed the extra flavor. Sapporo beer + EXTRA SOFT AND TENDER MEAT (with the spicy mustard sauce!) + garlic fried rice = GOOD COMBO. I enjoyed my meal, but for the price I have experienced better. Overall I enjoyed my experience, the chef was a nice and funny guy (big factor) - glad we tried it, but we'll probably hit up another steak house next time. thanks though kobe :]
(3)
quinn a.
Food was better than Benihana but come on give the place a facelift. Run down and the service was slow although our chef was super pleasant especially considering our table mates who basically told him how to cook the food (no vegetables, my steak is done now, only lemon ya ya ya (seriously?). Steak was tender and chicken was juicy.
(3)
Sen S.
An unfinished review from last year!? Wow, ok let's finish it. The place is fairly small and crowded, but the chef was pretty good and the food was fine. Much enjoyed!
(4)
Daniel L.
I got the fish/steak and teriyaki chicken combo with fried rice. The food is decent but it's more the experience that was enjoyable. Our wait staff was excellent, attentive, and very accommodating even after we were caught eating after their 10pm closing time. They serve dinner 530-10pm. 5 stars if the prices were slightly more reasonable but nevertheless, my girlfriend and I had a great dinner :)
(4)
Monthakan B.
First time here on a Monday night.... the restaurant wasnt that busy but we had to wait for about 10 minutes to be seated and another 10 mins for the restaurant to filled our table and possibly another 15mins for the Teppan chef to show up -- Minus 1 star there! The chef wasnt as entertaining as I thought he would be....but he was very nice and funny. The food was okay.....nothing special. We ordered the Emperor's Steak ($38.95) and Teriyaki Chicken ($18.95) with Fried rice (Additional $4), Hamachi sashimi ($13.00), 2x Sake & a big bottle of Kirin Ichiban. Total bill was $98 and some change. Overall, the meal was okay, the service was good, but for $100 + $20 tips + $8 Valet, we couldve gone somewhere else for a much better food.
(3)
Marina P.
Choose somewhere else. Very average. Drinks are small and watered down. They start you with this salty mushroom thing they call soup. I had the kobe steak and wasn't sure if they had switched the meat. Some of it was chewy. Skimpy side dish portions.
(2)
Foxi L.
This was one of the WORST restaurants I have ever been to. The good was TERRIBLE tasted, old. The restaurant is very dirty looking. If it wasn't my daughters birthday I would have went to McDonalds. I would have scored it a minus star but it's not an option.
(1)
Kristen U.
Kobe trumps Benihana. *phew* I said it - ok now go ahead and make a big deal out of it, I don't care. I love Kobe! I've been coming here since I was a kid, basically every year almost twice a year. I love this place and it will always hold a dear place in my heart. Every time I come here, it doesn't feel like the place has changed. I always order the teriyaki chicken with shrimp because I'm a fond believer in it. It has never steered me wrong. I guess my only beef with this place is that the most of the chefs are old and kind of run down (sorry to be so blunt about it). They're still enjoyable to watch and extremely nice, but it's not as refreshing as seeing a young man hop up behind the grill and show you new tricks of the trade. Regarding how long it takes for your food to be ready, I don't think Kobe is any slower than Benihana or Tanaka of Tokyo. Food prep does take longer for teppanyaki dining since they have to take your order, set up the grill, and start cooking. It's not a terrible wait, but just a tad bit longer than what you'd encounter at other restaurants.
(4)
Melissa B.
I came to eat here the last night out in Waikiki. It was pretty empty on a Tuesday evening. The place reminds me a lot of Benihana which I think its BETTER. I'm not sure I was in the mood for it, but the food was OK. Nothing special. The cook was quite entertaining though and tried to spritz up our moods. I see it being fun if you have a bunch of drinkers in your group. It's not really fit for kids.
(3)
Kenyan K.
I've eaten here at least three times for dinner, most recently last Thursday for my girlfriend's brother's birthday. The restaurant is pretty big with lots of seating upstairs. The lighting is very dark and the atmosphere is comfortable. The food is pretty good but not superb. I ate the beef and teriyaki chicken combo with fried rice. It costs around $28 plus $4 more for the fried rice. Pretty tasty but nothing special. It comes with a mushroom soup, side of tsukemono, and some grilled onions, zucchini, shrimp, and bean sprouts. Although the variety of food is good, the overall portion size is kinda small. I was still hungry after eating my entree. They have a bunch of Japanese beers including echigo. The highlight is the entertainment from the cook as he grills the food in front of you. I remember the first time I came here the cook was very entertaining - he told jokes, was very skilled with his knife and did tricks with his utensils and the food. The cook we had last Thursday was very old and seemed extremely tired. He didn't say much and barely did any tricks at all. He didn't season the fried rice good either so we had to add salt. I've always had reservations when eating here but it doesn't seem to get too packed if you were to walk in. I've eaten here on both weekdays and weekends. The parking is valet only for $5.
(3)
Mindy D.
Food here was decent, nothing extraordinaire, typical of a teppanyaki restaurant. That being said, it is a teppanyaki restaurant, right? Well, I don't think our chef got the memo that night. We were promptly seated at the table and the waitress took our drink/food orders not long after. Once the orders were placed, the chef came out with the preparations. He barely greeted us and looked tired/sleepy/hating life the entire time. Folks come to a teppanyaki style restaurant for the show, us included. It was a special celebration for two people in my party and we were expecting a fun, lively dinner. It sure was fun and lively, only due to good company. If anything, the chef took away from our experience. He didn't make ANY conversation and simply did the volcano onion... Honestly, I don't think he said a single word... Oh wait! He asked how I wanted my filet cooked. Thanks for caring. To get to the point, if you want a fun celebration for whatever occasion or simply a nice show during dinner, I wouldn't recommend Kobe. I've had much, much better experiences elsewhere. If you need recommendations, I suggest this one awesome site... I think it's called YELP?
(2)
Kelly G.
Just found out Kobe offers kama'aina and military discounts! Bingo! Now if only they would offer a happy hour that includes their Apple Sake! Although as of right now, the website is advertising a hole sake or [cold beer] with a California inside out roll for $7.50
(4)
Anna B.
Loved this place! You know you are getting quality meat when they bring it out raw and it looks as fresh as it gets. My food was cooked right in front of me, so their was no questions there. Ordered drinks and Poke and the tuna was as fresh as it gets, which is what i look for when eating in cities on the ocean. The staff were amazing, our cook was hilarious and so entertaining. I would reccomend this place to anyone! I will return each time we visit Hawaii!
(5)
Emi H.
While staying at the Hilton for a family staycation we decided to go to Kobe for a nice family dinner. My children had never been to teppanyaki and I thought they'd get a kick out of watching their food cooked up in front of them. Who doesn't love the volcano made out of onions right? I don't care how young or old you are, that steaming tower of onion will bring a smile to anyone's face! I called ahead to make reservations and they were happy to take us. We arrived at Kobe, the hostess escorted us upstairs and we were seated with three college girls visiting from Southern California. We waited about 15 minutes before our cook came and when you've got two small hungry children that can feel like an eternity. You know, like waiting to go to the bathroom when you really have to pee and there are 3 old ladies in front of you. Eternity... I ordered the scallop dinner, my BF got the filet and I ordered a kids teriyaki chicken dinner for my children to split. I knew that this would be more than enough for them because my daughter eats like a bird during dinnertime. I asked that the milk be split into two glasses and our waiter asked the cocktail waitress to do this. She had this really sour look on her face and I wanted to tell her "Hey, I'm not asking you to milk a freakin' cow. I know how little my kids eat and drink, it's not going to make you bankrupt." My BF saw her nice little bit of attitude and he told our waiter to just bring us an extra glass and he'd do it himself. Someone needs to get the boot either from their job or from me personally. Yeah I'm pregnant and I will open up a can of Samoan love on you because your Mama sure didn't teach you any manners or customer service. For pete's sake It's milk for kids! Once our cook came over the fun began as he cooked up our shrimp appetizer, vegetables and entrees. Teppanyaki is always yummy and it's pretty hard to mess it up. I was a bit upset at myself when I realized that I had forgotten to order the garlic rice. See what happens when I'm mad about milk! My kiddies really loved watching their meal being cooked and as I had anticipated the teriyaki chicken kids meal was more than enough for my two extremely picky eaters. In the end our dinner came to about $85 for two adult entrees, one kids meal and a bottle of sake. Be sure to ask for the Kama'aina discount. Kobe is cheaper than Benihana and Tanaka of Tokyo but keep into consideration that it is also more run down. I have the fondest memories of coming here from when I was a little girl for special family dinners and discovering the joy of green tea ice cream. My kiddies are not enjoying the same memories but they prefer vanilla ice cream because they're ultra picky and the green ice cream tastes like bleck.
(3)
Ethan C.
They have the best scallops. I highly recommend the steak w/ scallop combo and getting double ginger sauce. Oh and ask for "Bacon". Not as flashy as Tanaka of Tokyo but if the food is your number one priority, Kobe is better. We had this chef named Justin. Very friendly and one of the younger guys. Made our fried rice into a picture of Hello Kitty. Major points with the 4 yr. old daughter.
(4)
Chad Y.
Kobe is a teppanyaki-style japanese restaurant that is a reminder to us all of old Waikiki. Note, I said "old" Waikiki and not classic or nostalgic. It is simply a restaurant that sticks out like a sore thumb simply because it has not modernized as many others have before it.That being said, it certainly offers a good menu, decent food, and good service. The menu isn't extensive, however it makes up for it in a well-balanced array of items that are sure to please the palate. It features core staples: chicken, steak, shrimp, scallops, and etc, while preparing them in a very simple clear-cut manner accented by your choice of dipping sauce. Afterall, you really are coming here for the entertainment. Who doesn't perk up when they see the volcanic onion or seeing a shrimp thrown about? Located right off bustling Ala Moana Boulevard it can be a challenge to get there and an even greater challenge finding parking. Kobe offers valet only so be prepared with a few smaller bills to pay for the service and to top your driver! Carpool if you want to save a few bucks. Is the food great? No, I can't say there is anything that would keep me coming back for more. However it doesn't disappoint. The service is decent but nothing great, and the restaurant itself is somewhat lackluster and showing its age, especially considering how much you pay for your meal. Definitely a spot that I would consider a-ok, not great, nor something that I haven't had better.
(3)
Brooke L.
We did not enjoy our experience at this hibachi restaurant. We came during our honeymoon and we regret the decision. No Yum Yum sauce, they charge you per vegetable when you ask for extra. They put a mystery meat in the fried rice. Instead of a salad they give you kimchi. I ordered the chicken expecting chicken breast...nope mixed meat (dark, white and fatty chicken). Don't waste your time!!
(1)
Kevin S.
Very similar to most other Japanese steakhouses where they cook the food on the grill right in front of you. Service was a little slow and cold / robotic. Prices were significantly higher than I'm used to (compared to other Japanese steakhouses just like it). Food was delicious. No major complaints. Kobe Steakhouse was A-OK. High price and cold service brought it down from 4 stars to 3 stars.
(3)
Mike C.
went with the family. the cook dropped cooking tools twice, kinda in my 5 year old daughters direction.. very scary after that. he was a good talker though.. both lady servers were walking around just angry and mean.. for the price it wasnt worth it. way over rated. sucks cause 5 years ago it was great. erf
(2)
Travis Q.
Great food at the price you'd expect at a place like this. Got right in on a friday night and chef showed up at the table rather quickly. Get the Emperor's Steak... delicious and feeds a very hungry person!
(4)
K V.
Kobe Japanese restaurant, a place I will never be back. If u don't believe my story, you are more than welcome to text me, I will give you my groupon FOR FREE. Went there for the first time with my 3&6 yrs old. Kids were amazed by the fact that chef is cooking in front of them & a happy face fried rice! End up paying a total of $110 (one mom with 2 kids ), a little pricy but it's all worth it cuz kids enjoyed it so much n finished all their yummy dinner !! Can't wait to share this great place to my friends, so I urged them to purchase groupon n there we r, party of 10 ( 6 adults & 4 kids). I think it's fair bcuz we ordered 2 btl of wine, 2 beers n 8 entree for a party like this, however, all 8 steaks were nearly well done, it's not " melt in ur mouth like what it said on the menu " (ask for medium rare), fried rice were like crispy rice. Even my 6 yr old told me the rice was too hard ! All 4 kids nearly didn't eat anything. (They all love steak n fried rice ) so we made a complaint to their manager. This lady came, n tell us " bcuz u r using groupon, I cannot do anything, I can take the fried rice off" " excuse me MANAGER, u didn't get my point. I don't mind spending $110 for 3 the last time bcuz food's good. I don't need u to take off anything, but ur attitude is unprofessional. Despite if we r using groupon or not, this is totally unacceptable, both the food n ur unprofessionalism !!" So she apologized n walked away. On her way back to her post, she rolled her eyes with an ugly expression n WE SAW IT !!! This is truly the first time, we spent almost $300 n left NO TiP ( of cuz, we pulled our server aside n side tip him cuz he's doing his job right n it's not fair that we put the blame on him while he's doing a better job than his so-called-MANAGER ). On our way out, (of cuz the MANAGER is no where to be seen), I was so upset,I had to turn around n tell the host " pls tell ur MANAGER, as a professional manager, u roll ur eyes n show ur ugly face in the kitchen, u don't do it while u r still on the floor, bcuz WE SAW IT". To Kobe restaurant, if u think that customers dine with groupon r all cheap axx, why do u promote ur groupon almost every couple months !!! U obviously do not appreciate local business !!!
(1)
Brittany L.
We didn't have a reservation, but we just wanted some sushi before we headed over to a dance class so we sat at the sushi bar. On a tuesday night we got right in and we were the only people at the sushi bar. We got a philly roll ($10) which was the best philly roll I have ever gotten on the Island. Seriously, I will be back JUST to eat that freaking thing again. Then we got some miso soup which is always a good choice. They make theirs with mushrooms in it and it was super good. ($1.50) And then we got a house special, Volcano shrimp. I wasn't really a fan of this. It was basically $10 for 4 small shrimps in tabasco sauce. And the shrimp was overcooked so it had this hard consistency to it which was super weird. The chefs at the sushi bar were great, and the hostess was also very polite and cheerful which I like.
(4)
Kim C.
If I could give 0 stars I would. First off, this place is old, looks extremely raggedy and dirty inside. Our chef was more than 30 minutes late to our table and he was all dirty and sweaty and seemed very unprofessional. The servers took a long time to give us drinks and the soups and salad that come with our meals. The soups were gross and the salad was two tiny pieces of lettuce with a drop of oil. Really disappointing. You have to pay $4 extra to have fried rice - but don't bother, it tastes disgusting and burnt. The only thing edible was the shrimp, because the chicken was undercooked and the steak was like biting into leather. Overall; I was extremely disappointed. Thankfully I came here because of a groupon so I didn't spend a lot of money on crappy food. I've been to many Japanese steakhouses on the U.S. mainland and never left disappointed until dining here. Stay away, save your money! Go to Benihana's or PF Changs instead.
(1)
Jane F.
Burned my face! I went here again- because we bought a Groupon. This time I got burned in my face by the hibachi chef. He did the volcano with only two pieces of onion and splatter- splatter- splatter onto my f****** face! Lucky it did not scar and I was able to get to the bathroom quickly to apply cold compress. Plus the $5 parking and they didnt offer to compensate me in anyway after I told the staff I had been burned on my face and showed burn! The whole table saw it and was aghast! The chef apologized. I forgave him- but seriously- wtf! I WON'T EVER BE BACK!
(1)
Valerie A.
Great Teppanyaki or Hibachi cooking !! Fun for the whole family ! The food was delicious and prepared very well. Truly a great experience !
(5)
Heather S.
Very short wait. We had a drink in the lounge while we waited for our table. It is a little warm in the restaurant so maybe wear layers, because once the grill starts it gets really hott in herrrre! The shrimp was delicious and the misplaced soup was as expected. I ordered the teriyake chicken and steak combo. Very well cooked and tender. My husband had the scallops and steak....I wish had chose that bc it was delicious. Now the reason why I chose 3 stars....I'm pretty sure our chef may have been a rookie. Slightly burned the shrimp and failed many of his tricks. But he was good-natured and jovial so extra points for that. I was a little disappointed in the entertainment but the food was great!
Love this place,The chef was amazing!!!!Had the surf and turf(Lobster & Steak) Great atmosphere,I was over dressed,It's very hawaiian casual.
(5)
Jasmine R.
First of all: We are on vacation & young. We need cocktails!! They didn't serve alcohol that night due to "an expired license/misunderstanding with the office" As soon as walked into the Resturant it smelled like cat/human urine! It was humid & hot. We go upstairs to order food and it's dark/and kinda sketchy... You barely can see your food! The one star is for the chef who was sweet... The food was ok? I guess Kobe in Palm Springs, Ca is what I was expecting...
(1)
AnneMarie H.
I just had the WORST dinner. My boyfriend and I went here for his birthday. I took him here once before and he loved the steak so we decided to celebrate at Kobe. We were seated downstairs, which immediately seemed dirtier and darker than upstairs. Waitress took our drink orders. We started chatting to the couple next to us. Drinks arrived. A different waiter came to take our food orders and also moved each plate from the hot grill to the table in front of us. Waiter picks up my plate and a COCKROACH crawls out from under it. A COCKROACH. I was looking away and heard my bf say, "Oh shit." The waiter rushed away. I asked my bf what had happened and he said a COCKROACH crawled out from under my plate, the waiter grabbed it with a napkin, and then ran away. The couple next to us saw it too and immediately started to freak out. The waiter came back and apologized a bunch of times to us. The group at the other end of the table asked what was going on and the waiter said, "There was a bug." BUG? We told them it was a COCKROACH. NOT A little tiny fly or spider. The couple next to us said they were going to leave, the waiter said, "You have to pay for your drink first." WTF WTF WTF. The couple said, "NO we don't" and the waiter ran off again to talk to the manager. The waiter came back and said that the manager said it was fine and they need not pay for the drink. Well, thanks for that. I refused to eat, my boyfriend was on the fence. The group stayed. So my boyfriend ended up eating too. They came over and cleaned the grill twice, cleaned the table again, and replaced all of the plates and silverware (after we asked them to do this). The waiter said he would talk to the manager about a discount. The bill showed up and my boyfriend got 5$ off. WOW. I thought that the chef would make it up with a great show. He was funny, but didn't do any tricks and hardly talked to us. The waiter also go multiple parts of the order wrong. You think that they would have gone above and beyond to make it up. Not at all. The waiter apologized every time he came to the table and was very nice. Honestly, it seemed like this wasn't the first time this had happened. Now that I've read the reviews....... this WASN'T the first time. Never again. PLEASE Don't EAT here.
(1)
Lorilynn L.
I didn't know it was poker table style seatin. Eating with strangers, gotta love the awkward silence, until the strangers get intoxicated...yikes!!
(2)
Alaynia K.
Love the food but not very good service. Was seated at our table and waited 1 hour for them to take our order. Considering it was my birthday I wasn't too pleased about waiting an hour for them to take my order and then another on top of that to make it.
(2)
Amanda S.
My friend and I went here for dinner the other night - so good! I got the steak and scallops and a sushi roll and everything was delicious. The portions are bigger than Benihana, and it is not as crowded. The onion volcano was pretty neat - they light it on fire! Our chef was young and talented, but his show wasn't too spectacular. I think it's a little pricey but I guess it's more for the experience. I would definitely go here again - the lobster my friend had was to die for!
(4)
Hohoho B.
Just came from a friend's birthday gathering. We had pupus in the lounge/bar area and man o man was it great!!! The poke both spicy and regular were SO good. The quality of fish was like butter. The hamachi kama was perfection! It didn't even need the sauce that came with it. I even munched on the fins it was that good, i mean bone sucking good!! We had spicy soybeans which were as expected, as well as some sushi. Again quality of fish is super good! Very easy to get to, we parked at Ilikai $7 dollars flat rate and walked over which was really only about two blocks. Then when we got there we realized valet parking wasonly $5 (plus tip). Prices for food is as expected for Waikiki a little on the high side, but it was for a special occasion so no biggie. Definitely will go back, such a great atmosphere. Service was excellent, food was excellent so overall my experience was excellent.
(5)
Misti C.
I agree with Ivy. $4 for fried rice is a little overboard, but it was really good. We stock up on Living Social and Groupons for this restaurant and go here when we have friends or family in town. The food is always good and the chefs are usually pretty entertaining. Except one....He was very annoyed when my friend used the wrong sauce on her food. It was very awkward. His annoyance was overshadowed by my own when he started flirting with my 15 year old daughter. But I digress.... This review is specifically for our visit last night. Our res was for 6:30. We were directed to the lounge where I ordered a Kirin. It was ICE COLD. Just the way I love it. About 5 minutes later, we were seated. Our chef was Brandon. We LOVE Brandon. He's just the sweetest kid and had us in stitches throughout the meal. It was a very fun and personable experience. My scallops were cooked to perfection as well as the steak. He didn't rush us, had a great sense of humor and made everyone feel attended to. I hope that we can specifically request his table on our next visit. I would give them 5 stars, except it really irks me when a restaurant charges $3 for a soda but no free refills. :/
(4)
C K.
Horrible. No refills on drinks, Salad comes in a soy sauce bowl, they but some type of meat in the fried rice... Weird. The dipping sauces look exactly the same. The spider rolls had no taste, even after dipping in soy and wasabi sauce. The chef almost threw the fork in my husbands face, it was accidental, but still in all. Didn't use much garlic or soy sauce for the fried rice. Ended up adding more for taste. The chef didn't clean/scrap the grill in between preparing the meal. Save your time and go to Benihana's which is located right around the corner.
(1)
Edwin M.
Well I've resurfaced in America and this was the first restaurant I tried and it was mediocre at best. It was nothing out of the ordinary and nothing really sprung out at me. I mean it had that cool neat chef show but it was just blah. Most of all the place is called Kobe Japanese steak house but they don't even offer kobe steak on the menu. Maybe you have to ask for it hmmmmm. Overpriced for ok food. Oh and some lady takes your picture for 10 bucks. Pretty cheesy but it was cool I thought.
(2)
Seiya Y.
We came bc my mom bought groupons... Even though it was half the price, it was still not worth it. Seriously last time coming here.. only going to Tanaka of Tokyo for this type of dining. Our reservation was for 730. We came about 10 min before 7...so we expected to wait. When we got here the girl couldn't even find our reservation and tried to tell me that I didn't have one. I looked at her reservation book and pointed it out to her and she was like "ooooh..Okay." So we were waiting for an hour. In the meantime.. Lots of people came...and got seated. I just assumed they had reservations before 730 so that's why they were getting seated first. But Another group of 4 who came 15 minutes after us were in the waiting area right next to us. They told us they had reservations at 730 too. So at about 8 they got seated (before us). That's when I waited for the host to come back and my girlfriend politely said "did you forget about us?" We were here before all of those groups esp the one that was sitting next to us. The girl looked at me in confusion and said what's you name? And I pointed to it in her book. She looked at her seating list and my (girlfriend's) name was not on it. She said "oops I forgot to write your name down. I'll seat you next." And then she sat us 2 groups later with NO APOLOGY! We were sitting right in front of the desk the whole time. Unbelievable. When we finally got seated the people at our table told us they all had reservations at 8. Our waitress was unfriendly. When refilling our water she just stuck out her hand. When taking our order she just stood in front of us with her notepad. No "may I take your order?"...Nothing. When clearing our dishes she just said finished? But She did bring out our soup and tsukemono (pickled veggies) out promptly, so I'll give her that. After that we had to wait for our cook. We waited about 15 minutes at the table after we got our soup/tsukemono. There were only 2 cooks for the entire floor. Which already says a lot about their business. Luckily our cook was okay. He gets the one star I will be giving this place. The food was okay. Nothing really special. This place has really gone down hill. I am not one to complain about food industry workers because I have worked in it for years and know that sometimes it does get hectic and stressful.. But no apology?? No thank you for waiting?? Unacceptable! I will not be back again. Did I also mention when we were waiting to get seated a lady that was leaving told the hosts that she was really disappointed in the service. She said she came there for years and it was "not up to par". While we were waiting for our cook we decided to see what yelp had to say. We came across a yelper who got a burn on her face from splattered oil from the onion volcano.. Let's just say everyone at our table leaned back when that onion lit up. This is where my rant ends.
(1)
Crystal K.
Food is good but expensive. Valet parking is a nightmare. Took over 15 minutes to get our car.
(3)
Rhome Z.
The food is ok and the atmosphere is busy and smoky (food being cooked in front of you) Tepanyaki style. Not Ideal for a first date location for it is quite loud and pretty much you will be sharing tables with other guest (up to ten per table). Over all it is an ideal place to eat with a family if you like Tepanyaki style meal.
(3)
Sang Yup K.
The staff is awesome and the filet and scallops are great.
(5)
August A.
I've been going to Kobe's for a good 20 years, and it has always been a consistently pleasurable and entertaining experience. The service, food, and environment all generate high marks with me. So, I'm going to describe with, with great relish, the experience from start to end. Every reservation and arrival starts at the waiting room, where you sit at the tables or sushi bar. Here, you're allowed to order a drink and sushi while waiting for the your table to fill up to 8 diners. Upon receiving the call for your table, you are escorted towards a U-shaped table where a drink waitress takes your drink order, then the food waitress takes your order. Food part of review: Every dinner comes with a choice of white rice/garlic fried rice, mushroom soup, fried onions and zucchini, shrimp, and sprouts (great deal considering the prices and constant coupon blasts in the Midweek). My personal recommendation has to be the steak and chicken combo, emperor steak, or filet mignon. Everything is customizable to taste, I really like Kobe's teri sauce on my steak selections. The chefs are extremely entertaining and are willing to make special accommodations (my sister and I are allergic to shellfish, the chefs usually cook our dinners separate from everyone or cooks the shellfish last). Most entertaining part has to be multitude of talents the chef's possess: from juggling salt/pepper shakers, building union volcanoes, or playfully antagonizing customers; these chefs not only have a talent in cooking but also have the moxie to play a crowd. The closing end will come (since we are long time customers) when the wait staff asks if we would like rice wine, sorbet, or vanilla ice cream. Perfect ending. This place may be close to my heart which I wish it would become to more of an affinity to more locals. Kobe's is situated in Waikiki, you should expect Waikiki prices, BUT the coupon ads in the Midweek definitely make up the price difference. I recommend Kobe's to EVERYONE: visiting and locals.
(5)
Sid S.
I love Kobe Steak house! I usually get the shrimp and garlic fried rice. The different chefs I've had have all been entertaining, but there is one specifically that I really like, so I like to call ahead and request him Some things to watch out for are their sauces - I like that they're not stingy at all, and are always attentive and keep my water glass full. Service is important to me when I'm paying a lot for a meal Often when I go there's a mix of locals and tourists at my table, and they're usually good friendly people - but who isn't? If you like teppanyaki, I think you'll like kobe steakhouse.
(5)
Peter C.
Great company, laughs, and food. the chef put on a great show. if you dont mind sitting with a bunch of strangers, you''ll have a blast. it's like sitting in bolohead row, but watching a different kind of artistic performance. i thought this guy was Filipino because he was good wit his hands and skillful wit da knife. from the onion volcano to the hello kitty rice i would rate his performance five stars. he had a great sense of humor. someone tried to heckle him, but he was fast and quick with a come back. he made me laugh throughout his performance. i would like to thank my great friends Mr and Mrs. Smith for sharing their groupon with us. Mabuhalo!
(4)
cmonk e.
I would have to say that I was a little disappointed with my experience here at Kobe's. Since this is such a popular place and has been around for a while I figured it would have the best of the best chefs. The chef we had , had no personality. He never told any jokes, or even tried talking to his customers. He didn't even perform the infamous shrimp tail in hat (or pocket) trick. The two tricks he attempted, he failed. He couldn't even get his volcano lit! My boyfriend and I had to settle for watching the chef on the lower level cook for his customers. As for service, it was o--k.. not good, but not the worst. The waitresses would come around and always offered a refill for my cocktail and boyfriends beer. However, they forgot to fill our waters. About 5 minutes after the chef leaves, the waitress comes over and asks my boyfriend if he's done with his food (as she's about to grab his plate). As she's asking him, he still has about 1/3 of his meal on his plate...and he's still CHEWING! Thank goodness the food at least tasted good or I would have been very upset. Overall, I don't think I would come back. When i left, I wasn't even full. Next time, I am definitely choosing Tanaka of Tokyo over Kobe's. Tanaka's dinner even comes with a complimentary bowl of ice cream and the chef's all put on a better show!
(3)
alex t.
Average teppanyaki place. Bottom floor is ghetto and smells. Tourist trap.
(2)
Jon T.
They cut up the shrimp to make it look like you get a lot. You don't. Prices inflated, because of location. For a better experience, try a place back home.
(3)
Rainer L.
Kobe gets three stars for their food and minus two for lack of cleanliness. This place is mucky. So much that my wife refused to put her handbag on the floor! Needless to say we won't go back. They need to clean up their act and reinvest. At no point in time would I have been surprised to see cockroaches join me for dinner. That's how bad the state of this place is.
(1)
Dee C.
I went into this thinking that it would be a good experience, but after the wonderful hostesses the dinner went downhill. The initial server was rude. We didn't order drinks right away and I think that ticked her off. The food was so, so and extremely expensive. I asked for my meat to be medium rare and he cooked the heck out of it. If I am going to pay $38 for filet, I would assume that the chef would know how to cook it. Save your money...this place is a rip-off. I felt very sorry for the tourists.
(1)
Giang L.
The food was a bit bland. The service was pretty decent. We pretty much made the cook feel pretty nervous, we kept busting his balls about how long he's been working for. He needs a little bit more work on his steaming volcano and the egg trick was not on point. We got the kobe steak and the steak and lobster. The steak in both dishes weren't all that great and the lobster was okay. I think Sakura is much better went it comes to seasoning. One good thing that came from dining here was the riesling, it was pretty damn good. And whatever we did not finish, we got to take back to our hotel room.
(2)
Amy C.
We went here with a groupon (which was a great deal!). There were a few restrictions; check ahead if you plan on using one. The quality of our food was above average (we had the kobe steak and it was delish) but the experience with the chef was disappointing. He really didn't make it very fun, just showed up, cooked the food and left. Normally when I go to this style restaurant I expect a little more than simply receiving my food on a plate, with a little fun and humor in the preparation. We also had to wait nearly 15 minutes before we even started since it was so slow when we went and they wanted (I'm assuming) to see if they could get another couple or two at our table.
(3)
An-Nhien L.
Went there on a night where we were craving both steak and sushi. I would rate this place a 3 if I didn't feel so bad for the chefs there. I felt like they were little monkeys on a string--forced to perform for tips. That being said, our cook wasn't as enthusiastic as I've had before at other restaurants similar to this (Benihana's anyone?) and his tricks were uninspired. Also, i took one bite of my sushi to discover my mouth on fire because they put wasabi inside the sushi roll! Please do not assume that I want that monstrosity in my mouth! I don't mind the wasabi on the side for all my more adventerous buddies out there, but it simply ruined my roll. Other than that, Steak was cooked very nice and delicious. As was the fried rice... and the lycee martini... i think that's what i had... O yea, and girlfriend going around taking photos of your groups and assuring you that there's "no pressure to purchase anything"...PAH...she walked over in the middle of dinner with our group photo in her hand printed out and in a picture frame.....of course we felt bad and had to buy it!
(4)
Rachael R.
I ordered the Lobster & Steak, but the chef also cook'd up vegetables and Shrimp. The shrimp was so bomb! Lol. I always get my steak well done. Idk why some people make it such a big deal when I ask for well done, it is my preference...right? Right! So the food was good, nothing much of new taste, but it was really good. It gets smokey and humid in the cooking area, obviously...so I'd dress accordingly. I wore a blouse w/ a blazer, leggings & heels. I had to take off my blazer, so yeah. Y'all get the picture, lol.
(4)
Cher-o F.
Great teppanyaki! Our chef, Lester, was very entertaining with his witty jokes and knife tricks. The food was delicious and kind of pricey, but worth every penny. The fried rice is definitely worth the extra $4. The furniture does need an overhaul, but we were there for the good food, not fancy furniture. I disagree with other reviewers regarding the service. The staff was nice and gave us good service, but then I didn't expect the staff to entertain us. That's the chef's job! After all, Kobe is a teppanyaki restaurant. If you go in with an attitude, then you should expect to get attitude. The staff is there to serve you, not slave after you. Overall, good food and good service. No complaints from our family. This is not a restaurant for a family on a budget.
(5)
Geoff K.
The quality of my experience at Kobe always seems to vary. I always have a good time, but some visits are better then others. I think I've have seen every chef. The old japanese guy who less energetic and not so good at tricks, the young japanese guy who is awesome, the local guy who was clumsy. There was even a white guy, he turned out to be really good. They seat 6 to 8 people at a table. If you come here with a few people you will have to share a table with someone else. One time I was sharing a table with people and this lady tried to custom order her meal. So the chef had to put his energy into her meal instead of doing tricks and flinging knives around. Damn lady.
(4)
Inthira M.
This is more in between a 2.5-3 stars. We came here for my coworkers birthday. I was excited because I've only been to one other teppanyaki place in Vegas so I thought it would be cool to see another show like this. We had a rather big party, about 12 people, so because we rented out a whole 2 sided grill we had to wait for our whole party to get here in order for them to seat us. It was all good though because there is a waiting area and even a server that comes around and takes your drink order while you wait. Great way to cover up my hunger, give me a drink instead! Haha! When we finally did get seated the service was very quick and prompt. I thought it was cute that the all the servers wore kimonos. They take your order and then they come back with a "miso" type soup. I say miso type because it's not miso soup at all. It was a bit bland so I had to add shoyu, but nonetheless a great way to start off a meal. Included in every teppanyaki menu item you get a soup, grilled veggies, grilled beansprouts, a shrimp appetizer, rice, and cabbage salad. There are many choices to choose from but I chose the scallop and steak combo for $33.95 (I got garlic fried rice instead so add another $4.95) and my fiance got the steak and lobster combo for $44.95. The teppanyaki cook that performed was pretty good, not as good as the other cook that grilled for the other half of our table, but was still entertaining nonetheless. The thing that made me a little iffy is that I'm just not very sure about the flavoring of everything. The 2 sauces they gave us, one was strictly for meat and the other one was for shrimp, veggies, etc. Both I didn't like. They were both a light brown color and looked very similar (but the one for steak had black sesame seeds in it), and I must say that the sauce for the meat did compliment the steak, but it still wasn't great. They both didn't make me want to dip anything in it. But I can toughen up and live without dipping sauces. The garlic fried rice would have been awesome if the teppanyaki cook didn't add a big ol' spoonful of the seasoning making it too unbearable to eat (and I like salt, so if it's too much for me to handle that's A LOT of seasoning) and I didn't think a small asian bowl was worth the extra $4.95. It was so salty I had to start eating the fiance's plain rice. The steak also was a bit salty. The one redeemer was the scallops. They were huge (none of that bay scallops stuff, this was the real deal) and it was cooked to perfection. Yum!! I would go back in a heart beat for those scallops. To finish up the meal they serve you with hot tea while everything settles in your stomach. One thing's for sure, you won't leave hungry here the portions fill you up. I think I would give this place a try again, now I know what to order and what not to and although it's a bit on the older side, I think it makes the place look more authentic.
(2)
Victoria S.
Whenever we are in Honolulu which is about every 2 years, my family and I always go to Kobe the first night we're there. It's a more traditional Japanese Steak House with sushi and full bar. But don't go for the bar atmosphere because it's very dismal. It's cool because the waitresses wear traditional kimono dress. The pricey menu includes typical items with fried rice which is excellent and soup and salad. I had the steak dinner before becoming veggie and it was very good especially with the spicy sauces they give you. But now I have vegetarian and tofu option which is definitely not bad, very plentiful and filling and much cheaper. They have a photographer there who takes pictures and you can purchase them. It's a bit annoying and tourist trappy but just politely decline and they leave you alone.
(4)
Jessica C.
Totally thought this was a Japanese Steakhouse that served Kobe steak but it turned out to be a Benihana-like place. We arrived early and they had reasonable specials for early bird diners like us. Drinks were ok, but I would skip the Mai Tais. For starters we tried their Dynamite. It was pretty tasty and original as the mix of seafood is baked in a casserole like sauce. I also ordered the garlic fried rice, but it didn't have that much flavor. Everything else was great. The shrimp, veggies, and steak and chicken. There is a $10 coupon off entrees if you stop by the tourist books. I think it might be in Best of Oahu or one of those. Oh ya, we made the mistake of parking in the Hilton Hawaiian Village garage and it costs us 25 bucks for parking. Just pull into the valet for $5 on Ala Moana Blvd. so they can take care of your car. If you come on a Friday night, the Hilton has a cool fireworks show on the beach and entertainment you can check out after dinner. I recommend checking that out while your done eating at Kobe Steakhouse. Ps. this isn't really a steakhouse...
(4)
Kristen N.
This place needs ventilation! After waiting 10 minutes for our single beer, we still had to remind our waitress twice more for it. The food is okay, but we found it curious that my medium cooked steak came out more tender than his rare piece.
(3)
Carla R.
This place is exactly like Benihana with the same routine/cooking show, but they have an extra sushi menu on the side, drinks, and it's not as crowded; A little more casual. I really liked it. Good food and good vibe! It's a tourist town, so it was fun being sat with a diverse crowd. :)
(4)
Dynamic Du O.
Bad food, shitty service. Go to Benihana's at the Hilton Hawaiian Village or Tanaka of Tokyo in the Ala Moana shopping center instead.
(1)
Danny C.
Ill make this one short since I only jumped into the Sushi here. We rolled in 10 minutes before close and didnt want to make the staff feel overwhelmed so we only got one Sushi Roll each. They are HUGE rolls and about $10 per but very filling. The staff was very nice and accommodating even tho most would be hating since they wanna go home. The chef was cool and made sure we were full. Will go back again next time for a full sit down meal.
(4)
J L.
My parents and I came here on the weekend because I had a certificate that was going to expire. The 4 stars goes to John our chef that night. He was great in the show that he put on and my mom was amazed, this being her first time here. He was entertaining and friendly unlike the rest of the people who work here. 2 stars goes to the other workers. First was the woman who took our drink orders. She wasn't very friendly at all and was a bit harsh when I asked a question. Then came the second woman who brought our drinks and took our food order. Same as the first woman, not very friendly at all and again was harsh when I asked another question. Lesson learned, don't ask any questions!! Place was a bit dark but got over it quickly. I was worried about eating here because I had read some of the reviews on yelp. I called to make reservations and asked if we could stay downstairs because mom has trouble walking up stairs. They said not to worry about it and I didn't have to because we were seated downstairs. 3 stars to the food. Not only was it entertaining to watch your food get cooked but it was nice that the food was delicious. I asked for medium and it seemed my steak was a bit overcooked. The chicken was very tasty so was the appetizers. Dad ordered a soda which was $3 with no refill!! Parking is valet which is nice, we didn't have to go searching for parking. But the location of the valet parking was right on the sidewalk. Watch out pedestrians as the guys bring in the cars!!!! I know they are worth points but I don't want to be a witness!! Overall my parents and I had a great experience.
(4)
Shaun V.
Upon entering their was an odor of old grease, but the hostess was friendly, the service prompt, the food tasty until the people next to us received their bill and a COCKROACH came scurrying out from under the it on to the table. Then I felt sick and grossed out. Paid and left. Never to return!
(1)
Jacob B.
This place isn't all that great. We went for dinner and had chicken - much to our surprise, a 15% tip was automatically added. The waitress indicated it said that on the sunset special, but we didn't know anything about that. This place is exactly like Benihannas - which is also just around the corner. I guess you know what you are going to get when you go there, and they cook the food right in front of you while the chef tells lame jokes. Overall not a very good experience and was nothing original at all.
(2)
Arbine V.
The hubby and I got to go out for dinner sans kids (yay for in-laws!) and decided to go to Kobe Japanese Steak House. We've been there before but it's been a few years. We got there a little after 5:30pm so we both ordered the Sunset Specials. The steak wasn't over cooked and the dipping sauce for it was quite tasty. Oh and I have to say that a lychee mojito is my new favorite alcoholic drink. The chef was a little slow with his knife but was super nice. He wore a really cute Hello Kitty chef's hat. I would definitely go again.
(4)
Andrea T.
"I want steak. I can't remember the last time I had steak...it HAD to be before I left. Let's go have steak. I smell garlic. It's probably from that steak place behind our room." I loved Kobe when I lived here way back when. About 6 years ago, my buddy and I had a memorable night here when we sat with a family who was meeting their son's fiancee for the first time and the fiancee showed up looking like a prostitute. It was awesome. Dinner was always great and fun, but I wondered if it had changed. Sure, it's right around the corner from Benihana, but since it's "local", the tourists tend to stay away from it. We sat down with another couple; I thought we'd wait forever for 6 more to sit down since it was 9 p.m. on a Monday, but the waitress came over to take orders from just the 4 of us. Suhweet. Our chef was a cool guy and everyone envied my awesome fried rice since I was the only one who ordered it. We moseyed back to the hotel fat and happy. Still the same delicious Kobe!
(4)
Takako F.
This place was less expensive than Benihana. But I would not go back. But I would rather go to Daikoku (Teppan Yaki Japanese restaurant) in Auckland New Zealand . They have prawns with super delicious sauce. It was 20 years ago... I do not know if they still serve good prawns.... daikoku.co.nz I have got to take my husband there, if they still serve good food... But the best Teppan Yaki was Teppan Yaki Restaurant in BALI IMPERIAL HOTEL 99bali.com/hotels/baliim… It was about 15 years ago. Dinner course at their private marble teppanyaki table was soooo good. The Sake sherbet to wash off the taste in our mouth in the middle of the course was soooo good. They had Matsuzaka Beef. The total cost was about $30 for two of us. And their French restaurant was good as well!!
(5)
chuck m.
I really love Kobe's. The service is really great and staff is really helpful. The manager ( Emerson) really does go out of his way to make your visit very enjoyable. Kobe Emperor cut is really goodeven though it looks small, it'll fill you up. They have a really good keiki ( little kids)menu and enough for them. Highly recommend it for anyone staying at Hilton Hawaiian Village since it's right outside of the hotel.
(4)
Jay E.
Nothing to say about the food but the valet is terrible! Not only do they speed with your car, they run red lights and blast your stereo as soon as you're out of sight... They park your car across the street in the wailana coffee house garage which you can do yourself cause it's a prepaid parking lot.. I got my car back with my radio station changed,cigarette smells inside, and a burn on my back seat! Seriously.. You mayas well go to benihana in the hilton next door.. At least parkings free and if you chose to valet, the Hilton guys are very professional...
(1)
John J.
Went here for sushi. They have limited selection of rolls, but have many choices for nigiri. Just watch out for the mayonnaise, it's on every roll, and its miracle whip. When we got our bill they had charged us for refills at full price for sodas.
(2)
Darby C.
Kobe's has really gone downhill it seems. I've been coming here for years, and each time gets a little worse. This last, and possibly final trip to Kobe really killed it for me. The interior has always been the same. Super warm stagnate air, dark and somewhat dingy decor, with a film of grease that encompasses all. I can overlook all of that considering each table is connected to a giant steaming griddle, and everything is cooked on an oil slick... it's bound to get everywhere. Upon arrival we endured the typical 20 minute wait before even seeing our cook. It's teppanyaki so you'd expect a little show right? Our guy was on quaaludes or something. Total lack of energy, total apathy, and the worst onion volcano I've ever seen. He couldn't even get it to light! Our waitress was slammed, and only came around once every 20 - 30 minutes to refill drinks, which sucks when you feel like you're hanging out inside someone's mouth. I guess what I'm trying to say is that it was really hot and humid. The food was decent. Over priced for what you get, but that's to be expected when you're dining at a teppanyaki place in waikiki. I think my meat had already begun to turn, and it made for an unpleasant rest of the night. But all of that aside what really killed me was at the end of the meal when we were trying to pay our bill. The waitress ran my card; I signed and was ready to leave. My friends gave the waitress their cards and the waitress disappeared for over 20 minutes. She finally came back and said something got screwed up and their card wouldn't go through until I gave her my card again to re-run it. She explained it would be double charged and within a few days the charge should be returned back to my card. The situation was really suspicious, and shady. Long story short, I had to call my credit card company and have the double charge removed. It took forever, and the whole experience sucked. I told the manager I wouldn't ever dine there again. Go to Tanaka of Tokyo, its better
(1)
Tina L.
Kobe was a very interesting restaurant and interesting experience. Some good but mostly bad. The restaurant was a little too dark for my liking and their lounge waiting area had a nasty smell. They had good drink specials but my lilikoi mojito was very week and red house not very good. Our chef was not very interactive nor very entertaining. It seemed like he was just going through the motions and mumbling things I didn't understand. He was getting everyone's orders all mixed up. The waiters however did a good job and kept our waters filled and were attentive. I ordered the scallops which were very good but could've been better if the chef added less butter. Husband ordered the chicken and steak which he did not care for. They had forgotten about his chicken until the very end so the chef was pressing the chicken against the grill, trying to cook it faster which made it dry. I prefer Tanaka of Tokyo much much better. They have better entertaining chefs, nicer atmosphere, and provide ice cream. Kobe does not give any dessert. I don't think I'll be returning.
(2)
Leah S.
Well my husband and I went here for our last night on vacay. I wasnt impressed and neither was he. We usually go to benihana but decided to go for something less corporate. The lighting is fairly poor, its really dim and we couldnt see much of anything. Ask whats in everything! The fried rice had mushrooms, my husband HATES mushrooms and ordered the fried rice unaware of this fact, needless to say he didnt eat it. Our waitress forgot our drinks twice, she seemed new. As she came to fill my water she stared blankly at me then remembered she forgot our drinks. I got the filet and chicken , this was fine and the shrimp app was good. The veggies were ok, I dont care for onions so I asked for no onions so instead I got mushrooms and zucchini. Overall not impressed, would have rather gone to benihana, the prices are roughly the same...
(2)
Sarah J.
We wanted to like this place. It was close to the Hilton Hawaiian Village, we had a coupon and it was no wait. Then we sat down and realized why the coupon and no wait.... A very large cockroach walked across the grill across from us. And now we are at Benihana
(1)
Hyejee S.
This place is over rated. Cook was nice but all the other servers sucks. Not coming back to check on customers, nor even care about them Food is bareable, not like it's the best thing ever but feel that it is no good for the price. very disappointed, i rather go other gourmet Japanese restaurant and never going back to Kobe. EVER
(1)
Megan T.
Totally misleading. No Kobe beef is actually served here. They try to mislead you on the menu with the naming of their entrees. This place is very dark, the fried rice is not as good as benihana and my steak was over cooked. I have eaten at many Japanese Steak Houses (its one of my husband and my favorite types of restaurants) and this one ranks either last or second to last on my list. I was not even that impressed with the chef's skills or the little tricks with the food they do. Go to Benihana next door... you will have a better meal!
(2)
Mariah G.
the Kobe steak is worth the price! and the show is pretty fun too! Worth the trip!
(5)
Regina T.
Used a Groupon for this. Dinner was decent, but wouldn't pay full price for it especially after tonight. To be fair our chef and the other workers get 5 stars. I'm putting 1 star on this review though because right after finishing our food, a huge cockroach jumped out, ran across the table, and back under where they throw the scrap food. I'm not sure if it lived in the table or the cart where they place the food. Disgusting. I've been to hole-in-the-wall places that I've never seen cockroaches at. For Waikiki prices I expect it to be cleaner than that.
(1)
Sunny L.
I don't know where to even begin! This was the WORST experience ever! We usually go to Tanaka of Tokyo, but my daughter wanted to take the family out to celebrate her BF Birthday. First of all, we were sitting so close together , I was beginning to wonder how we would lift our arms to eat! My husband who is kind of husky , needed to move down in order to eat. The waitress there was not the friendliest! I'm not sure if because we didnt look ASIAN or because she HATES her job? we ordered our drinks, (soda's) when I took a sip, it didnt taste right, FLAT! no carbonation. I asked her politely to please bring me another drink because this was so flat. She came back and RUDELY announced, there's nothing wrong with the Diet! I was so SHOCKED! If she had any CLUE what GOOD customer service was, she would have said, I'm sorry, can I bring you something else to drink? I think she saw the SHOCKED look on my face! She asked, i can take it off your bill if you don't want to drink it! OMG! I just told her forget it, I 'll just drink the FLAT soda! After the rude waitress took our order, the chef comes out and starts prepping the sauce for the steak & shrimp, etc... never once speaking to us! Infact the only words he spoke was "how do you like your steak cooked"? He didnt entertain us AT ALL! He sliced and diced and made the Volcano, not saying one word to us! By then, my eyes was ROLLING backwards! @@@@@@@! I couldn't take it anymore! I told my daughter, geez! I guess we have to look at the other tables to be entertained! HEY CHEF! I don't care if you don't speak english, you can still make eye contact with us! TOTALLY DISSAPOINTED!!!! I will NEVER EVER recommend this place! I don't care how GOOD your food taste, if you got BAD customer service, everything will taste SPOILED to me!! Now here's the kicker... when my daughter got home , she checked her bank account, they added on $30.00 more to their tip! She was VERY upset! she called Kobe, and they told her they do that for some kind of pre-approval, and they re-imburse you in a few days? WTH are they smokin' over there? NEVER heard of that before! Too bad I couldnt give Kobe just a HALF a star! that would be just for the SWEET photographer who took our picture! YES! we bought the picture because she was the only FRIENDLY face through the whole dinner experience! Our poor Birthday boy, we didn't even get to sing HAPPY BIRTHDAY , as we were quickly RUSHED out! Yes! This will be YELPED,FACEBOOKED & TWITTERED! I WILL make sure NONE of my 1500 friends ever dine at Kobe's! Over priced , RUDE, poor customer service = NO BUSINESS!
(1)
Mike D.
Took my wife and daughter out for some fine dining and I'm happy to report the chef did not disappoint, dinner and a show all in one. The sushi was excellent, atmosphere a little dark but still perfect.
(5)
Angela D.
The food was just OK. A bit overpriced for the quality of food. They charged extra for Garlic Fried Rice. I thought that was a little odd. I ordered the Shrimp and Chicken which were both dry. The veggies were good. The staff was nice and always had a smile.
(3)
Kat M.
Decided to try out this spot because of the sweet Groupon deal i snagged! Since I am the the worlds biggest procrastinator I crossed my fingers and called for a reservation for 15 two days before the event. Kobe was more than accommodating! Yea! the birthday celebration is on! Reservation was for 7:30pm, but since we all know that nobody in Hawaii can show up at the scheduled time, they had us wait in the lounge until everyone in the party arrived. No problem for my group because that put us closer to the bar! Once seated the mamasan quickly took our order and brought out the miso soup. Soup was delish and did not have huge chunks of tofu which I hate. If you have ever been to a teppenyaki restaurant, then you pretty much know the deal from there. Our Chef was very personable and even did some tricks I havent seen. Our group was pretty rowdy(sailors) and he kept up on our toes. The one and only complaint I have is that the ventilation SUXS!! I think I can still smell the grill in My clothes and hair. I did order a spicy tuna roll and was shocked at the freshness. This was by far the best sushi I have had in a while. Overall a great time with good people and awesome food! We will be back soon.........I hope you have the rum stocked! :)
(4)
Becky T.
Went here for the teppanyaki, and to say that the chef was lackluster would be quite the understatement. The man must have been having some crap going on in his personal life or something because there wasn't even a hint of a smile on his face throughout the night. He had no fancy moves and his repeated attempts at flipping a shrimp and then catching it on his spatula was an embarrassing fail where we all sorta just looked away. I ordered the steak and fish combo, which was merely okay. It wasn't particularly well seasoned or the best cut of steak but wasn't horrible either. I've definitely had better bbq type foods at half the cost. A return here is highly unlikely despite the proximity to where I'm living.
(3)
KaThy T.
You should call to make reservations just in case it reaches capacity. We did valet parking for $5. When we got inside there was a lady sitting on a bench and didn't look like a worker, but she was a worker. When we were seated, we had this woman help us. She didn't seem friendly. She took our drink orders first. As we waited another couple was seated and the woman made a comment about how she always requests a certain lady to be their server. My friend and I noticed why! We had a nice cook who did tricks for us. He tossed stuff which he caught in his pocket and on the top of his hat and he made a "volcano" out of the onions which he made smoke come out of. I had asked him if he did tricks but he said no. Good thing he was kidding or else I would've been very disappointed. My friend and I ordered the poke dish, which was delish. We also ordered combo plates. He got the bbq steak and chicken; I got the bbq steak and fish. The steak and chicken was good and moist, but the fish was dry. Next time I'm ordering just steak, and also poke. The poke sauce is good. The sauces that the place provides were also good. My friend like the sauce that goes with the meat. I on the other hand liked the veggie sauce.
(5)
Jerome B.
With knife skills more impressive than the food it minces with surgical precision, Kobe is perfect for tourists looking for an entertaining evening with some good food. Your money mostly paying for a performance. I say this because I remember the chef's routine more so than the food. The grilled veggies were good, especially the onions...to make a flaming volcano out of. The shrimp were cut into a perfect size for....flipping into the chef's pocket. The steak was cooked with butter and a splash of seasoning. The steaks really lacked much original flavor, mocking the restaurant's name sake, an area known for the quality of their beef. I hate to rely on a dipping sauce to give a steak flavor, unfortunately the steak bathed in the sauce...sigh. The food is still good, regardless of what I write. Just not meeting my expectations and money's worth. Maybe good once or twice a year. If you've never been to one of these restaurants, it's worth a go to see the spectacle of an erupting Mauna Kea...modeled by onions! P.S. Parking is small, prepare to pay for valet. Reserve your seats in advance if possible. If you ahve time to pour through those Waikiki tourist Mags, they could have a coupon for the place. You'll never know.
(3)
Silvina S.
Being a fan of Benihana I was not disappointed. Really good shrimp and steak. The chef was very nice and cool. Really enjoyed this place. The people we shared the table with were really cool too, not a bad experience at all.
(4)
Thao V.
It's kind of really 3 stars for the food and pricing, but since I had a groupon deal, it was more worth it for me. The groupon deal was $60 worth of food for only $30 so we basically got one steak dinner for free. I tried the surayaki Steak and my boyfriend got the filet mignon. The food was just average, and the portions were pretty small. It did come with some soup, rice, a small side of mushrooms/ vegetables and some pieces of shrimp. Our chef did do a lot of tricks although he didn't seem enthusiastic as he was doing it but his tricks were kind of cool. I'm not sure if I would return though if I had to pay full price.
(4)
Sucharkin L.
Nothing changes between here and Benihana just cheaper and not that same atmosphere very rude and if u ask for something different to add oh boy becareful the chef doesn't like it.
(2)
Michelle O.
For starters, I agree w/Shep. It seemed darker inside then it was on Ala Moana Blvd. The 2nd observation is that there is no A/C. The steam from the grills and lack of an effective vent system made me feel like it was a sauna in there. My food was actually pretty good. I ordered the smoked salmon nigiri & spicy tuna roll. Two pieces of fish & the 8 piece roll were more than enough for 1 person. They also provided miso soup but it was so hot in there, I had no desire for it. The companion ordered the shrimp & chicken combo. A little on the pricey side @ $25-28 but was a lot of food. We liked that the chef prepared everything @ the table & having tasted the chicken & veggies believe he did a great prep job. Overall, I liked the place/ambiance but couldn't go above 3 stars due to price (too expensive) & comfort (or lack thereof).
(3)
Cathie H.
Went with my daughter and we both had the emporer steak and garlic fried rice! Got a glass of water knocked over in my lap and on my plate by the chef and he had the gall to take my plate, dump it back on the griddle to reheat it and tried to put it back on another plate for me.... I was like WTF?! Um, no, I think I'd like a new steak thanks. They brought out another steak and veggies and my meal was redone for me. When the bill came they mistakenly put my sparkling water on another party's bill.... Waitress, "oh YOU had the sparkling water?" Um, yeah, I'm wearing half of it! Used to love this place but no offer of free dessert, half off my dinner, no apology even from the chef.....wow.
(1)
Claudia M.
Ok let me tell you whats up with this place. This place has decent food and the show is cool and all. The only thing i really had a problem with this place was that they didnt sell kobe beef. I mean you would expect this place to sell kobe beef if it says Kobe Japanese Steak House. Ughh.
(3)
Wes O.
I tried this place thinking that it would be on par if not better than a Bennihana's. NOT EVEN CLOSE!! I read some reviews here and felt okay about going. But I was truely disappointed. The chef: no personality, poor customer service and no skills [he missed the shrimp tail in the hat trick 4 fricken times]. The entertainment: :: looking around :: nobody home here. The chef didnt even try. The Food: Salty!! The fried rice was salty, the veggies salty...I had to tell him to NOT put any salt on my steak. Wack wack wack! The summary: WTF! can we get some new tricks. I mean how many times must I see the onion volcano's and shrimp in the hat tricks? EVERYBODY DOES THEM! I want originality. Bottom line... do what I should have done...go around the corner to Bennihana.
(1)
Daniele S.
Service here is phenomenal. The meat is extremely fresh and tasty and everything is well prepared. It truly feels like an old Japanese house inside. Upgraded version of BeniHanas with better food, selection, and service. As they are in downtown, arrive early or make reservations.
(4)
Boris L.
The chefs are skilled but the food is better at Benihana.
(3)
Shep G.
This place is ok, it's dark and a little thread bare (seen better days). The food was pretty good, and the chef did a good job, but I thought the prices were REALLY high....I'd rather have gone to the Wailana Coffee House across the street, and had a burger...
(3)
sky i.
The only reason I would even consider the idea of eating at a Teppanyaki restaurant would be for the show presented by the chefs. BUT, if the chef is inexperienced or clumsy then good money is wasted because all the food prepared on the grill have the same, uniformly bland taste of salt, pepper, butter and oil. In the three times I've eaten here, the quality of the chefs have progressively grown worse. On my last visit my table had the misfortune of having a novice chef who perhaps had two weeks of practice under his belt. His routine was slow, lame and he dropped his spatula three times. He had the coordination of a four year old on Prozac. Kobe must've been desperately short on cooks for them to use a person who was clearly not ready. Instead they made a mockery of a craft that requires skill and dedication. I won't be coming back anytime soon, even if it's someone else's treat.
(2)
Kelsey S.
STAY AWAY FROM THIS PLACE IF YOU TRULY CARE FOR YOUR HEALTH. Decided to give this place a try while in Oahu just 3 days ago. Had a coupon for $10 off and it wasn't your typical commercial tourist trap. Sounds perfect huh? Exterior is dirty but I still gave it a chance and didn't judge at first. We stepped in and the staff was very friendly. Interior looked a little better and was really dark. Seemed like a great atmosphere.They seated us with another couple,my boyfriend and I on one end. He ordered a beer and I got some plum wine. Our waitress was a taking a bit long. Which was truly a blessing. As we waited for her to take our order my boyfriend yells out HOLY S*#T and I looked to where he was pointing, a two inch COCKROACH (not kidding on the size) came up from the bottom of the table, across the teppan grill and over his plate. We jumped up took one look at each other and said we're outta here. He ran up to the host and explained what happen. We didn't want to leave without paying for our drinks so we asked if we could. He had us sit on the couch, while I guess he told the manager. I feel like I'm going to throw up. A few minutes later he said the drinks were on them. I walked outside as the host asked many questions to my boyfriend about where it was, and the waitress seemed upset we were leaving. Okay,if I really had the choice, this place would get no star. That's not the first nor the last COCKROACH in that place. They are everywhere and they know it. I'm sure their kitchen is full of them. Absolutely DISGUSTING. PLEASE BE AWARE WHEN EATING HERE. THIS PLACE IS DARK FOR ONLY ONE REASON. TAKE A WILD GUESS WHY. AND REMEMBER THIS HAPPEN ONLY 3 DAYS AGO!
(1)
Consuela P.
The best teppan-yaki place on Oahu as you watch your chef prepare, slice and dice delicious steaks, seafood, and chicken entres right at your table.
(5)
Debbie R.
service was not all that good - the waitress got a little testy when we told her we had one more person coming who would order sushi and she said we could not order until everyone was there - sushi is not cooked on the grill, so she finally relented, but seemed put out. The chef acted like he was bored the entire time. the only reason we went there was because the hotel had given us a coupon & said if we told them they had sent us, we would be treated great...wrong! Prices were bit expensive for what it was. On a good note, the guys outside working valet were very nice.
(2)
Ruben P.
It's been a while since I had actually visited here and gone to eat at Kobe Japanese Steak House, but figured it would be worth dropping a quick review. I'm not normally a big fan of the "Benihana" style restaurants because I'm not really amazed by the cooks performing their tricks while cooking. I mean how many times can you really see an onion volcano or have him flip a shrimp to the top of his hat or into his shirt pocket. Okay, we get it...yay...very entertaining. For me, just give me my food and let me eat already before it all gets cold. The reason my rating is actually a 4 is because in this case the cook was not only "let me flip food around and show you I can juggle knives" entertaining, but actually had a personality and talked to us the entire time. I can't recall his name anymore, but he made us laugh and pretty much bonded with my best friend, the groom and reason I was in Hawaii at the time (to be his best man). The food was good, as it usually is at a place like this, but the service was exceptional and made you feel like you were part of the family there.
(4)
Rowdy G.
I thought the place was good but i am a huge fan of the Japanese Steak house. I thought our server could use a little work but over all I enjoyed myself. Was a little expensive. Just for my wife and I it was over $100!! My wife said all the food there tasted the same but she still enjoyed herself. 1 bad thing is that the ventilation was not great and the whole room seemed to fill up with smoke from the grills. Not so good..
(3)
Suzi S.
Used a Groupon for this meal, thank goodness because I'd be more pissed if I had to pay regular price. Even though it was a groupon of $50 worth, our out of pocket bill was still $80+. First, host that answered the phone when I called to inquire about parking/valet was rude and had no customer service. I asked how much was to valet and he said, "I don't know you'd have to ask them." I then reclarified and said, 'you mean you don't know much your own valet charges?" He said very rudely, "nope you need to ask them!" When we got there the valet which is right in front of the front door had a big sign that said $5.00 Valet Parking. He could have easily seen it if he walked to the front of his host stand. What a lazy and very rude host. Then our chef did not say anything to us while cooking our food. It was a full side facing him and he cooked all 7 of our meals without no talking. On the same table but opposite side with other customers the chef was the typical animated, talkative teppanyaki chef. Emporers steak was not fit for any emporer. Tough and fatty. Definitely NOT recommending nor returning. Even if it was free, you can't get me to walk in that place again! 1 star only because the server was polite.
(1)
Megan M.
Great food great service! No wait.
(4)
Stephanie S.
Nothin special. Valet is a must. Vise to Waikiki beach. Hostess' weren't all that friendly and our chef wasn't all that entertaining either.
(3)
Ema C.
This place is awesome because the chefs will cater to food allergies the best they can. If you are sensitive and can't have contamination to certain foods, just mention this to the chef and waitress before the show begins. I'm allergic to everything from the ocean (except salt and seaweed) and my food was cooked completely separately AND first (before the cooking table was cross contaminated from the scallops). This was awesome considering there was a lot of seafood on the table and I felt that my allergies were taken seriously and very courteously! The steak here is super yummy, so are the sauce dips! A lot of locals come here for special dinners (graduation, anniversary, holidays, etc.) Ask for Jiro!
(5)
Nissa G.
Typical hibachi style steakhouse.. Good choices on the menu, good presentation by the chefs. I believe they have two for one Tuesday's! Also military discount with ID!! Overall yummy and TONS OF FOOD!
(4)
Kevin M.
For me, a trip to Oahu wouldn't be complete without eating at Kobe at least once. This is truly delicious Japanese tepanyaki prepared by expert chefs. While living in Japan, I ate at a number of tepanyaki restaurants but I still enjoy Kobe for the superb food, the location, and the aloha that the staff has for their clientele. My absolute favorites are the lobster, scallops, and beef. The veggies are all fresh and perfectly prepared as well. The servers and waiters are all friendly and prompt and the owner frequently stops by tables himself to make sure his customers are enjoying their meal. If you're looking for a tasty, entertaining, and friendly place to eat with a date or even a larger group, I'd highly recommend Kobe Steak House.
(5)
Janett A.
My boyfriend and I are from Cali and were looking for a good Teppan grill place. A bartender,Randy, at the Hilton hotel recommended Kobe. We enjoyed every minute of it! The chef JOHN, a young guy, was super friendly and fun. Besides him making interesting he cooked awesome food. We ordered the steak and scallops with the garlic fried rice. Oh my god SOOOOOOOO GOOD!!!! I couldn't stop eating and wanted more. I hardly ever like those places but I had to try one in Hawaii and was not disappointed at all!
(4)
Annalynn C.
I love teppanyaki and it has been a while since I've had great teppanyaki. Kobe, in HI, is the first place to get a 5 star rating from me, as far as teppan places are concerned - Benihana has nothing on Kobe. The chefs are creative when they cook and my meal was unforgettable. The ginger sauce for the seafood and vegetables wasn't enough for the entire meal that my friend had to order a second helping. If you like fried rice, you'll absolutely die for Kobe's fried rice. The rice is cooked with lots of butter and the rice in and of itself can be a meal. Like most Japanese meals, the meats and veggies are cooked with yummy shoyu (soy sauce). If you want to eat good food and want to be entertained while you dine, Kobe is a good place to hit when vacationing (or if you live) in Oahu. Be prepared to walk out smelling like food; however, it might not bother you to have a constant reminder of your onolicious meal!
(5)
AsianRunningDiva S.
My first time here, but since I bought a Hot Deals Hawaii coupon, we decided to go. It was really great that they had valet parking ($5) since it's really difficult to find parking in this area. Food was a little on the expensive side, but all entrees included soup, shrimp appetizer, veggies, and rice. We ordered the scallops and steak, fish and steak, fish, and filet mignon. Our chef was EXCELLENT at entertaining! He was funny and prepared our meals with great flavor and the meat the way we wanted it. The price of the meal is due to the entertainment factor and the meals prepared HOT right in front of you! The only thing that gets me about this place is that you leave smelling like cooked grease because of all the grills going! The valets were QUICK getting our car--even jumping over the bushes to cross Ala Moana to get to the car! FUN and ENTERTAINING night! :)
(4)
Heather G.
Flat out amazing first hibachi experience! Our cook wasn't too exciting like some of the younger ones were at other tables, but he did tricks and cooked an amazing meal.
(5)
Smooth R.
Are you serious?? I give one star for the dim lighting which is relaxing. The second star for the entertaining chef that dropped the pepper shaker into our food while cooking. I think he dropped it more than once.. Stick to Benihana.
(2)
Lana K.
It's all about the mustard dipping sauce!!!! Just give me gallons of it and I'm good. My family goes to this place for: -everyone's birthdays (me, bro, mom, dad)--4 - Father's Day -Mother's Day -parent's anniversary Enough said.....
(5)
Mike B.
Located next to Benihanas which means it has to be good to compete. Only bad thing is they don't have Kobe steak. Nice atmosphere fresh food. Can't go wrong.
(4)
Rita L.
way better than the other teppanyaki...a little more expensive but more bang for you buck! the ginger sauces are better and the mustard sauce is awesome. the scallops here are delicious, huge pieces! the steak is great...the quality is much better than tanaka of tokyo, but i still like both!
(4)
Alison M.
Not the worst sushi I've ever had... this review is only for the sushi. Very overpriced and not fresh. Would have never gone except I purchased a $60 groupon. No central air. Dark and grungy. Even at half off- the food was not worth it. Better sushi across the street at aloha sushi. 10$ for 6 pieces of cali roll? Yikes! Will not be returning.
(2)
Paul H.
Great place for fun with friends. Another one of those places I must visit when in Honolulu (which is often). The food is excellent (although a bit pricey) and the service is wonderful. The chefs put on a good show and banter with the folks at the table. Don't forget to tip the chef for the show, it's worth the extra $$$ to let them know you like it.
(4)
Darren T.
So, I am a fan of Benihanas, but had never been to Kobe before probably because I had never been to Hawaii before. We had an entertainment guide coupon, and it was a block from our hotel. We went about 6:15, no reservation, and were seated right away. We had a great meal at a fair price, and the service was good as well. I had the teriyaki steak and my wife had the teriyaki chicken. Both came with soup, veggies, shrimp app, rice, and hot tea. Overall I thought it was a good meal and my wife and I had a good time there as well. Great for families and young children. Prices might be a little high for some but you will leave full. If you have the Hawaii entertainment guide, You can save $20 for BOGO.
(4)
Erika A.
Every time I have to come here for a friends birthday or whatever, I always roll my eyes at the thought of going, but you know what? I always leave happy and very satisfied with my meal. I always feel silly going for the novelty of the chefs entertaining us by flipping our food around and making shrimp do a tail dance for us like we are all 5 year old kids watching in amazement. Ooh, look at the shiny red ball! I think that is the key to this place though. Let your inner child out! If you had a boring chef, that's probably because you are boring too! These chefs have to do this day in and day out, at least work with them a little bit. I'm sure they feel just as ridiculous making an onion volcano for the 15th time that day as you do in watching it, so get involved. Talk to the chef a little, smile and laugh and your experience here will be better. It's always great to go with big groups too cuz big groups are a lot of fun! Most of these chefs are from Japan, so it's always cool to hear them talking in their accents and answering our questions of where they are from, blah, blah, blah. This interactiveness makes it more forgiving when they screw up too. You start rooting for them to do their trick on their 3rd try! Give them a freakin break. This is not an olympic sport of flipping the shrimp in the pocket, so if they don't do it on the 1st try so fucking what. 99% of the time they do their trick. They are not robots people. It's just silly entertainment in the end anyway. The food is good. I always get the garlic fried rice and a steak of some sort. Everything is always very very tasty and I leave full! And don't get me started on their dipping sauces!! The ginger whatever you call it sauce is so so good!! There's always $10 off coupons to use if their prices seem a bit high to you, but even without the coupons I think it's still a decent deal. $20-$25 for most meals, even combos. I mean you would pay that much at most steak places and here you get just as much food. The one bad thing about this place is it's a bit dark and hot, but after a few beers, who cares, I'm more interested in the shrimp in the pocket trick at that point anyway. So maybe I should stop being an in the closet Kobe fan, cuz I really like this place. I can't say I'd ever pick this place for my birthday dinner, but if someone else does, count me in!
(4)
Jessica D.
This was the first Hibachi restaurant I ever came to on the island and it is one of the better ones I think but it still is lacking. I've been here several times because it is still one of the better ones in Honolulu, but to me, Benihana is much much better with the food much more flavorable. One of my favorite things at Hibachi restaurants is the fried rice and the vegetables and if those aren't good then it's kind of disappointing. Kobe was kind of bland in the fried rice, it needed the garlic you could choose to add. Other than that it was tasty, I guess. I always order the filet mignon at HIbachi restaurants and I have never found any that I did not like. My first Hibachi restaurant was a place in Virginia Beach and I've been to several around there. I moved to the island excited (among other things) that there would be probably lots of nice hibachi restaurants but I experienced lots of lacking in flavor at every one that I have tried and the closest I have come is Benihana. But what will make me never come to this restaurant again is the valet. Cheap, sure. We've done valet parking once, no problem. We came back two times after that and ran into very rude valets BOTH TIMES. So we ate somewhere else. The garage is pretty expensive, which makes me sad because I rather like Benihana.
(2)
David K.
Fried rice is worth the extra dollars and the food is the right amount of salt. Chicken was a bit salty. Beef was cooked perfectly. Lots of food!
(4)
Mel G.
Not impressed. We love Japanese steakhouses, but this was very expensive and probably our least favorite Japanese steak house ever. We recommend skipping this on your trip to Hawaii. California rolls were good. Make sure to read the fine print on the menu. Fried Rice is an additional $4 per person. We love Japanese steakhouse leftovers also, but didn't even eat the leftovers this time. Food was okay but not worth the price. Try the Japanese steakhouse around the corner in the Hilton- much better. The cook was very good though. We just weren't impressed with the food.
(2)
John O.
Of all the many teppanyaki style restaurants on Oahu, this one is the cheapest. What it lacks as far as appearance both inside and out, the food is decent and the prices are much less than the others you can find. Hint: check out the Honolulu Weekly magazine, you can find a coupon in there. Enough to go ahead a splurge on a Mai Tai! Well, I kind of like the appearance inside this restaurant. It is old and that is fine by me. Waikiki is getting a more upscale atmosphere everywhere you look now. Not a problem, but its always nice to go into a place that prides itself on quality. One of my favorite things about the place is that they have this tank just as you go in and have some really nice tropical fish. They even have my favorite, the Humuhumunukunukuapua'a.
(4)
L D.
The food was terrific. Lots of fun for the kids. Service was great and so was our chef Lester. We would definitely come again.
(4)
Noway D.
DON'T EVER GO HERE!!!! CUSTOMERSERVICE SUCKS!! FOOD SUCKS MADE US SICK FOR the whole night. go somewhere else and do not waste your time and money here. You are better off Pf CHANG.. i mean it and go to a local spot. A FAT lady in a red kimono didn t serve us right. we met up with our friends here since they loved this place. Treated me and my kids like shits. As a tourist you would think they would do a better job.They didn t offfer us any drink made us ( me, my kids 14 and 12) rush our order and to top it all off none of our meals came with rice. We was charged a full meal with 5 tiny pieces of chicken and more of vegtables. Do they not think these growing hungry kids was not looking for rice. I then asked what type of meal did we get since it didn t come with the menu they serve , no response . But my friends spent over $200 in their dinner and we all sat in the same table. I just don t understand how you treat your customer this way. I might as well just sat with them and watch them eat , since they served me wrong and paid to have a bad service and food.... NEVER EVER GO HERE NOT WORTH YOUR TIME AND MONEY
(1)
Auzon A.
We had a great time at this place. Our chef was funny and entertaining, the food was tasty and the prices weren't too bad for a hibachi type place. We also used a $10 off coupon from the coupon book we got from the hotel. The service was fine so we have no complaints. It was a great start to our vacation. We both got the chicken & steak combo for I think $22, not bad right? We'd go again if we visit oahu & we're close by. Our hotel was right across the street so that made for real convenience.
(4)
Jennie S.
I don't see why this place is still in business. I went on a SLOW night but still had to wait long to get the waitress to take our food and drink orders. We always go to teppanyaki and have no problems but something must be wrong with the air feed. By halfway through the course we all took turns leaving the table because our eyes burned from the smoke, our kids were screaming and kept rubbing their eyes. Usually when the chef cooks, they use a shaker to put salt on the food, this chef used a SPOON to DUMP salt onto our steaks. It was inedible as was our scallops and fried rice. To top it all off, our chef had no show, no jokes, nothing to compensate for the awful food and atmosphere. I'll never go back.
(1)
Iris S.
Had dinner there. The food is great. But they need to up date the resturant. Went in to the waiting room first thing I could smell was roaches. The walls, carpet was dirty. If it wasn't being a birthday dinner for someone special I would have walked out. The chef and waitress had no personality. Oh be sure if you cannot eat shell fish make sure you tell the waitress. Which we didn't know , so we told the chef he got so up set I was willing to take my chances with him cooking my steak with the shell fish. Very rude place. I don't care how good the food was, I will not go back. I guess we will be seeing another old resturant close it's doors. How said.
(2)
Sandra S.
We had been here a few years ago, and the think I most remember was the smell when you walk in, it is strong and upappetizing. Well, it is still the same. We had a groupon and made a reservation for the first seating, 5:30. We arrived a few minutes early, waited briefly, and were seated. Our table was quickly filled, drink orders placed, dinner selections placed and the food began arriving quickly. Everything was standard teppanyaki, our chef, Jet, was new, and could use more motivation for his showmanship. Overall, we enjoyed ourselves and would return with a groupon, coupon, or other promotion. They do have sunset specials which are quite reasonable.
(3)
patrick o.
Unlike Kobe, this place is OVERRATED. I felt they hurried through my meal to get through another seating the portions were like little snacks. The show was ok, but the chefs didn't seem that interested. They also had a nickel and dime photographer charging $12 for some lame picture. I ordered the Kobe style steak, not sure what that means, it sure didn't taste like Kobe beef. The chicken wasn't that great, just tasted like stir fry. Overall if this place was $10 cheaper per person, it might be better, but not at $45/person.
(2)
Jenn W.
The interior seemed cramped and poorly ventilated. I started to feel claustrophobic during my meal. Our waitress was extremely rude to her other co-workers like bossing them around and yelling at them in front of us. So aside from the ambience I thought the food would be delicious but it really wasn't. I usually am able to finish everything off my plate but couldn't this time. The food was extremely salty it was unbearable. Id rather go to benihana or tanaka of tokyo for teppan-yaki any day.
(1)
Aaron A.
chefs on the left side are fun ( doing tricks) and personable. were the chefs on the right are a little boring don't do many tricks or talk much. i think it maybe because they are the new chef's. only bad thing is i have been to japan and had real Kobe steak with nice marbling of meat. the GF brother ordered Kobe and it look the same as our regular steaks. the scollops are amazing. the fish and steak is outstanding. the fish is so soft good eating.
(5)
Jenny L.
Teppan-yaki is fun. The chef did the usual, throw shrimp at some foreigner's face, flip your shrooms into your bowl, make all kinds of clackety clink noises.. entertained us basically. The food was good though, which was expected because it's not cheap. The beef was delicious. Great atmosphere, and you're in Hawaii! YEA!
(3)
gee t.
1st time at teppan-yaki and after reading the reviews, didn't have high expectations for the food. I knew we could get much better japanese food somewhere else but was going with our family for the entertainment. we were pleasantly surprised and really enjoyed ourselves, my 6 yr oldespecially loved the show. the food was great as well. this is not sizzler steak and seafood combos, you can tell it is a great cut of meat and they definitely know how to cook their seafood so that it doesn't turn out hard. used quite a bit of butter on everything, but it tasted great and we loved the experience. warning - expect to walk out smelling like barbeque.
(4)
Chesley B.
Best "Lava Flow" at the bar in Hawaii yet! Chef was very entertaining and service staff very attentive. "Garlic" fried rice was a great addition to teriyaki chicken entree... a first for me.
(4)
Sierra A.
Don't waste your time/money. Went there while on our honeymoon. On such a lovely sunny day, entering the restaurant was like entering a dark smelly cave. The food was ok but the service was terrible. Underline that terrible. We arrived just as they opened. They seated us alone at a table - and even though we were the only people there...they seated us at the side of the table, rather than the front facing the chef. Which made no sense. We ordered cocktails and a sushi appetizer. Make sure you don't try and order sushi from the cocktail waitress, or she will snap at you. So, we place our food order with the regular waitress. Seconds later, before we got our sushi, the chef came out and began cooking. We got our sushi...then later...got our drinks...dinner was ready before we were even halfway through our appetizer. By this time, we were already wishing we had just left instead of ordering dinner. I really can't re-iterate how rude the staff was. As the cocktail waitress refilled our water, she spilled it all over the floor, then snapped at me to pick up my purse from the ground if I didn't want anything spilled on it. (It was not in anyone's way, it was under my chair). Our chef was nice enough - but he dropped almost everything and didn't seem skilled, and the whole thing just seemed a little forced. I got the regular teriyaki steak and my husband had the filet. The filet was definitely worth the price upgrade - very tender and delicious. The rest of the food and veggies were fine. But as soon as we had all the food on our plates, we immediately began to feel rushed. No one came back to check on us, but after about 5 minutes, the bus boy came over with a cart and stared at us. At this time, the restaurant had a few more tables - but there did not seem to be ANY reason for them to tap there foot like we were eating too slow. The whole thing left a bad taste in our mouths.
(1)
surprise m.
yuck! its dark,dingy and way overpriced here.i think if they made the lighting any brighter you'd see just how dirty this place is. the food wasn't even worth a star. the only reason i'm giving this place 2 stars is because the chef put on a good show. seriously, there's nothing else even worth mentioning about this place.
(2)
Tina P.
kobe is great i love the food there and there new pupu like the fries are awsome i been eatting at kobe snice i was small and i still think they are great and awsome
(5)
josh v.
if i could, i would give 4.5 stars... i had a great time! i ordered the steak and scallops combo. very good experience...we was seated quickly, the chef was personable, having friendly banter with his audience, the chef also did some crazy knife work which made me want to try it at work, he cooked my ny steak the way i liked it (medium-rare) and waitresses were very friendly and also pretty cute : ) atmosphere seems more "japanese-esqe" type of feel than benihana's which i loved. architecture and the art, especially the rice paper canvas painting was pretty sick with its very intricate brush strokes. plus the lighting was dimmed down enough to where we can see whats happening and what i was eating and also made it cozy.
(4)
Alita M.
ii keiken deshita ne! The one thing about Hawaii is that there is so much Japanese culture that the food is amazing - almost like being in Japan! It's like home away from home. Kobe has a neat setting - definitely trying to be Japanese-like, but the amount of foreigners really throws it off. You come in with your waiter to sit at a large cook top table and find 3 salarymen who speak no English awaiting the chef. Sharing a table is wonderful, especially when you miss speaking Japanese and want to pick it up. Your waiter arrives and greats everyone formally, cleaning and preparing the vegetables right before your eyes to demonstrate quality. He swiftly dissects the shrimp, slicing and dicing in ways you never knew food could be chopped. After his knifemanship he builds an onion tower, stuffing it with butter and cooking sherry to turn it into a flaming volcano. Then he divides up the shrimp and veggies onto everyone's plate, flipping the final shrimp for every individual into one of the sauces to signify which flavors are meant to be tasted together. Then comes out the steak. Always a girl's favorite part. He asks you how you like it, and when you say rare he flops the steak onto the grill for two seconds and flaps in onto your plate. He smiles and moves on to the okyakusama next to you, waits until he serves everyone else as you drool over your uncooked cow and then deftly swipes it from under your approaching fork to tease cook it a few more minutes before really serving you. All subtle fun and games. And all of it makes you hungry, but you're so worried about not catching the perfect moment of every move he makes on camera that you are stuck in limbo over what to do. Magical photo or steak? But ultimately you surrender your camera to the table and dive in with your chopsticks. Mmmmhmmm. This is what makes you wonder why anyone is vegetarian. Just remember to look for the coupons in your travel guide. Always a bummer when even the Japanese tourist have coupons and you don't.
(5)
? ?.
Very similar to Benihana's. Loved the "show". Our chef was very friendly and even made a heart for us out of fried rice when we told him we were from San Francisco. The food was very good. It was pretty pricey but then again, you are paying for the "show" and for them to cook it in front of you. Read my other Kobe review.
(4)
Mymy N.
I was craving sushi and my uncle was craving steak so Kobe seemed to be the best choice for my uncle's birthday dinner. This Benihana type dining experience is really fun and entertaining because the chef cooks everything right in front of you on a sizzling grill. I split a hibachi steak dinner with my cousin and got the garlic fried rice. The fried rice was super tasty because of the pound of butter we saw the chef dump on top of it. YUM. The steak was cooked medium and was super juicy and flavorful. Someone else at our table got lobster and omg that looked so good! My little sister got the Sukiyaki steak and it was delicious and my uncle got the fish and steak and the fish was buttery and flaky and yummmmm. Our chef was not as entertaining as the one at the other table drumming and yelling, but he was nice and he sliced those shrimp like no tomorrow. The sushi was ok. Definitely fresh but wish we had more options. Overall a super fun dining experience and yummy food!
(4)
Jessica W.
This was overall a great experience for my future in-laws from the mainland. They were entertained and we were happy with our food. We had a large group-12 people and 2 chefs and were seated at 2 facing tables. Our problem came at the end of the meal when we discovered an extra drink had been served to us. My in-law uncle had asked for water and received whisky and water. Since they were at the other table I didn't hear about it until the bill had been paid, so at that point we brought it up and our receipt was brought to a back room by the owner of the restaurant. We were then subjected to an extremely long wait and lines like "It's because he has to recalculate the bill." It was a single clearly priced line item. Finally he came out with the $6 and proceeded to accuse us of trying to cheat him. Not a single apology that they served alcohol to a person who doesn't drink, which he then unknowingly tasted. We would have understood that mistakes can happen (though that is a particularly bad one to make). To instead get an accusation was absolutely incredible. I feel sorry for all the employees who have to deal with this man. I only say "man" to be polite because there's a much more appropriate term.
(3)
Kai G.
I picked up the Groupon thinking this would be a good place for me and my wife to check out while in town. I ignored a couple of negative reviews, as the vast majority seemed ok. I now wish I hadn't. First impression was ok. The place its kind of dark and dingy, but I've seen worse. We showed up about an hour earlier than our reservation, but after about ten minutes we were seated and ordered. The soup and salad came out very quickly. I liked the soup, my wife wasn't overly impressed. The salad was a joke. A few tiny shreds of wilted iceberg and carrots in a saucer approx 2 inches in diameter. It was very sour. At this point the chef for the adjoining table got started. He got going on the standard onion-volcano, fried-rice, etc. He was maybe 5 minutes into his act when my wife started freaking out pointing at him. I thought I was missing a cool trick, bit when I looked up I saw what she was pointing at: a giant cockroach was crawling up the guy's back. We pointed it out to the busboy who quickly hit the chef in the back with his drink tray, trapping the roach and ushering the chef back to the kitchen. About this time our chef showed up and covered for the first guy. While we debated whether or not to leave and sacrifice a $25 Groupon, a diner two tables down leapt out of his chair when he found another cockroach climbing up his neck. That made our decision pretty easy and we got out of there. I'd gladly sacrifice $25 to eat somewhere sanitary. I try to support local restaurants, but now wish we'd just gone to Benihana.
(1)
Grimeater A.
The food here is ok. Don't expect any complex flavors here. Everything seasoned with salt and pepper. The portions are too small to satisfy my appetite. If you're lucky you'll get a "chef" that puts on a decent show, if not you'll be bored to death wondering why you paid so much to eat mediocre food while sitting with complete strangers.
(3)
K N.
Kobe is so awesome. We went there to celebrate my dad's birthday and we really enjoyed ourselves. The steak was so tender and juicy. The texture of the ginger sauce was perfect. The combo came with teriyaki chicken and it was so tasty. The garlic fried rice is a must. I've been there many times and also like scallops and steak and shrimp combo. Granted, it is a little more pricey than some restaurants but I think it's worth it for a fun and entertaining dinner. We are always so satisfied when we leave Kobe.
(5)
Stella K.
This place was my first experience with teppan-yaki and it was awesome. I was in Hawaii as a guest @ my friends house and we went here for his birthday. It was six of us so we got one table to ourselves. I got the chicken and shrimp combo and the chicken was melt-in-your-mouth good. The shrimp was tasty and cooked to perfection. The veggies and fried rice that accompanied the meal was great too. I long to go to Hawaii again just so I can eat the amazing food.
(5)
JDizzle D.
This place is great! very friendly staff. the steak is cooked the way i like it, and the Sake gives me a nice warm feeling. nice vibe and even the people who eat there seemed nice. Only complaint is price. its not expensive per say but there are other places where i think i can get better prices for same quality. but the chefs and staff were very pleasant. 4.5 stars if i could
(4)
Michael E.
Kobe is always one of our go to spots when we want to avoid the traffic going home. It's always a toss up between the sushi bar or the entertaining dinner with any of the talented chefs. Of course got to include a cold drink to enjoy with the meal! I've never had bad service here, the staff is always pleasant. Of course the food has always been ono! So I still feel the decor needs to be updated, it's fairly dark in here. Also it is a bit pricey to be quite honest, best to be on the look out for the Groupons, Living Social, or Hot Deals Hawaii deals to get the most out of your money. Either way though it's a must if you come to visit Hawaii!
(4)
Vincent P.
I like Kobe more than Benihana & Tanaka of Tokyo. The atmosphere always brings back memories and is one of the things I love about Kobe's. I'm also happy to see that they still make the onion volcanoes by using some real fire and making a small lava show too. Benihana doesn't do this, they use laser pens to make a light show. It's not as exciting. I'm sure it's some type of safety issue. But I'm glad that not every Tepanyaki place has changed to a light show. It's one of the things I go to a Tepanyaki place for. It's the show and there's nothing like seeing real flames...... Everything else is still to par on how I remember through out my years of going here from childhood. I love Kobe's and haven't found a better Tepanyaki place yet. I will probably have to go to Japan to find a Tepanyaki place that is better. I guess I'll put that on my list.....
(4)
First Name L.
You know that feeling you have when you're leaving a whore house and you feel like you paid too much for something you could have at home and what you have at home is way better? ME NEITHER! hahahah! But I imagine that's what if feels like. After we finished with dinner, we were walking down the stairs, and this feeling came over me... like where am I? I was back in the 80's and doing the walk of shame. This was an overall negative experience, not 1 star negative as the service and people were good, the food was fine, but we were so completely underwhelmed.
(2)
Dennis M.
Worst play I have seen in hawaii. Took 56 mins form the reservation to get a drink and the cook was horrible. Never come here. Go to tanaka
(1)
Tami H.
Great food & service. Staff and management always go above and beyond to make sure you have a great experience.
(5)
Vanessa S.
the chef was good, but the wait was excruciatingly long. food was just ok. not the cleanest looking place either. probably be better off going to a Benihana.
(3)
Keilana M.
I came here to Kobes a few times as a child, and therefore had great childhood memories about this place. I was excited to come back when I was older with my significant other as he never experienced the teppanyaki style. So we went here on a Thursday night. It wasnt hard to make a reservation, and also we were staying nearby so no need to valet, which I believe is the closest and only way to park near the restaurant. From the outside, it looks kind of dingy and for the firsttimer, it could be a turn off. But when you go inside, the decor and old ancient japan rustic feel to it is pretty nice. Although, it seemed a lot cleaner and livelier when I came here as a child. We were seated upstairs, and since it was only us two, we were seated with another couple and a party of four. So I think our stove area could sit 8 people. We took our orders and my boyfriend along with the other males on our table were all military, so they gave us a discount and I guess because of the day, they were giving free fried rice. SCORE! It took a while for our chef to come so thats they only thing I didnt like. Also, our chef remained pretty quiet during the experience. Theres no dinner music in the back so it made it awkward and I guess thats why the party of 4 tried to make it interesting. They made a few snarky jokey comments to our chef which I thought were plain rude. They said he seemed like it was only his first day on the job, and when they asked how long he had been here, he replied for about 15 years. HAHA! Jokes on them. Our Chef was great, the guests were rude. We tried the emperor steak and filet mignon and they were GREAT. Beyond great, AMAZING. I liked that my steak was soft and juicy, and my bf liked the quantity and meaty quality of the emperor steak. The hot tea after was good too. And the fried rice was sooo good! I remembered from before theyd have a photographer walking around, but no one was there and I was hoping there was because it was a special occasion for us. Also they only had ala mode and ice cream for dessert, the best memory I had as a child was their fruity sherbert! Hope they didnt get rid of that. Our bill was around $85 dollars. It was great, but now that Im older its not as WOW cool as I thought it was. Wish the chef talked a bit more, but I think if you plan on going here, try to fill the table with 8 people or more.
(4)
Anthony B.
Completely over priced for a totally disappointing meal. Dishes are $30+ and 90% ONIONS! Servers were slow and inattentive. Chef looked like a they grabbed a homeless man off the street. Worse is he was so unhygienic, touching food with his bare hands, I couldn't believe what I was seeing. The whole place was just filthy in general, if a health inspector walked in, this place would be shut down for sure. DO NOT GO HERE
(1)
Greg D.
Kobe Steak house! Such a fantastic restaurant that was part of my childhood growing up. Quality steaks great service and awesome food. I also love the Japanese Inn style of the place with the traditional decor. I highly recommend it for groups or just a date night for anyone who wants something different. It's also nice as you are seated around a table with the chef who entertains and cooks all the awesome food!
(5)
Jessica V.
Very very sadly disappointed by our experience here. We went here on Saturday night for a date night (which a rare these days with our busy schedules). The place at 730 pm on a Saturday was surprisingly very slow. We had an entire table to ourselves. The waiter came to take our order. My husband ordered a Mojito (which he enjoyed) and I ordered a glass of plum wine. The $7.50 glass of plum wine was served in a very tiny wine glass and tasted like very tart white zin instead of sweet plum wine. Yuck. Drank water with dinner instead... They served us onion soup, which was more like flavorless chicken broth...then the chef came out to make our food. We both ordered the steak and chicken dinner (29.99 a person). The dinner preparation was the most disappointing part...No flair from the chef at all... No fire, no action, nothing you expect from a hibachi place. We were served shrimp, a pile of zucchini, and bean sprouts... None of which I like so hubby got it all. Then they gave us steamed white rice... Sticky and cold and tasted like it was from Panda Express. Then he made the chicken and steak... No flavor at all and we were served very fatty pieces of meat. We have been to many hibachi places before... So I expected a lot more... Especially for the amount of money we spent. Never in my life have I spent $90 (not including tip) on dinner and left hungry... And just an FYI... No parking except valet... So $5 plus tip for parking also...
(1)
Kate R.
We never miss a trip to Kobe when we come to Waikiki. This time we had the best Tepan Chef ever-David! He had all the tricks down & personality plus. A tip most don't know is if you go between 5-6 you can get in on the early bird special. We'll be back!
(4)
Mike T.
Kobe Steak House by far is the best Teppanyaki restaurant to eat at. Starting from the valet all the way through dinner and dessert and until we got back to the valet. Service was superb. Food was excellent. Absolutely zero complaints. Chef John was excellent and performed tricks with food that I have never seen before. He made my kids have the best first Teppanyaki experience and now all they want to do is keep going back. Oh and by the way, we just went tonight. Lol!! Hands down to the owners and management team. They know how to cater to customers and their quality control over the food...STELLAR!! Thumbs up all the way for Kobe's if you want great food, awesome service and a killer performance of a real life veggie/fruit ninja.
(5)
Debbie R.
If it wasn't for the happy hour specials, I'd say avoid this joint. The place is dark, dingy and just "feels" dirty. Other Yelpers have complained about the same thing - the filth and disrepair, and its all true. My friend insists on coming here for happy hour though, so here we are. Can't complain about the quantity of food and I'm just hoping that they keep the kitchen a little better than the dining areas. Oh and valet parking ONLY.
(2)
Preeda K.
Ate here the other night because I found a coupon in one of those tourist magazines. The food was OK nothing special. I have been to benihanas and their food was way better. KOBE although is cheaper is really not worth the price. Our chef was Good he put on a pretty good show and interacted with the tourist and not us LOL I guess because he asked if we were local. The chef at the next table I noticed had NO customer service what so ever he didn't even interact with the customers at his table. The dinning room itself was small and stuffy. Be warned it does get smoky so if you don't like smoke than I suggest you avoid KOBES. I would probably not go back maybe try Tanaka of Tokyo.
(2)
Angela B.
Love me some Groupon! My friends and I each bought their $25 for $50 and we ate FAT! They allowed us to use our own so we each got $50 credit. The food was good, but steak was overcooked. They really could use a vent clean out because by the end of our dinner, we stunk of food. Happy Hour is until 7:30 pm for $5 martinis. $5 Valet parking
(4)
Kelly K.
Every time I visit Honolulu, I come back to Kobe. Their food is delicious, and the staff is always so pleasant and friendly. Order the dynamite off of the appetizer menu, you will be glad you did! The hibachi chefs are all so great, and they make some of the best food I have eaten at a Japanese steak house, all while keeping you entertained! Love this place! Can't wait for my next visit this summer!!
(5)
Nicole U.
First off... valet took forever. After waiting about 5 mins I went inside and asked the host if there was a valet. He said he should be back any minute, which then we proceeded to wait a few more minutes. He did apologize for the wait. We found it unusual because we got there at 530 and there was literally no one in the place. We had to wait till we had a suitable amount of people so that they would seat us at a table. Walking through the restaurant some employees were in uniforms and others were clearly not (and did not care about their appearance in the least). The restaurant dining room was filthy. I understand with the grills things can get a bit greasy but come on. The restaurant is very run down. Carpet is pretty gross. We were there at opening and it looked like it hadn't seen a good cleaning in a few months. Food was eh... the show was eh... the price you pay for an entree there you expect it would be outstanding. It's not. I was really hoping that it was going to be good but this was a complete let down all around.
(2)
Tam D.
Price $$$$ Food 1 star Service 2 stars Not worth the price, big mistake. Steak bland, veggies too salty, soup flat, and what's with that salad? Should have went to Takana at ala Moana. At least worth the price. Now I know there was only 3 couples in there on a Saturday night.
(1)
Gen M.
This place was a bit overpriced for the amount of food they serve you, the fact that you have to share a table with strangers (I hate that) and it was completely deserted when I went which had me questioning why there was no one there.
(2)
Renee M.
Yay for this place! I was right behind our hotel at the Hilton Hawaiian Village! We made a reservation the morning of, and when we arrived, we only had to wait a couple minutes for them to set up our table/grill. This isn't the kind of place you can pop in to for a quick dinner. I think we were in and out in over two hours. The food was AMAZING. The only downside was this older lady at our grill had a soy allergy and was gluten free. Not the place to come to... it was a huge burden on us because our poor chef had to remake a couple things because she noticed her scallops were battered in a flour, and WE had to keep an eye out if he used soy sauce in the food. Lucky for us though because we got her fish instead so it wouldn't go to waste. The price seems a tad high for Oahu, but I think it's because they know out of towners will visit! I would recommend, it was a fun night!
(4)
Beth B.
We decided to try this instead of Benihana's next door, where we eat every year when we come to visit. -super loud -really hot, especially upstairs where we were seated -our chef did nothing to entertain us or engage us other than the onion volcano. I think he smiled twice. -mushrooms in EVERYTHING! -Benihana's tasted better, was more fun, similar in price, and we are one and done with Kobe.
FRIENDLY STAFF DOESN'T ALWAYS GUARANTEE A GREAT DINING EXPERIENCE. TIP: FOLLOW WHAT STEAK YOU ORDER AND MAKE SURE IT IS YOUR STEAK FROM THE GRILL TO YOUR PLATE. I am not sure if i want to dine here in the future. Kobe steak isn't suppose to taste mediocre. It sure was not a fine steak. I couldn't tell which was mine because there were 6 of us at the bar and we all ordered different steaks. They were all grilled together and the chef did his fancy show and started dishing out our food on small plates as if he really knew what steak he was giving to us individually. I don't know the other 4 people with us but clearly -- it didn't matter what steak you ordered. \Waited about 30 minutes downstairs. Ordered 3 rounds of heineken. There was really no line behind us. Two of us met up with 4 people at our bar. More waiting as one of the waitresses came around arranging things and finally asked if we wanted something to drink. Didn't feel like it. I was ready to eat. I think we waited 15 minutes more for our chef to show up. It felt like we waited an hour. There was a lot of noise of celebration from the other side and i was just guessing the entire staff were tending to that bar. I was too tired to make a complaint. I didn't even want to ask about what steak i was eating. They are super friendly. But the experience was a negative overall.
(1)
Jessa A.
So this is my first time coming here because my dad's friend and my friend recommended it to us. First thing was, I didn't like how the valet parking was small. But the valet guys were quick and friendly. I came here last night with my family and boyfriend because it was my birthday. I guess the place was alright. When I walked in, everything was dark and calm. Which I liked. The host took us upstairs and seated us. Now this is one thing that made me rate this place three stars. They placed us right next to the air conditioner. My parents were complaining about how cold it was and wanted to change tables. And now for the entertainment... It wasn't that exciting. Which is another reason why I rated this place three stars. Our cook didn't introduce his name, he barely did any tricks, or told any jokes. For the food, I actually enjoyed it. Me and my boyfriend ordered the scallop and steak. It was sooo good! I ate it all! Since it was my birthday, they gave me a free scoop of ice cream, which was good. I chose the rainbow sherbert. I also ordered a virgin lava flow which was good too. If I had to compare Kobe's and Tanaka of Tokyo, I'd come to Kobe's for the food but Tanaka's for entertainment. I'd come back here again though.
(3)
Sally R.
I made this review after reading previous reviews. First of all I think it's funny when people comment on their "salad" if these people took the time to read the actual menu nowhere does it say a salad comes with the dinner. Just because other teppan places serve salad does not mean ALL others do. This "salad" is actually pickled vegetables also known as "oshinkomaki". Back to the food! The food is soooo delicious here! I always get the filet and scallop combo and I'll add extra shrimp! The ginger sauce here is to DIE FOR! It's addicting and goes good with everything! It's hands down the best ginger sauce! When I think of Kobe I go straight into thinking about their ginger sauce and my mouth gets watery! There sushi menu has also upgraded from a couple years ago it's delicious!
(5)
Jherold P.
At first I was curious didn't believe what the comments on the bottom till I got here... yes the worst place.. service sucks!!
(1)
Ben H.
Don't waste your time, no Japanese egg roll, no beating heart, no butterfly and no flying shrimp....this is where hibachi chefs go to die. The food was as bland as the chef cooking it. If I were you I would just move along. You would be better off eating at McDonald's.
(1)
Ivy Lou H.
Let's keep it short and sweet. Kobe does the job when you're craving some Teppanyaki and don't have the patience to wait with 1,000 tourists for a seat at Benihana which is just behind Kobe. But Kobe is really showing it's age and doesn't have the same clean, bright, ambience of it's neighbor Benihana. A couple of tips. If you order a beer it's usually the large one they'll serve you and the waitresses don't tell you that beforehand. Just FYI. If you want fried rice there's an additional cost of $4.00 extra per person unlike Benihana. Kind of weird since the whole idea of Teppanyaki is to fry your food up in front of you so it's not like fried rice is going out of their way. Again, just FYI. I do have to say though that the food is delicious at Kobe but everything else needs some work.
(2)
J.J Z.
My girlfriend and I received a gift card for Christmas and decided to try it out. Ordered hamachi sashimi and it was fresh and tasty. ($14) She ordered a miso soup and it was ok. I had the emperors cut and she had the fillet mignon. The meat was tender but not the quality I was hoping for considering the cost (40 each). As far as the show that we thought we were going to get, it never happened. Before we knew it he was saying have a good night. I figured that for the cost and sub-par quality we would at least be wowed by the show because that is what you are really going for...right? Happy we were not paying for this meal or else we probably would have had more to say about it. Very disappointed!
(2)
Christine K.
Fun as usual. Never a complaint. Just good food. Something to do. Wouldn't say its a must do in Hawaii. But it's good for a Tuesday night! Valet parking. Older dated decor. But hot hatachi grill!
(3)
Trish N.
I must say, we've had several GREAT experiences at Kobe's, a couple so-so...but the last time we went (a couple weeks ago) was totally disappointing. The times when it was great, our chefs were super-engaging, friendly, some were really funny, but they all just seemed to have a GOOD TIME and (most important!) the food was cooked perfectly. Other times it's been so-so, with the chef doing a good job with the food, but clearly just tired & wanting to go home, going through the motions of building the volcano, wagging the shrimp tail, etc etc...fine, I get it, it's a job, we all have those moments. Luckily I'm not a tourist, so it's not a one-shot deal for me...and the food was good. But this past time...OMG!! The guy who cooked for us was clearly a rookie: only got about half the tricks, jokes were stiff & over-rehearsed...and otherwise not talking to us at all. I could forgive that, but he also overcooked my steak--as in cooked well-done rather than medium-rare--AND he overcooked my scallops. Seriously, he must've turned the scallops over 4 or 5 times (very bad sear), then cut them in half & cooked the cut-sides-down as well! =( I felt so sad for those beautiful scallops. To make matters worse, he kept dropping food on the table (not the grill, but the actual table)...& he'd throw it back on the grill for a few seconds, then put it onto someone's plate...this happened at least 3 times. Ew. He also tried to flip someone's bowl of fried rice onto his spatula...flubbed...caught it in his bare hand, rice-side-down...then he just turned it right-side-up & gave it to her. To eat. EWWW!!! If this were a cheapy-meal, or if Kobe offered some kind of "rookie rate," I'd probably be more understanding...but this was a $100+ meal-for-2, which ended up taking over 1 1/2 hours to cook, with very poor results. And there was no master-chef (or anyone) standing by to guide his performance. Like I mentioned, we HAVE had some great meals at Kobe...& we've just had this one horrible one. But just be aware that your entire dining experience will rise & fall on the quality of your teppanyaki chef...so if you REALLY need to impress a date or out-of-town guest, make SURE you've got a good chef. When in doubt, ask for Jet ("like the airplane!") who was the last AWESOME chef that we had. Hopefully other Yelpers will share whichever great chefs they've had too...so Jet doesn't get bombarded. ;D Sorry Jet, but you were seriously fabulous!!
(3)
Jennifer S.
I love teppan-style steakhouses, had great service at other Kobe restaurants (notably Lahaina, which I would probably give 4 stars). We came on a weeknight just after a Groupon came out (I think everyone at our table had one!), so I don't know if we got a subpar experience as a result of their overall increase in volume, or if this is typical of the Waikiki location. The whole experience was a little rushed: we sat, ordered, ate, and had the check in an hour! It's not like they were trying to turn over our table for other groups, as there was plenty of room and chefs. It just wasn't anything to linger over. The chef was personable but seemed like the second-string. He joked with a ten-year-old at our table and talked with everyone. Did a few tricks and an onion volcano, but I've seen better. Relatively standard teppanyaki fare. Sushi and cocktails available. Soup and a vinegary cabbage salad starts you off. The cooking begins with a shrimp appetizer. You have your choice of meats and combinations of meats, or even just vegetables. The vegetables were mostly onion, with some mushrooms and a few zucchini pieces. I ordered teriyaki chicken and steak; in retrospect, I'd have ordered all-chicken. The beef tasted borderline gamey and wasn't seasoned very much. Fried rice is an extra $4 and worth it. Garlic is an option for your rice, too; I might have opted for no garlic if I had to do it over. Bean sprouts came at the very end. A photographer took two photos of us, but wanted $12 for the prints. It was a nice enough photo, but no thanks. $5 valet parking, which is a decent price, given that your other options are HHV parking. We asked if we could walk down to the beach for sunset before returning for our car, and they didn't have a problem with that.
(3)
Amanda J.
When we called we made a reservation for 5pm and when we walked up to the restaurant the sign said "We open at 5:30pm" so that was confusing and outside looks a little trashy. The inside of the restaurant needs a little work but when we sat down we did not have high hopes. The waiter was on top of his game and kept our drinks filled and made sure we had everything we needed. Our cook Bobbie was AMAZING! He cooked amazing food and had us laughing about different adventures! He also asked us about our plans and just kept the atmosphere up beat. It is a nice place to relax and have good meal. And the ginger sauce was WONDERFUL! Best I have had in a while :-)
(4)
Elizabeth M.
If you stay on Waikiki, don't go to Benihana's- Kobe is the spot! Their food is better and they add more unique touches. And of course, if they have a good Happy Hour, it gets a special place in my heart:D
(5)
Gspot H.
Opens at 5pm. can get sushi u name it. Valet Parking. U can get full menu on bar side. Nice Staff
(4)
Christa L.
As with most Japanese steakhouses, this place was amazing. I was quite surprised to find that it only has an overall three stars. After reading some reviews, I see that people have had both good and bad experiences, but since I have only been here the one time, it's five stars for me! The food was absolutely amazing. We had five people in our party and everyone was happy with what they ordered. It was a bit pricey but you can't expect anything less in Waikiki. Great experience and I highly recommend!
(5)
Sharmaine B.
Environment had a very traditional, Japanese atmosphere. Well conditioned, expecting heat from the griddles. It took a few minutes to get greeted at the door though. I treated my family to this restaurant for the first time because I had a Groupon and wanted to retrieve it before it expired. Also being named #1 Japanese Steakhouse in Hawaii, I definitely wanted to check it out. I am a huge fan of Japanese cuisine so I have an idea of what's expected. Joe was our Chef for tonight, great sense of humor and skillfully talented! I was observing the other Chefs preparing the Teppanyaki dishes, they were skillful as well. Chef Joe could not stop cracking fun, clean jokes, making the food preparation such a thrill! He also made the fried rice sing to the group "Happy Birthday" although it wasn't anyone's birthday, just for entertainment. Food was well seasoned. The onions were carefully stacked and lit on fire. Amazing show! That was beautiful! We had been served vegetables, well seasoned and caramelized. Shrimp was flavorful. I liked the fact he had handed a sample of the steak and personally asking if the doneness is up to our expectations before plating it. Teriyaki chicken was well cooked. Scallops were amazing. Scallops are a bit tricky to perfect because if overcooked, it'll become rubbery. That goes for all shellfish so great job on that! The cutest thing ever, he had flipped the lobster tails on the grill as if it was waiting to be eaten! You just had to be there. Overall, the food was good but I would definitely come back again because of the great service that was provided!
(4)
Brian F.
I've been to a couple of these types of places before. This one had to have been one of the mediocre ones. After trying to explain to two different people that we ordered the shared plate and didn't receive the fried rice, they finally understood when the first waitress came back around. She did apologize at the end but it was a little frustrating especially when you get a little attitude about it the first time we asked and was told that's what we ordered. Besides that, the food wasn't as good as I thought it would be. 3 stars for the food. I wouldn't go back to this place and my company came to the same conclusion. The inside was nice though.....a positive.
(2)
Prince L.
TL/DR: would go back again, don't dress too fancy you'll smell like smoke, fun, expensive First impression: Felt like I was in Tokyo with all the noise and smoke. Tip: get the older ninja japanese chef for extra excitement Pros: Steak was good, chef is fun, groupon makes it well worth it, even without groupon its still comparable. i mean, you get like 4 waiters per a "table" area (japanese chef, filipino buser, japanese tea lady, haole hostess). Friendly staff. Negs: Place is outdated. Bathrooms are old, grafitti, small, like a park bathroom lol. The Dynamite made me explosive (hence, the detailed bathroom reviews).
(4)
Claire F.
Don't get me wrong, I love teppanyaki. Kobe Steak House in particular holds a special place in my heart, as it used to be one of my favorite restaurants to go to in Maui as a kid. I'm such a sucker for all those knife tricks and onion volcano, even as a grown girl in my mid-20s. But I'll have to give Kobe 3 stars for lack of consistency. I've come to the Waikiki location a few times since moving to Oahu (I keep buying all those $25 for $50 Groupons, aghh), and each time has been different. I've had really great experiences and also really mediocre experiences. I think mostly, it's just the fact that there are dozens of different chefs at the restaurant of varying skill levels and styles of cooking, and it's all luck of the draw which one you get. My mediocre experiences have included overcooked meats (when I ask for medium rare and they give me medium well), overcooked shrimp (rubbery taste), and rice where the top portion is hard and dry (probably a result of sitting out for too long). And somehow, my fried rice tastes different every time I order it! The chef's are usually all outgoing and entertaining, but of course there are some who are pretty quiet the whole meal (awkward turtle). On the "great" side of the spectrum, I've had chefs who have been doing teppanyaki for over 10 years and have awesome skill and cooking technique. My food came out perfectly cooked, seasoned, and delicious with these chefs. I think the price is about fair for teppanyaki for the amount of food you get. All orders come with clear broth soup, tsukemono, sauteed mushrooms and onions, shrimp appetizer, cabbage/bean sprouts to end your meal, and unlimited bowls of rice. I'm always stuffed by the end of my meal here = a happy stomach :). Parking is valet only for $5 plus tip. I hate paying for parking so much that we walked from Ala Moana Shopping Center. A great way to walk off your meal? Haha.
(3)
Stephanie A.
We have always enjoyed the food at Kobe's. It has been 15 years since our last visit and tonight's visit was no different. The service was great, the food even greater. That was a wonderful way to celebrate our 41 years of marriage. My steak and scallops tasted the same it did all those years ago. Unbelievable. I love the mustard sauce for the steak. Yummy.
(5)
Jacinda N.
Kobe Steakhouse was the first meal I've ever eaten in Hawaii whenever i was still just a tourist visiting. We were promptly seated with another group of tourist who come to Hawaii often. They were really friendly and it wasn't awkward at all. Being that we were still on the "OMG WE'RE IN HAWAII" high, my brother and i went all out and both ordered the Kobe Emperor's Steak and a boat load of Sushi/Sashimi. My sister being the sensible one ordered the Terriaki Chicken. I was really amazed at how they didn't just season everything the same but seasoned everything separately with their own unique flavor. That's a good three stars for me. :) The food tasted great and were great sized portions. We were all really pleased. What didn't please us was that our waitress kept pressuring us to buy the photo they took of us. Seriously, NO is NO! and its kinda pricey here. Overall i would recommend this place for special occasions and big parties. Great place to eat, I'll be back soon with my family who're visiting from the mainland! :)
(4)
Donna M.
I was extremely iffy about coming here after reading some of the negative yelp reviews, but the boyfriend had a groupon that was just screaming to be used so we decided to give it a try. I'm happy to say I'm pleasantly surprised. Rolled up at around 5:30 in the afternoon without reservations and were told that we would have to wait an hour for the two of us to be seated. We decided to wait it out in the lounge--which has happy hour until 7! Domestic beers are $3 and sushi is 20% off. I got the garlic edamame to snack on. It was pretty good sized, but leaned more towards shoyu than garlic. Just my thoughts. When it came to dinner, I thought the entertainment was great! Our chef was very friendly and personable throughout the time he was cooking. I ordered the Rib Eye and the boyfriend got the steak and shrimp. Both came with more than enough food. I found that the food was kind of more on the oily side... But that can't be helped with the nature of how everything is cooked. I will comment on the mushroom soup though..... That thing is wack. I don't know what's going on with that, but it was nasty. A few pieces of mushroom floating in salt water? Do yourself a favor and pass on it. Overall, I enjoyed our dinner. I think Kobe is alright if you remember that you're mostly paying a higher price for the entertainment factor for the meal and not the food itself. We probably wouldn't come here again with just the two of us, but I think it would be a fun place to come to with a group of friends, if you're feeling particularly spendy. I think between the two of us, pre-groupon applied, our tab came out to about $90 before tip. As for parking... We parked in the lot behind The Modern/Ilikai, whatever it's called these days. It's a dollar an hour, and a little bit of the walk, but I definitely appreciated the walk after all that food!
(3)
Tze M.
It has been a decade (and some) since I've been here. Being back here feels like this place has NOT changed since. Everything was still the same, but older, and dingier. The only reason why I went was so I could redeem my soon to expire voucher. I called ahead for reservations, and it wasn't a problem getting in. As I arrived, I valeted my car ($5) right in front on the shallow driveway. Luis L. and I got there a bit early from our reservation time, so we didn't wait too long in the "lounge" area. Looks just the same as the last time I've been there. A waitress came by to ask if we wanted to order a drink, we asked for water, but she gave us an answer to wait till we get seated... I found that strange. Good thing I carry my own water. I was parched, and so was Luis. Not long we were escorted upstairs to be seated in a room in the back. We sat with a local family also redeeming their vouchers. A hostess came by dressed in a kimono (that looks like it was the same one from 20 years ago). She took our drinks and food order. Luis and I both ordered the shrimp and steak meal with fried rice, and yes, please add garlic! The drinks came quick. The service had been pleasant. When the chef arrived. He spoke in a very mousey voice. I had no idea what he was saying. He got our orders right. When I think teppanyaki, I think cooking show/performance. This guy's performance was lack luster. He even screwed up the fun part... the fire onion volcano! That really crushed my spirits. Food was still delicious. I give that a 4.5 stars. The service was pleasant, I think that's just Japanese custom. For that I give them 4 stars. I give the cooking entertainment 3 stars. Decor, uniform, overall establishment I give 2 stars. I now have different memories of a place I once enjoyed.
(3)
Patricia L.
I am a Hawaii resident. I've been dining at this restaurant for over 20 years. For the last 5 years, the overall qualities of this restaurant have gotten worse. First, the restaurant is not clean AT ALL. There is poor ventilation (which makes no sense for a teppanyaki restaurant), the rooms are filled with smoke, and the carpet was dirty and sticky. To make matters worse, all of the employees looked like they were hating their jobs. My issues with this restaurant go beyond cleanliness. We ordered 2 filet mignon dinners, 1 steak and shrimp dinner, and 1 shrimp dinner. One of us requested for our steaks to be cooked well done, which was met by sarcasm, dirty looks, and pouting from our chef. The cook essentially passive-aggressively FORCED us into getting our steak cooked a different way. Next, when the food was ready to be served, our cook gave us the WRONG STEAK. Instead of giving us the much more expensive filet mignon cut, he gave us a New York Strip. When we pointed this out to the chef, he got very defensive and started to raise his voice to try to prove that the steak was filet-mignon. He claimed that he was the executive chef and that he was trying to prove we don't know the difference between steaks. It was unbelievable to hear the "executive chef" arguing with his customers. We even showed him a picture of a filet mignon (round shape) and we made our selves very clear that we got a New York Strip (long cut). The chef began to yell at us and insisted that we got the filet mignon and the reason why it was longer was because he "butterflied" it. As most angry customers would do, we asked to speak to the manager. Little did we know that the manager was not professional at all, and even sided with the chef (HE WASN'T EVEN THERE TO SEE WHAT CUT WE GOT) . The manager didn't even make adjustments on the tab, and instead told us that he could make another one.. I have been to a lot of bad restaurants in my life, but I can EASILY SAY THAT THIS WAS THE WORST EXPERIENCE I HAVE EVER HAD AT A RESTAURANT. NEVER GO TO KOBE STEAKHOUSE.
(1)
Elizabeth A.
The restaurant was hot and the food was bad. The server was nice and friendly but the food was not worth the money we paid.
(1)
Shatonya P.
My girls and I didn't have a reservation and it took about 15 min to seat us. Service was great and our chef Brandon was excellent! Very funny and witty while tossing utensils and food in the air. His pink hello kitty chef hat was an added touch I must say! I had the teriyaki chicken and steak!!! Very tasty! He cooked my medium steak to perfection!! We also met people from different states as well while at dinner. So if you love great convo with people from places that you wouldn't normally dine with a steakhouse like Kobe is where you want to eat!
(5)
Eva C.
Went there tonight for our anniversary dinner and its was absolutely perfect. The staff is very polite and welcoming. The food their is great. They put on a great show. I recommend getting the garlic fried rice, its great!! Had a great time, I'd go back for sure.
(5)
Regine G.
My family is from Guam, and whenever my dad visits Oahu and passes by Kobe Steak House, he reminds us of the time he took our family to our first teppanyaki experience here circa 1995. That was the last time he took our family to the restaurant because of inflated, tourist-y prices. You can imagine how thrilled I was when I saw that Groupon was having a $25 for $50 voucher deal. I purchased two at a total $100 value for my siblings and I to use. Because they're only open for dinner, I made reservations a week in advance, notifying the hostess over the phone that I had a Groupon voucher to use. I felt it was best to inquire what the limitations were, knowing that there had to be some kind of catch. Sure enough, the Groupon couldn't be combined with any other offer, thus we weren't able to use it with the Sunset dinner package at a discounted price. But with my $100 voucher, I wasn't that disappointed. We showed up on time for our reservation, and despite having made a reservation a week in advance, it took an additional 40 minutes for us to be seated. They sat us upstairs. It was very dim, but I assume the darkness of the room adds to the excitement of the teppanyaki experience. I had the chicken & shrimp plate. It came with mushroom soup, hot tea, cucumber salad, 1 grilled shrimp & a scoop of white rice. The starter set was mediocre - I wish they would've served us miso soup instead. The teppan itself was rather oily. The vegetables were masked in oil and butter. I was disturbed by the amount of oil that was left on my plate, but it didn't stop me from eating it all. Overall, the service was great, and the chef & waiters were very friendly, but the food was just okay. Our total for three people ended up being more than $100 *face palm*. It was a fun experience for my younger siblings, but I would've much rather brought them to Hibachi San Grill at the Ala Moana Food Court.
(3)
Amber B.
First time going and I thought it was very good. A little on the expensive side but food was great as well as the people.
(4)
Brian G.
The restaurant is old tired and dirty. The staff is polite but ill informed about everything. The food quality was average and the portions were ok except for the free shrimp appetiser which was less then 1 shrimp per person. The restaurant has a mildew odour due to the leaking AC units. Lets hope this ageing restaurant dies a quick death.
(2)
Francisco C.
We have been to Kobe's restaurants many times over the years and each experience has steadily declined mostly due to decreasing portions. Tonight was the last straw, however with the worst service we have ever experienced. The whole allure of this type of dining is the entertaining show and excitement generated combined with the food. Our "Chef" seemed frustrated and as soon as he came to the table. He had the orders all mixed up and backwards, then seemed upset with us for trying to straighten him out. After that he cooked in silence, no conversation, no juggling of the spatulas, no flipping the shrimp into open mouths... nada. I was actually embarrassed because I was meeting with a friend and his family that I haven't seen in about a year. I suggested this restaurant as a great way to catch up as well as for our families to enjoy the "wow" factor usually provided by this type of dining. So that seals it for me. I will go to Ichiban at Ala Moana from now on if we wish to enjoy Teppanyaki.
(1)
Kathy F.
Size is deceiving...this is a large restaurant. Dining areas up, around, everywhere you look. In the midst of new restaurants it would be considered old...but the food is good!!! We both ordered the beef and chicken entree and because we are kama'aina we received about $5.00 off each entree. Typical Japanese style of cooking and fortunately we had a young chef who spoke English.He even decorated our two sauces with X and Os. The table behind us were all English speakers and the chef spoke little to no English...he hardly spoke to them at all. We noticed they just got a blob on their sauces, not the cute X and Os. Food was good, atmosphere is dark, so not sure about cleanliness. Did not use the washrooms here, but that is a sure sign of cleanliness in the kitchen. Will be back and check out the washrooms next time.
(3)
Jenny F.
Their slogan should be "Butter makes everything better!" Because it does. And they use a lot of it! Pat of butter for the veggies, 5 pats of butter for the yummy garlicky fried rice, pats of butter for the shrimp, pat of butter for the chicken, pat of butter for the steak...pats of butter on everything all day e'ry day till the cows come home. No regrets, just deliciousness. Okay, maybe a teeny bit of regret. Anyway, our chef was pretty good, but he didn't say much. He did seem like he enjoyed what he was doing though, which was nice. He made the legendary onion volcano and tossed the eggs for the fried rice up and down on his paddle. Between the two of us (and thanks to a Groupon) we split the Emperor's Kobe Beef and the Teri Chicken. Both were good, seasoned and cooked perfectly, but I actually liked the chicken better! It was white meat, but he cooked it underneath a cabbage leaf so it was super tender and juicy! Totally stealing that trick. All entrees come with hot tea, a strange slightly sour soup, shrimp, mushrooms, zucchini, onions, beansprouts, and white rice. $4 extra and you get the delicious (and buttery) garlic fried rice! Overall it came out to $79 for 2 people, and both of us had the fried rice. It was tasty, and with the groupon it was not bad, and I think it might be ok full price if you just got the tasty teri chicken. Probably wouldnt' pay full price for anything else. Nevertheless, we were both stuffed full and we happily rolled our buttery selves home. (on wheels. after paying $5 for valet.)
(3)
Pamela F.
I usually don't give poor reviews but I wasn't a happy camper last Thursday night. The service was bad, drinks tasted like they were made with watered down liquor, the food (at best) mediocre. Save the ton of money you will spend here and go somewhere else.
(1)
travis s.
Ate here again for a friend's birthday. Still the same highlights for this place. Great food with a decent show. 5 dollars off each Kamaaina adult dinner. If you come here wanting to eat good food, you will not be disappointed. If you come here purely for the show you may be left wanting at the end of the night. Bottom line, this place does good food with a show. If you want a place where you pay for a show and the food suffers because of the stale jokes go else where.
(4)
Charles N.
Yesterday, June 6, 2013, me and my GF went to Kobe Steak House for our second anniversary. We had a Groupon voucher and an expired $25 Groupon voucher. It was $75 worth of goodness. Our reservation was at 7:30pm & we got there about 7:10pm. First of all, I want to say that the folks who was working for valet, they were very nice. Me & my GF didn't really know that they park at the garage underneath of Wailana Coffee House arross the street. Also, she had forgotten our expired Groupon voucher from her bag in the back seat of her car (I had the other voucher on my iPhone 5). She told the guy and he used his walkie talkie to tell the other guy to bring her bag as he comes back to Kobe Steak House. Awesome work! Now, to our dining experince... We sat at the lounge area to wait about 20 mins and we got called & and got seated upstairs in the middle area. After about 30 mins passed, that's when we got to see the chef preparing his things and started to cook for us. Me & my GF got the same item from the menu, which is scallops and steak combo. I was going to get plain rice but she suggested we both get fried rice. Good thing I went with it because it... is... yummy! I requested my steak to be cooked medium rare and her's was medium. When we got our scallops I noticed that some of them still had the "catch" muscle still attached. This bit of muscle is strong; it's the one the scallop uses to clamp its shell shut in order to defend itself. It's also tough and unpleasant to eat, and it should be removed before cooking. Our steaks was next. When our chef cooked it the meat came in whole. The other steak was in pre-cut for the other people in our group. Mines was cooked to well done, so as my GF's steak. Still, we was able to eat it becasue it was a bit moist as it came off of the grill right away. This is both our fist time going to this kind of cooking show and we enjoyed it.
(4)
Linda T.
FYI: went to Kobe steakhouse in Waikiki on 6-24-2015 for our anniversary. It's one of our favorite restaurants, unfortunately my credit card and my brother in law's card, who just returned from a year long deployment in Afghanistan were compromised. After using our credit card ( 2 separate accounts) at Kobe steakhouse, fraudulent charges appeared on both of our accounts. My account had 3 charges at Walmart ($414, $220,$200) and his had a $200 charge at Safeway. Neither one of us have been to those places. We had to call the card companies and cancel the cards and have to file disputes. To make matters worse, we called Kobe steakhouse and spoke to the manager Roy Nakumura who could care less and told us to take it up with HPD. It didn't seem to care that he had a thief amongst his employees. I have always loved that restaurant and would never think that my identity would be stolen at a fancy restaurant like that. So if you decide to go there, carry cash. Identity theft is easier than you think and a real pain to try and clear up and don't think the restaurant will help you or give a crap if their employees steal from you.
(1)
Gina P.
Would have given it a 5 star if we were greeted better. Hostess seemed like she was doing us a favor :( & it's not like it's been a long night. We were there 20 mins after opening.
(4)
Chris O.
Let me say first that if you're craving hibachi, Kobe will work. Just make sure you search for a coupon somewhere to make the final bill less painful when it's delivered. We were non-traditional and ordered the Rainbow roll as an app. Fresh and good :) Husband ordered a Coke, sucked it down, asked for a refill and was told he'd be charged again for the second one. Water it is! The soup was pointless. We're talking broth with 2 mushrooms, a carrot sliver and a leaf of lettuce. So bland and blah. I was hoping for your iceberg lettuce salad with ginger dressing (or, ginger dressing soup with floating salad as I like it) but that wasn't even on the menu. Onto the show...there was none. No points docked at all for us because we were glad to avoid the fake laughs and claps usually required for the hibachi experience. Garlic (super garlicky) fried rice was pretty good and hit the spot...add an extra $4 to your bill for that decision. Teriyaki chicken was good and typical of what you'd find on the menu of your neighborhood Japanese restaurant. Shrimp was good...steak (according to hubby) was not so much. I so badly wanted ice cream but unfortunately it's not included in the price. Of course. After being nickel and dimed the entire dinner, it ended up costing us a little less than $100 even with a coupon. Not a must-visit place but when I'm pregnant craving hibachi, I might just be back.
(3)
Emily L.
ROACHES!!!!!!!!!!!!! Husband and I were highly disappointed. By the entire place. We had a groupon because we love the Kobe back home. The place is dark, dirty, and disgusting. The menus are sticky and old. The prices are very high (even for Hawaii). Go to Benihana or the top of Waikiki instead!!! We sat down (reluctantly because of how dirty it was, but we already paid for a groupon) ordered cocktails, had two sips and saw them crawling on the hibachi table, and on the chairs!!!! I'm sure they were on the floors and walls, but it was too dark to see! Got up and left immediately. Left the groupon. Waiter tried to seat us at a different table... No thank you! This place needs a serious remodel and deeeep clean! Nasty, nasty, nasty!!!
(1)
Susan T.
Come here twice, they mixed up my order twice. Customer service is not good, I think employees are not happy working there
(2)
Mike D.
What a great experience for a first timer. My wife and I went out for her birthday dinner with a groupon for $50 worth of meat for $25. Great deal! We started off getting a drink before being seated and shortly after getting our drink we were shown our table. Standard 9 seat table with flat top grill in the middle. We ordered the Nagi-Hama yellowfin tuna roll before dinner which was really great! For dinner my wife had the lobster and steak and i had the teriyaki chicken and steak. Both were cooked very well by our chef. He was very nice and definitely more quiet than most chefs in that kind of setting. I personally like chefs that don't use the same old jokes. He was the perfect chef for my taste. If u order the Kirrin beer they will bring u a 22oz bottle which was great. Didn't expect that at all. Overall, we had some great company sitting around us and our experience was great. Would highly recommend dining out here in a group. Only reason for the 4 stars is that I did think it was a tad over priced for what it was. Had we not had the groupon, our tab would've been $120 for 2 people. That's a little much for an appetizer, 2 drinks, and dinner.
(4)
nikki T.
Yes it's an older building and needs to be renovated like last year, but we've always had good service and good food. We can come as we are last minute without getting stink eye or feeling like were not wanted because were not "dressed". Were on our 5th or 6th visit all last minute walk in or call in reservation as we walk that way and I have nothing bad to say, sometimes we go with a groupon but they also offer a kamaaina which is nice. They still do the real onion volcano with fire which the kids love and the chefs are personable and fun if you are. We like a cheesy joke and parlor tricks and are easily impressed despite going to teppanyaki's all over. Wait staff are friendly and take good care of us. They've taken us in early when we've shown up for a reservation and I've never had an issue getting a table. Poke is great, food has always been great. I only wish they would let you add extra garlic and bacon to your fried rice. But I'll still go back. If your reading this think about bacon Kobe! The beer is always cold +bonus points
(5)
Brandon L.
We had a groupon for Kobe Steak House that was expiring really soon so we came here on a weekday. I made reservations a few hours before without any problems. Parking is valet only ($5), but the entrance was chained off when we arrived, so we had to pull up on the sidewalk. The restaurant wasn't too crowded when we first got there at 7pm, but it quickly filled up. Lighting is very dim throughout the place. You are seated next to other guests around an iron griddle since it is a teppanyaki restaurant. The waiter didn't take our order until all the seats around us were filled. We waited about 20 minutes for the chef. There was one chef cooking at the griddle next to ours. I initially wondered if he was the only one and that it was going to take forever to get our meals. I counted 3 or 4 chefs total by the time we left. Our chef, Justin, was really friendly and entertaining. I enjoyed the onion volcano and egg flipping. I ordered the fish & steak combo and my gf ordered the chicken & steak combo. Everyone is given two types of sauces for their food. According to the chef, the ginger sauce is for seafood and vegetables, while the mustard sauce is for chicken and steak. Everything except the chicken tasted average in my mind. I preferred my gf's meal because her steak was a leaner cut than mine and the chicken tasted better than the fish. I think the steak that comes with the chicken combo is sukiyaki steak. Service was good throughout the meal. Overall, I thought the price was a little steep for the food quality. I guess part of the reason for the high price is that you get to watch the chef cook in front of you. The portion size is decent. I was stuffed only because I had to eat half of my gf's meal. With tip, our bill was about $80 for the two meals. I would have given this restaurant 3 stars, but the valet attendant made us get our car. It was parked on the curb right outside the restaurant. We were handed the keys and that was it. No opening of doors, guiding of the car off the curb or watching for incoming traffic. Note: iDcard holders get 20% off a Teppanyaki dinner for up to 6 people per card. Kama'aina and military folks receive $10 off your total bill when 2 or more Teppanyaki dinners are purchased. These offers cannot be combined.
(2)
Dave S.
Not our first Rodeo at Kobe so we had previous data for comparison. This place seems to be working its way down the scale with little room left to fall. Details: absolutely filthy, tired and depressing from the time you see the outside to the carpets, walls, stairs, chair arms... one of those places where you conciously avoid touching anything.... staff was pleasant enough working their way through a wad of Groupons and taking orders.... the food.... perhaps I'm picky but I prefer my shrimp deveined on both sides to avoid eating the dark teal guano therin... then there was the oil... then more oil... then more oil... far more than prior experiences... then there was the show.... what show? We spent more time looking over to the table next to us. For us, this marked the end of an era as it was always on our dance card. Maybe by next year Hilton will have eminent domained the property to add another tower to their collection and save the sustinance seekers.
(1)
Shaun C.
I expected more from the Kobe steakhouse. The food was adequately prepared, but the presentation was awful. It seemed like it was his first night at the hibachi grill. I would not recommend this place to friends.
(1)
Sharalis C.
This place was very disappointing. I have always been a fan of hibachi restaurants but coming to this place changed my mind. I was expecting a show from the cook because that is the norm but did not get one. I asked for a vegetable plate and I received unchopped carrots, potatoes and broccoli. Never again will I come here.
(1)
I. Y.
Yelp has this place listed twice. I gave it only 2 stars because the condition of the place is a 0 or 1 star and the food and service is a 3 or 4. The outside of the building reflects the inside. It is falling apart and needs a major renovation. The lounge waiting area had empty bottles stacked on the counters, dishes on the counter, and bar rags spread out on top of the alcohol bottles like they're drying. They also make you close the bar tab separately from your dinner even though they had you wait for your reservation. When we ate dinner, half the room was storage. Chairs and furnishings stacked up next to us. The musical instrument hung on the wall as decoration had broken strings and were just wrapped around it and draping down to the floor. The drum on the other wall was broken, like someone pounded on it and the skin broke. The list is endless. That guy John Taffer from "Bar Rescue" would have a field day. Although we enjoyed our meal, the condition of the restaurant made me worry about the quality of the food. The food was good, staff was good too. But the only thing that will be remembered is the run down beat up decor. Bummer.
(2)
Erica L.
Back when my husband and I lived on the mainland, we lived for teppanyaki/hibachi date nights. It was honest to God our favorite kind of restaurant, and we really took it for granted that we'd always be near a traditional, mainland kind of Japanese steakhouse. But then we moved to Hawaii. There ARE teppanyaki restaurants here (obviously, I'm reviewing one!), but they're just not the same as what we had back home, and that made us sad. We need our yum yum sauce!! But then we decided to make it our mission to sample each teppanyaki restaurant on the island in order to declare the winner as our favorite. Kobe Japanese Steak House was the first one we tried, and the one we ultimately came back to (we've been probably 6-7 times total now). It seemed the most "mainland" to us, and we could not resist that awesome garlic fried rice (sometimes we are SUPER indulgent and get double order garlic fried rice...EACH -- it's for leftovers!!!). Plus I like that they actually do a shrimp appetizer instead of rice bombs that we got back on the mainland (although I've never seen the chefs try to ring people's mouths with the shrimp). The prices are WAY higher than what we were used to, but Waikiki and all so we just don't come out nearly as much as we'd like, or we just come out when there's a Groupon -- awesome! They also do military discounts, if I remember correctly. We still miss the salad (the cabbage they serve is good, but it just isn't the same, darn that ginger dressing goodness) and of course the yum yum sauce, but we did come up with a fix for the sauce at least. We ordered a case of yum yum sauce from a mainland restaurant and just bring a bottle with us haha. Not EXACTLY the same, but still delicious! Plus we actually both like their house ginger sauce...just wish it wasn't attached to the other sauce so we could pour it on stuff haha. Otherwise, we've always had really great service here with smiles, and the place seems very well-kept and clean. We do actively try to avoid Friday and Saturday nights though, so it may get a lot crazier then. If you spring for it, there's $5 valet parking -- we always factor in the money + tip when we come here.
(4)
Chuck M.
We found this place over priced for the quality of food you get. They add additional $7.00 to the already over priced menu if you want to split a meal. The resturant is very dirty furniture carpets are filthy. There are tons of restaurants in the area stay away from this one.
(1)
Jim V.
Found this place via Groupon. Quick service, friendly and professional staff/chef. Our family ordered Emporer sushi as a starter and Hibachi steak and King Kobe steak as the main. Everything was fantastic! Cooked exactly as requested. Portions were generous. The Chefs humour and flair was a lot of fun and provided great entertainment for our kids. Traditional Japanese steakhouse environment. Would definetly go back!
(5)
Roxanne H.
Came here tonight for a late bday dinner for me with my boyfriend. Service: Very good. The server and chef were both great and had really good customer service skills. Only negative would be to have the waiters around more bc I wanted to let them know there was a mistake with the wine id been given but ended up drinking it anyways. Alcohol is alcohol lol Food: Got the shrimp appetizers (bomb) Veges (pretty good) Steak and shrimp entree (pretty good) Fried rice (pretty good) The mushroom soup they give you before your meal is pretty bland and not that great. Lava flow was weaker than what I was used to but still good. I also ordered Riesling wine and got Pinot grigio instead. No biggy bc I like both but would've preferred with my choice. Parking: valet only $5 They also offer a picture $12 each that you can purchase at the end of the dinner --which we took advantage of bc it was a cute pic haha! Overall it's a cute date night spot. Pretty much exactly like tanakas but the tanakas chef told more jokes and did more tricks. Nothing big but other than that they seemed exactly the same to me!
(3)
Lindbergh B.
SAVE YOUR MONEY & GO SOMEWHERE ELSE!!! My friends and I came here recently on 4th of July and was not impressed at all. Even the couple next to us agreed. There was no show or it seems the chef preparing our food was seriously going through the motions like a "teppenyaki zombie". There was no creativity or excitement in the few tricks he did. And didn't even care to interact with the customers. All he did was the "onion volcano", fried rice smiley face and said a few scripted jokes about our food order. Nothing special and worth going to. We were not entertained. TIP: If most of your table order the fried rice and all u want is to taste, don't bother ordering it since, the chef splits the left over among everyone. Also, if you don't want to waste time finding free parking, valet is only $5.
(2)
Christy H.
I didn't like this place. They didn't put on a very good show. The food was mediocre and super expensive. If you want good steak and a good show, just go to Benihanas. I think it might even be less expensive than this joke of a place. I had scallops and steak with the garlic fried rice. My sister got a fried rice without garlic. It wasn't nearly as good. She also got the Teriyaki chicken. It was mediocre. My steak was okay. A little tough and had too much vein for a $45 steak. My other sister got sushi. She liked it.
(2)
R K.
Worst experience ever... Never again waited at the table for over and hour. The chef did talk at all the waitresses was very disrespectful!
(1)
Teresa G.
Came here tonight because I had a groupon. There was a funny smelling odor in the building when we first arrived. Place opens at 500 for cocktails and 530 for dinner. We got there at 515 and was seated shortly after 530. Seating is kind of squashed because you are sitting around the grill. Loved our chef who was rockin the hello kitty hat, pink tie and hello kitty utility holder. He was very personable and engaged in conversation with us. Food was good. I personally thought that they used too much butter in their foods (they use it for everything) but it was delicious.
(5)
Lauren M.
I visited Kobe Steakhouse last night with my son and my mom and I have to say I was quite disappointed with my visit. I purchased a Groupon and was excited to use it since I haven't been to Kobe in many years (I think maybe 8 years?!). Unfortunately, I don't think I'll be back. As other people mentioned, I don't know if it was because I was using a Groupon, but the service was well.....not good. The lady taking our order wasn't friendly and as my 5 yr old son put it, "she looks tired". She really did. As if she was just going through the motions, no smile...nothing. We ordered the Emperor Steak (which is supposed to be a BIG steak) and the Scallops to share between the 3 of us. The scallops was worth it. 8 big pieces grilled perfectly. The steak was a disappointment. Somehow I remember it being big, but last night's one looked like any other ordinary NY strip. It hardly had taste, but he did cook it to our liking. Finally, I thought dessert was included in the meal? Well it's not. I believe it used to be and honestly, with the cost of the meal...it should be. I would say our entire meal was ordered, cooked, and consumed within 1 hour. The only "show" our chef did was the onion volcano. But that's about it. He literally just cooked our meal...in front of us...that's it. Cleaned up and left. I wouldn't recommend anyone to come back here. I hope that the fact that we (along with the other party on our table) were using a Groupon is not the reason we were treated this way. Even my 5yr old wasn't impressed.....and that should say a lot. Save your money and spend it at Tanaka of Tokyo. They have way better service, the food was tasty, and at least you'll get a little show with your meal.
(2)
Janem C.
We waited for a chef for an hour. The food was quite greasy and very different from your normal Japanese steakhouse. The restaurant overall was extremely unclean and filled with smoke because I don't think the vents were working.
(1)
Jenny C.
We decided to try Kobe for my birthday while on holiday in Oahu, and we used a Groupon (easily). Our chef was very entertaining and skilled, and we enjoyed the food as much as the show, which wasn't too over the top. Four stars because the cost was too high.
(4)
Rus O.
We had a group of 7 and we were seated after drinks in the bar. At first I was worried that our chef was going to be a dud, he never smiled while he was setting up. Once he started cooking though, he was great. Very good jokes and he was a master with his knifes. He didn't do the same old shtick that most chefs do, he was great. I had the Emperor Steak that was great. Will be back on my next trip to Hawaii.
(4)
Davone M.
Food amazing! Best dinner on the island so far. Mai Tai was strong and I only end up getting one of them. We got a coupon from Hawaii Parasail employee named Greg which saved us $18 in total and we got free fried rice and free dessert. We loved it!
(5)
Isa R.
I LOVE KOBE. Kobe beats any other Japanese steakhouse in my book. I've been to Tanaka of Tokyo and Benihana, and although they're good and they look nicer (better for tourists I guess), the FOOD at Kobe is the best. I always get the Emperor's cut (what can I say, I can eat)! The sauces they give are amazing. I'm not a huge fan of the sauces at Benihana. If Kobe sold these sauces in a bottle I'd buy 5 and stockpile them in my dorm refrigerator. The mustard sauce is the best. The fried rice is amazing as well, especially because they put beef and garlic in it. I really recommend paying the additional $4 to upgrade to garlic fried rice. It's the best fried rice I've ever had. I'm hungry just thinking about the food here... Service is usually limited to getting your drinks refilled, since the chefs prepare your food in front of you form start to finish. Drinks can take a while to get refilled sometimes, especially if you're dining upstairs (since the bar is downstairs). My favorite chef is the handsome Southern guy that's from the mainland. I can't remember his name, but I've had him as my chef twice and he's really engaging and puts on an original show. Some of the chefs are much better than others, and he's great! I feel bad for the valet guys that work here. The wait for the valet can sometimes be a few minutes because Kobe doesn't have their own parking located on site. You can see the valet guys having to run across the street to get cars. Tip them well!
(5)
David A.
Horrible. Sat us 45 minutes after our reservation. While waiting, drinks at the bar during happy hour were full price because we had reservations for dinner. Ribeye was tough and flavorless.
(1)
Melanie K.
First time to Kobe but have been to Benihana and Tanaka of Tokyo. Compared to the others, Kobe is good. Defintiely better than Tanaka, maybe same as Benihana. Actual restaurant area is a little outdated n wear n tear ia evident. Air is a little musky but tolerable. We had the togarashi fries ($5), not worth it. We had the Rainbow Roll ($15), definitely worth it n suggested. For dinner I had the teriyaki steak which was perfectly cooked n teri sauce was tasty. We also had the steak n scallops which was also very good. Tepenyaki experience was ok. Definitely recommended. Maybe not a must have but if can, u should go.
(4)
Jeff G.
Truly an experience. We've been to Benihana multiple times, but this was far more fun and the food was great! It ain't cheap, but luckily we had a Groupon that saved some $$. The kids really enjoyed it, too. Came home with enough leftovers for lunch the next day in the hotel. Way recommended.
(5)
Pua L.
Worst Kobe experience we've ever had & we've been to many all over the mainland. The furniture/appearance is outdated, greasy, smells old. From soup (gully water my husband calls it) to the main meal the food was AWFUL!! The chef was so sloppy when cooking the fried rice, egg got in my cup of water, splatter of oil got on my shirt, the portions were very small, no taste, just awful awful awful. The mustard sauce tasted old...WILL NOT BE BACK or suggest to my worst enemy!! The other 2 couples at our table were just as disappointed. So, obviously it wasn't just how we felt. There are far more better Japanese Steak Houses on the Island. But thought we'd try the Groupon deal.
(1)
D M.
Yeah....I'm giving Kobe a 1 star. Food was prolly a 4.5 for us; a group of 4. Between my girlfriend and I, we shared the Kobe Jumbo and Kobe's Emperor Steak. Like I said the food was bomb. Good size portions although I put away all of mines. My girlfriend and our two friends had no chance. I'm a meat eater so of course why wouldn't I enjoy the food? Vegetarians or vegans you prolly want to go elsewhere. Should be pretty obvious since it's a steakhouse. Now why I'm giving a 1 star....while cooking, the chef inadvertently happened to splash some oil, HOT oil, on my girlfriend. I know he was aware of it. Pretty sure everyone at the table noticed. He didn't say anything. No apology. OoooooOooooo I wanted to say something or smash his face in but kept quiet. I just continued on enjoying my food. Anyways....it wasn't just a lil oil. Girlfriend has one good size blister on her arm. I had to ask a waitress for burn jel or something, which was provided. Waitress was super nice btw. Wish I got her name and give her a shout out. When done, the chef just said thank you to the table and left. Once again no apology. Again, I wanted to smash him in. Oh...the food was good but absolute worst teppanyaki/hibachi show EVER! Chef straight up sucked. I could have done his performance. No tricks no show. He got the orders right. Thats about it. In the end the waitress spoke to the manager and discounted my girlfriend's dish by 50%. Not the bill for the two of us but only hers. I didn't think that sufficed. I feel like a manager should be expected to apologize for the chef and for the incident but we were never approached by the manager. Manager FAIL. Chef FAIL. Good job waitress. Keep sharing the kindness and aloha. Lucky we don't file a lawsuit on you, Kobe Steakhouse. Overall: good food, nice waitress, piss poor customer courtesy by chef and manager
(1)
Lilian R.
Come here 3 times, 3 times the chef repeated the same mistake: I ordered extra shrimp "shrimp-lover", he give my shrimp order to everybody on the table, why do I have to pay extra and don't get anything extra?
(1)
Cliff P.
Mediocre as best. Chris did his best but overall we've been to much better Hibatchi's. The show was sub par, several of the dishes were burnt (garlic in the fried rice, steak, scallops). The "salad" was maybe an ounce of lettuce, the butter/oil was overused, and the mix of vegetables was unique (80% mushrooms). Service was great, order was taken promptly and refills were quick. The fried rice was tasty with some in house ground sirloin which was a first for us (and delicious). Don't forget to grab a coupon from one of the many travel guides.
(2)
Christine F.
My husband and I LOVE hibachi and their steak is the best we have had. We really like the atmosphere and we have always had great service each time we go. I like that all the chef's have their own way of making the experience unique so each time we go back the routine is a little different. It is pricey so though so we only go when there is a groupon. We just went last week and I can't wait to go again!
(4)
Ryan P.
I have been to Kobe Steak House many times and I am sad to say this might be my last. With my nephews (2 twin boys, age 6) I figured the show of teppanyaki, comedy of the chefs and fun environment would be entertaining for everyone young and old. The whole experience started with a bad vibe, and had a feeling of inexperienced employees. With not to many customers in the restaurant I thought it was wrong for us to be seated upstairs in the attic with the storage, but we went along with it. Next problem was half of the group was sitting directly under the air-conditioning that blew hard enough to cool the whole building down, which of course chilled the food once it was cooked and served. During the presentation, the chef did not show off his cooking ability, due to the fact that he was pushing 80 (maybe). The show that you would typicaly expect from Kobe's was inexistent. Next, as a kama'aina I always ask if they have a local rate, which they did, but I left my I.D at the hotel. *Just to be fair, I'm not blaming them about the fact that I had to leave my family (who was visiting) at the restaurant, but it was just the topper on an already unpleasent experience.
(2)
Tracy P.
I have gotten a few groupons for this place and if you do the groupon it says 1 per couple or 2 for 3-5 people. Using two groupons for 3 people is a great deal. Weekends can get crowded so reservations are recommended. The food here is really good, I usually get Chicken and Steak. I've gone a few times and some of the chefs are not as entertaining as others - they just prepare the food and that's it where others do the little 'show' as they are making your meal. I've seen this plenty of times so I don't get overly excited but some people may come for that. They have a photographer there to take your picture and try to sell it to you afterwards for $20 ( I think). I guess because it's in a tourist area but I don't even think a lot of tourists come here at least the times I've gone. I don't know why I find this odd they have a photographer. I guess just another money making tactic.
(4)
Moala P.
Food was okay.I wasn't all crazy for it.But I sure did like the Poke and the Alcohol Pinacoloda drink.I just like watching the chef cooking it up and doing his tricks lol.Kinda Pricey though.I always go there with families.
(3)
Garrett P.
I went here late in the evening (around 9:30) while on vacation in Hawaii, and found it completely deserted. Odd, since they have pretty good reviews, but it's unnerving to find yourself in a place that doesn't guarantee high turnover. Makes you wonder how long they've had the steaks back there before they serve it to you, right? Aside from an expired beer (remember, turnover?), the experience was pretty decent. Food was well-cooked, and the chef was friendly.
(3)
Joseph Y.
Kobe Steakhouse Rocks! Our family really enjoys going here and the kids eat absolutely everything. It has become a tradition every time we go to Honolulu on vacation. Friendly staff and great quality food. Enough said.
(5)
Jonathan P.
While driving from Ala Moana into Waikiki, you can't help but notice the Kobe Japanese Steak House on your right hand side. For several years I've been meaning to try it, but I've never had the chance to. I'm a huge fan of both teppanyaki and Kobe steak so when a friend asked if I wanted to eat there I couldn't resist! My friend made reservations for the two of us around 7:15. Prior to my visit I was bad and didn't do my research on Yelp. Little did I know we had to wait for four additional people before we could go up stairs to be seated. Apparently you need six people to get seated, due to the seating arrangement of each table. When it came to the food both me and my friend ordered one of the set dinner's which comes with soup and tsukemono yelp.com/user_local_phot… , shrimp and veggies yelp.com/user_local_phot… , and your choice of steak. My choice was the Kobe's emperor steak yelp.com/user_local_phot… . We also ordered the garlic fried rice for an additional $4. The soup and tsukemono was pretty bland. It tasted like they just got hot water and tossed in salt and bits of mushroom in it. The shrimp and vegetables were okay. But the biggest disappointment of the night was that the "Kobe Emperor" had no Kobe beef! Apparently Kobe Emperor is just the name of the dish...great. Personally I believe the only reason why each dish costs so much is for the little show you get where your chef cooks your food. I have to admit the onion volcano was pretty neat and that his making of the garlic fried rice was super cool yelp.com/biz_photos/OAf9… (I think he was making me!) But I was a little envious of the other tables. I saw that the other tables had flashy chefs who would juggle their spatulas, or do fancy tricks with their knives. Our chef couldn't do any of that. He just kept pretending to throw the shrimp tails and fat into my friend's water... What ruined my dining experience was that the chef mumbled what was in each dish and at the end of dinner the four strangers sitting with us were offered ice cream for part of their dinner set. My friend and I were still eating our main dinner so they only brought out 4 ice creams. They devoured the ice cream, paid, and left. When we did finish dinner we weren't even offered ice cream! In fact the waiters just kept starring at us as if we did something wrong. Eventually we decided we didn't want their ice cream, so we paid and left. Later the next day I saw that they offer a kama'aina discount...the chef even asked where we were from and since we replied "we are from here" he obviously knew we were locals... But no, we weren't even offered the kama'aina rate! To top things off, the restaurant has no parking and you must valet park your car outside of the restaurant for $5 not including gratituity. When I left my car I had the AC running, but when I got my car back all the windows were rolled down with the AC still on...come on! Kobe, I feel like you're a tourist trap. You may be able to fool the tourists but don't dare think you can fool us locals! Treat us like how you would like to be treated, because what goes around comes around.
(2)
Es L.
I'm not that big of a fan of the teppanyaki here, it's ok, but happy hour is great. Starts at five, and isn't listed on happy hour apps. 20% off all sushi, so awesome. Gotta get my uni fix. Sushi seems pretty fresh, even though this place doesn't usually get packed which might worry me normally. The amaebi was a little slimy for me, but my friend loved it. I'm not into the big fried head with the eyes looking at me, but different strokes for different folks ~ They have daily drink specials, Mondays are my favorite because I love their flavored sake (Fuji apple, white peach, and lychee). The appetizers are so good. For $11 you can get two big steak skewers, just like they do upstairs, but on a stick without the fanfare (or all that oil) Kobe scallops taste really great too ($9). Deep fried soft shelled crab was $10. Small, but tasty of you're into that kind of stuff. I've got to really be in the mood for it. I've had the teppanyaki but it's not that good. Everything is doused in butter and oil. Really, so much better just to stick to sushi and appetizers in the lounge. Five stars if this was just a sushi place. On discounts.. 20% off sushi for happy hour, 10$ kamaaina and military for dinner upstairs, and 20% off teppanyaki dinner with IDcard. I think Maui kamaaina is 25%, if you ever fly over there, lol.
(4)
Remee A.
I have grown up going to Kobe and it has always been magical to me! Watching chefs prepare your dinner in front of you and getting to dine with others. This last visit our chef was unenthusiastic which made the experience not that awesome. There was also a $5 charge for parking which did not include gratuity, I think that this is silly because you are dining there. I am sad to say this, but I guess this place is a hit or miss.
(3)
Jessica P.
We went there for dinner. It seemed like a slow night for them. The taste of the food was pretty good, much better than Tanaka. The fried rice and shrimps were delicious. In vegetable choices, there were far too many mushrooms and onions. Bean sprouts were good. The only problem was the hygiene and cleanliness. The carpets and tables smelled really damp and bad. Everything seemed unclean and dirty. This place needs a full remodel or over hall from inside. The servers should use better and cleaner cloths to clean grille where cooks make the food.
(3)
Elise K.
Always so yummy!! :) It's pretty expensive though, but whenever I see a groupon offer, I can't resist!! The last two times that I've gone have been amazing!! My boyfriend and I valet our car to save the trouble. We've found that the best thing to do is to have one person order the fried rice & the other the white rice that comes automatically with the meal. Then split an order of Filet Mignon & an order of Shrimp! It's perfect and so yummy :) You leave feeling SOOOO full!!! And they are really generous with their portions of Filet Mignon & it melt is your mouth!!! Love it.
(4)
Chad A.
I love the tasty food that is prepared here. The only downside are the prices and are not college student friendly. I came here with a friend because we had a groupon and finally was perfect for my budget. Our chef was excellent and made us feel special. We were so happy that we also got a complimentary bowl of garlic fried rice. Sooooooo tasty. I will be coming here every time groupon allows me to.
(4)
Trish P.
i'm on the fence about this one: here is what you get in a meal in this order: - mushroom broth soup and cabbage tsukemono - appetizer of shrimp and vegetable medley consisting of onions, zuchini and button mushrooms - your main dish (steak, chicken, seafood, etc.) - bean sprouts the mushroom broth is extremely salty, the cabbage tsukemono is barely pickled, and we had a side order of garlic edamame (over $4, and very small portion) which did not taste garlicky at all, but did taste more vinegary which was weird. with the edamame, they bring you a plate and some small bowls to throw away the shells. the server did not clear these plates or bowls until after we were done with dinner, but DID come by to clear our soup bowls and re-fill our waters. we had to maneuver around the edamame dishes all night long b/c they were in our way. i ordered the chicken and steak combo ($26.95) which comes with about 3 oz each of chicken and steak. you also get a small bowl of rice. while this was barely enough food for me, i have to question if it is enough for the large eaters? probably not. they do have an Emperor steak, which one of my dining mates did order, however, it did not look that much bigger than the hibachi steak..... and the Emperor is advertised as "The Supreme steak specially selected for the hearty appetite". not so sure about that statement.... all the food, with the exception of the mushroom broth, is perfectly seasoned. this is b/c our cook - JET - did a good job. he was personable, didn't mind talking to everyone, made jokes, and cooked up some good food. the other servers however could use a bit of work (remember my edamame dishes? yeah.... what the heck happened there?). also, $3.00 sodas, and no refills? WTF?! talk about over-priced...... the parking situation, from what i checked on, is kind of bad. yes there is valet for $5, but i heard different things about the Hilton... sometimes you pay $25 b/c they don't let you validate, and some other people have gotten validation with no problem. either way, your best bet is to just check with the restaurant regarding parking BEFORE you go there. would i go back? i'm leaning towards no..... but if a friend really wanted to come here, i would not say no.
(3)
Cheryl K.
Kobe Steak House. I have many a pictures from my childhood taken with my family in this place. It almost felt like Kobe Steak House was the only existent restaurant in Waikiki when I was younger coming from the other side of the island. Needless to say our visit to Kobe was due to a groupon that was expiring soon. We walk in and it a little hot and smokey. Well duh! It's a teppenyaki grill place and there are grills everywhere. I love the ladies dressed in kimonos but not the low ceilings. We sat in the back corner with a about four other couples. Four out of the five of the couples were local and we all had groupons. I was like phew, I didn't want to be THAT girl with the coupon. Of course we ordered beers while we waited and I ordered the shrimp and steak and the husband ordered the chicken and steak combos. Our cook as awesome. Even though I am not a fan of Hello Kitty. He made Hello Kitty out of rice and other ingredients. It was cute. And he had a Hello Kitty hat too. Anyway I forgot they gave shrimp as an appetizer so I doubled up on he shrimp and forced myself to eat the rest of my steak and shrimp. I was so full! Anyways, Kobe Steak House will always be the old school teppenyaki place to eat. Not a fan of the smokey air and the low ceilings that make you smell like a piece of teriyaki shrimp when you walk out. Service was good and staff were always pleasant.
(4)
Lisa B.
Great place for late night sushi (or anytime really). Sit downstairs at the sushi bar; wonderful service and amazing sushi (I have only eaten at the sushi bar so I cannot comment on the rest of the restaurant, although many of my friends do eat in the Teppan dining room and like it). If you like sushi, but don't always know what to order, let the sushi chef know your tastes. I find them to be quiet, as they are usually very busy and working diligently, but they are very knowledgeable and happy to make you something you will love. Yes, it's dark and maybe a bit dated, but it reminds me of old Waikiki and I love that. I have been coming here since the mid 90's. Don't pass it up because it is not on the beach and doesn't have a great view. Take a cab or walk from your hotel. If you drive, be patient as it is valet parking only. They do a good job though, even when busy, which is most of the time. Just give them a few minutes.
(4)
Brenda G.
This is to the restaurant since their website link to get in touch witH them does not exist. I usually don't write to restaurants, but thought I needed to about my experience last night. We had 8:30pm reservations and had a Japanese couple who were placed at our table as well being just the 4 of us. The preferred treatment was definately shown to the couple who was next to us. From them receiving their appetizers and drinks first after they arrived 15 minutes after and ordering after us, to having a special amuse brought to them from the waitress who spoke Japanese. Our experience was below our expectation and disappointing. I would like to speak to someone , please call me 702-985-2284. There are many choices here in Honolulu and was shocked by our treatment. Thank you for taking the time to read this. Sincerely, One unhappy customer
(1)
Deano G.
It's good. Not great, but good. Sushi was fresh, rolls were yummy, beer was cold. The service was decent... The decor needs some help. Maybe a little redecoration and some fresh paint would help a lot. And a little word of advise, turn off the rap music in the bar...
(3)
Bernz B.
I got a couple of Groupons for this place because I was celebrating my birthday with family and friends. Let me tell you after having dinner at DK steakhouse the night before, this place didn't really deliver. I was expecting KOBE beef - of course, savoring a big chunk of meat...so, admittedly I was disappointed it was basically a teppanyaki restaurant. The cook, was not as engaging, he tried though. Food was ok.
(4)
Russel M.
Having walked past Kobe Steakhouse over 200 times + it was finally time to try it. We were a little apprehensive considering it's a chain and pretty touristy. What a Pleasant surprise! We ordered Sashimi , the Lobster Tail ($47-) and the Combo ($67-). Both were very good and the Fried Rice was above average. The tip of the day is request CHEF JASON who is light years better than the other Chefs we saw based on presentation and cooking skills. We will return. The benchmark (best quality Ingredients) for this type of dining is still SUNTORY in RHC but KOBE was definitely more entertaining.
(4)
Audrey A.
Came here to use a groupon before it expired and was reminded as to why i haven't come here since the first time 10 years ago. Kobe Steakhouse is in a prime location with a captive audience of tourists as it sits next to the Hilton Hawaiian Village. Because of that, they are still doing the same thing as they were probably doing when they first opened over 30 years ago? Why change anything if it's working? Including the chef?? The only great thing about this place was the happy hour in the downstairs lobby. Cheap drinks and pupus. Who doesn't love that? The actual teppanyaki epxerience left much to be desired. We were seated, orders were taken and then we waited for what seemed like forever, espeically with a hungry 3 and 9 year old. This was their first experience at a Japanese steakhouse and we had built up such anticipation to watch a "show" of flashing kinves, fire and fast moving action... The normal teppanyaki experience anyone would expect. What we experienced was completely the opposite, wah wah... except for the fire. (More on that in a minute). To start off the meal, we were served what I could only guess was mushroom water posing as soup, and cabbage that was rinsed with salt water... bland and bland. Then the chef finally arrived and from what we heard, he was one of the original chefs, working there over 30 years. I'm sure back in the day he was full of flare, but it was all he could do to slice the meat up on the grill. As I said, opposite of what we were expecting. Now, where it got exciting, bordering dangerous, was when he stacked the onion and pored a ridiculous amount of oil to light. It wasn't just a little fire, it was a very hot fire which splattered oil onto all of us. Too much energy uncle! What was left after that bonfire display was greasy vegetables as the second course. Chef redeemed himself with well prepared steak, chicken and calamari. As we were eating our meal, a chef in training came to clean the top. He was what we were expecting in a teppanyaki chef: fun, energetic, added as much flare as he could to washing a hot grill top and even flashed knife around for our little ones. All in all, I would not go back there again except for the happy hour. If you want the whole teppanyaki experience, there are better restaurants.
(2)
Leslie S.
The first time I went to Kobe's it was only okay, but I thought perhaps it was an off night and I like to give a second chance. My second and last time I will eat at Kobe's, my boyfriend and I had a $25 Groupon for $50 worth of food and I now feel that I can give an accurate review of the place. First, the building is older, decorated nicely inside and has a comfortable atmosphere. Now for the part of my review that explains why this place deserves a single star. It is very hot inside, yes I realize that you are sitting in front of a hot stove, but that is why you use air conditioning. The cooks seem nice enough, but they put on no "show". Perhaps I am incorrect in assuming that the cooks are supposed to engage in some theatrics and audience engagement? If you're not entertaining, the food better make up for it and Kobe's food does not make up for it. A cool looking old building is not a reason to charge a lot of money for mediocre food. It seems an unfortunate loss with this place having so much potential with location and the cool building. My recommendation would be to spend your money elsewhere.
(1)
Nathan F.
Just like others before me, I went to Kobe because our groupon was expiring lol. So we made a reservation for 5:30 pm. I parked behind Ilikai in the public parking as it's cheaper than valet and only a 5 minute walk away. My fiancee and I got there around 5:20 and asked to wait in the lounge. We ordered a lychee sake which had a flavor that reminded me of the fruit jelly in a cup I used to slurp down as a child with a bit of alcohol. Note: The lounge is separate from the main dining so you have to pay for your drinks/pupus that you order from the lounge separately. It's quite dark inside so pictures don't come out well without flash or a dslr. I even remarked to her that I felt like I was in a bad neighborhood and could get stabbed at any moment lol (considering there are chefs with pointy knives it's possible, j/k) Wished we got there a little earlier as we would have joined the first round of people that went in, we were part of the third round. It doesn't sound too bad but the wait is a little long when it comes to ordering as we know what we want pretty fast. I ordered the fish (a pacific cod) and steak while she ordered a 10 oz rib eye (she loves her beef lol). Hint: The meals come with hot tea so you can order it before they serve it to you at the end of the meal. We started off with what I assume is a mushroom broth with mushroom and onions in it. There was another flavor in there I couldn't figure out. Anyways, if they started off with a miso soup I believe it would have been better than salty mushroom water lol. Pickled veggies (mostly cabbage) came out in a small dish as well with it. Could have been more pickled. Our chef was young compared to some of the other chefs I saw that night. In general I think he was good but needs some improvement in knife throwing skills. I believe it was because our table weren't talkers so he didn't do a whole lot of talking compared to the table right next to us so I can't blame him for not saying a whole lot besides a joke every now and then. He gave us 2 sauces, a sesame mustard and ginger sauce. They both looked similar in color so he put whole black sesame seeds in the mustard sauce (in a slightly decorative form of X's, O's, and hearts so points for being "cute") to distinguish the two. The mustard sauce was more for the meat and the ginger sauce for veggies and seafood. We started off with shrimp cooked with butter and lemon juice. A little overcooked but nicely seasoned. Veggies were cooked afterward and had no flavor at all so I guess that's why they give you the ginger sauce as it did go well with it. Came with your standard flaming onion volcano show too. No shrimp tail flipped into his chef's hat, too bad. White rice was served at this time but a family with 2 young girls had fried rice so the chef cooked up the ingredients and laid rice on top of it and proceeded to make a Hello Kitty face with it (more points for cuteness). He did a nice egg spinning trick as well and cracked the egg with only his spatula with centrifugal force to back it up. I enjoyed the rice with the ginger sauce. He started to cook my fish at the same time as the rib eye. He really give it a nice crust so props for that and it was hot and flaky. Her rib eye was cooked medium rare and it was evenly cooked and soft. My steak came a little bit after. Nicely cooked but being a normal steak it was a little tougher but still enjoyable. If they softened it through an amino acid method I believe it would have come out more enjoyable. I got more rice (no extra charge) to soak up the meat juices from the steak. Finished off the meal with bean sprouts cooked in meat juice. Standard lol. Hot tea came around afterward and we were quite stuffed (extra rice helped) so no dessert for us. Another "show" came out after the chef was done where a guy cleaned the grill lol. When the cleaning liquid (just water?) went on the cooking top and smoke billowed out like a near erupting volcano lol. Most of the smoke went into the ventilation ducts above us. As we were walking back to the car I suggested walking through the Hilton and through their man made beach/cove as sun had just set so it made for a nice walk back. So the bill before tip was $69 even and with the $50 groupon we essentially paid $44 before tip. Not bad for a dinner and "2" shows. Btw, if you google map Kobe steakhouse you can see inside the restaurant which I thought was pretty neat.
(4)
Jennifer L.
We were super excited to use our Groupon since it had been months since we first purchased it! We arrived at 6pm on a Thursday evening and were warmly greeted by the hostess at the front door. Food breakdown: Salmon Nigiri - $7 for 2 pieces Fresh salmon! Very delicious! The pieces were small though but I guess you cant expect large pieces of fish at a steakhouse. Steak Sukiyaki - Around $25 They were generous on their portions but some of the pieces were fatty so I guess it equals to a normal portion. The sauce was pretty good but I think it would have tasted better if was a little sweeter. So sad there wasn't an egg on top though. Kobe Steak - Around $40 It was a simple salt and pepper steak. I thought it was a little dry though. Fried Rice - $4 Lots of vegetables! Very healthy and tasty. But I thought my steak sukiyaki was a little too salty so eating it with white rice tasted a lot better than the fried rice. Our chef was a great entertainer and he didn't drop anything once! Hooray for him! Parking is valet only - $5 They do not have a parking lot. Just pull your car to the front of the restaurant for valet.
(3)
Nat N.
I am a big fan of teppanyaki style dining. Nothing can beat having your food prepared right in front of your eyes! The food is always guaranteed to be hot, since you get to eat your food right off the grill. We had a 6pm reservation for 6 people on a Saturday evening, and we got seated on time. Since there were 6 of us, we didn't have to share a table, which is always nice. The service is pretty quick, probably because they want to turn over the table as soon as possible. After you place your order, the soup arrives fairly quickly, followed by the chef and the trays of raw food. The dog and pony show is similar to places like Benihana and Tanaka of Tokyo. In fact, the shows are so similar that I often wonder they all train at the same teppanyaki school of cooking. As for the food? Well, it was just ok. I had to add salt and shoyu to my food, to add some flavor, which the chef probably did not like. The prices are pretty steap ($35 for steak and shrimp) and it does not include dessert. I always only come here when we have some sort of discount (either from the Entertainment Book or more recently those half price vouchers). I would never come here and pay full price. Valet parking only ($5 plus tip) - boo.
(3)
Grace C.
I'm just going to say what is obvious, but shouldn't be said out loud... YOU PAY FOR THE SHOW. Okay, now that I've said that, let's move on: Food -- ok...Got the ahi poke, definitely not fresh and disgustingly over sauced. Too much mayo and cayenne? No thanks. Got the teriyaki chicken -- was like any other chicken, definitely had better. Fried rice -- too greasy, bland. Show -- amazing! Fire, onion volcanoes, cool things done with a shrimp and a hat...You'll have to go to see what I'm talking about. Price -- overpriced. Like i said, you pay for the show. Would I go again? Probably not unless I feel like watching a man catch a shrimp tail in his pocket.
(2)
Lee Ann H.
My family and I had an amazing meal tonight at the Kobe Steakhouse. We will definitely be back. Our food was delicious and the chef was great, I am still thinking about the delicious sauce I dipped my steak in. My kids especially loved the show the chef put on.
(4)
Kasey M.
Kobe used to be my go to teppanyaki restaurant. Mostly because I thought their shrimp tasted better than Benihana's and Tanaka of Tokyo's. However, after my last visit, I have to say this place has gone down hill. We visit Kobe yesterday to use our Groupon before it expired. I had hoped to maybe split and entrees and get an appetizer to stay around our Groupon value but they don't have any appetizers, first negative. So my husband and I each got an entrees which is too much food. The people next to me took home a full entree worth of leftovers. Anyways, we both got the steak and scallop combo. All entrees come with shrimp appetizer, soup, tsukemono, grilled vegetables, rice and tea. So lets start from the top... First comes the soup. It is a broth with mushrooms inside. Everyone at my table remarked about how bland it was. I tried adding shoyu but that couldn't help it. If I had to guess, the soup is made of water, dashing packets and throw in some mushrooms and green onion for garnish. Well they probably should have put 3 times more dashing packets. Maybe they should consider switching to miso soup. The shrimp is yummy. The appetizer portion that comes with the meal is 2 shrimps cut in half (so you get 4 pieces) and is seasoned with salt and lemon. Usually this is a highlight of the meal, but I felt last night's shrimp could use more lemon. Next comes the veges, onions, mushrooms and zucchini, grilled on the hot plate with butter. A nice accompaniment to your entrees. Now the entrees, steak and scallops. The entrees comes with 5 generous sized scallops cut in half and a small steak. The steak was cooked perfectly and was nice and tender. The seasoning was good, they cook it with salt and pepper, butter and shoyu. The scallops were a bit of a disappointment. They were very bland. The chef used a lot of oil to cook them so I had an oil puddle on my plate, and could have used more lemon again. Last is the grilled cabbage and bean sprouts. They are nice but don't add much to the meal. They provide 2 sauces that go with the food. There is a ginger sauce to go with the veges and seafood and a mustard sauce to go with the beef and chicken. The ginger sauce is great, I used it with everything. The mustard sauce was intolerable. There was something way too strong in it and I couldn't use it at all. The woman next to me heard me talking to my husband about it and she remarked "I thought it was just me...that sauce is horrible." Okay so food was mediocre at best but really you go to teppanyaki for the entertainment. Our cook was not entertaining at all. He made the typical onion volcano but that was about it. No shrimp tail tricks, nothing different. That has been the case every time I've been here. Service was poor. Our appetizer shrimp was done before we even received our rice and the rice only came after someone at the table asked about it. And unless you had an alcoholic beverage, the waitress never came by to refill our drinks. I think I'm going to stick to Tanaka of Tokyo from now on. Better food, better service, better parking...
(3)
Allen K.
THE RESTAURANT IS FILTHY! The premises are unkept and the floors and carpets are sticky! The paint on the handrail on the stairway is grossly chipped and sticky as well as the bathroom door. The bathrooms are extremely dirty...makes you wonder how clean the kitchen is! The food was good but we will not return here again. It was late and we stayed for dinner....but we should have gone elsewhere. The food was good and we made friends with our table mates. There are many other teppan style dining restaurants in Honolulu.
(1)
Laney P.
I read some pretty rough reviews! We went tonighr for my birthday. My experience there was great. We made reservations for 6 and was promptly seated. Our waitress came and made sure all of our waters were refreshed almost as soon as my glass was empty. We waited for a half hour for our chef, but thats standard for wait times anyway and I've waited longer before. So no big. Our chef Jeremiah was awesome. Told jokes, made us laugh. He cooked my steak (medium rare) to perfection. My only complaint would be that it was hot in there. Then again to be fair, we were stitting at a stove.
(4)
Ryden Ayden V.
Love the garlic fried rice!!
(4)
Nayana C.
My kids favorite steakhouse. The staff badly needs to know about good customer service. It will greatly make a huge difference. But I guess it should start from the top.
(1)
Jessica P.
Dear Kobe, For a party of 3, we spent $150 (including tip) for dinner. I really hope that a portion of our payment will be placed into the "restaurant improvement" bucket, because you are in a serious need of a facelift. The last time we were patrons at your restaurant was on our honeymoon 19 years ago. Just for kicks we decided to make a reservation to celebrate my husbands birthday and to introduce your restaurant to our 18 year old son. It doesn't look like anything has changed - the place is run down now. I'd have to say that without having an awesome Chef, Taka, the dinner was not worth the amount we paid. It doesn't even include a view of the ocean, a birthday song to go along with the scoop of ice cream and candle to blow out, or a souvenir photo. The decor and ambiance was a disappointment. The staircase is hideous (my shoes were making a "sticking/sucking" noise as I was making my way downstairs because it's filthy). The stench while standing at the main entrance and waiting area was disgusting. I had high hopes, but that was diminished as soon as I walked in to check in for our 6:30pm reservation. The food was good. A big part of that was because Taka would give us a small sample to ensure it was made to our liking before he placed the rest of the serving onto our plate. He was also very entertaining and had good stories about where he was from and how he became a chef at Kobe. So, 1 star for Taka and the food!! Our waiter did his job well. He took our order in a timely manner and our food was delivered in a reasonable time. We didn't have to wait until the rest our table was full (there was 3 open seats), so our chef started right away. 1 star for service! Valet service was great! I was glad to see the service available for $5 right in front of the store. But, it would've been nice if it was free plus gratuity. 1 star. Kobe, unless I hear you've remodeled, I'll just see you off of the road as I drive on by. Take care!
(3)
May L.
Three tips on going to Kobe. 1. Buy gift cards at Costco, $75for $100. 2. Ask for Kamaaina discount, it's $5 off every dinner item. 3. Request for the white Teppan chef. Last night a party of 8 of us had a good time at Kobe. The inside of the restaurant was slightly outdated. The service from our waitress was sloooow, but our white teppan chef (sorry I forgot your Japanese name) was super awesome! 5 stars just for him and I hope most of the tips were shared to him as well! The food was good, portion was ok for the price since you'll be paying for the experience. Unfortunately they seem to try to milk you on everything: $5 for valet without tips, $4 for fried rice, on top of already pretty pricey menu. So make sure you get the gift cards!!!
(3)
Lisa S.
My all time favorite TEPPANYAKI house, between 5pm-6:30pm early bird special dinners $16.95-$26.95, so worth it! The staff here is always so welcoming, get ready to get entertained oh and Don't forget to request the Garlic Rice instead...Mmmm' Oishii
(4)
Helen N.
Our first time at a Japanese steak house that just hands you a bowl of white rice with your meal instead of making fried rice on the grill... Food was decent, small portions. I don't think we'll be coming back here
(3)
Richard H.
Marquee location in the heart of Waikiki, just past the Ilikai and Hilton Grand Waikian tower on Ala Moana Blvd. The entrance, bar and seating areas are in dire need of a renovation, especially in comparison to the more popular Tanaka of Tokyo or Benihana. The ventilation at our table was poor, causing our guests to get "smoked out" during our Teppanyaki presentation. Best item on their menu was an appetizer - Seafood Dynamite Great service and skill by our table chef. Similar cooking show as the other restaurants, but our chef was very friendly and attentive to our needs. The food prices were high, but the quality and taste were very good.
(3)
Tammy R.
Love sitting in the bar/ sushi bar. The sushi chef is super friendly. LOVE the Kobe scallops, spicy tuna & steal skewers. No waiting!!
(5)
Brian B.
We used to love coming here when we are in town, but it was an oily mess of a dinner this time. It's dirty and the bathroom seemed like it should have been down on the beach than in the restaurant...
(2)
Lisa K.
I feel like a place that charges $25+ a plate needs to have carpeting that isn't stained and worn. There's just a very real disconnect that makes you think you're over-paying before you even sit down to eat. The theatrics of the teppanyaki was fun for my kids, but the food was a bit mixed-bag. Let's start with the soup, which was watery beef broth with rehydrated mushrooms. (I'm guessing on that, but Kobe, feel free to tell me if I'm wrong.) In short, it wasn't particularly good. I'd rather have miso--as would my 7yo who was rather disappointed after her first sip. Try for yourself, but I wasn't a fan. I did love the veggies though - it could be because they were so salty, but I sure liked it. On to the entree. For the quantity, the price is great. I had beef & chicken and I really enjoyed it! It wasn't dry, like I sometimes feel happens with teppanyaki chicken, and the sauce was satisfying. But. Maybe I've had too many lunches at Suntory, but the garlic fried rice (at an additional $4/serving) was not very good in comparison (heck, at all). I probably wouldn't be so dissatisfied if I wasn't paying so much extra, but c'mon, it wasn't worth it. Should have stuck to the plain white rice. Our chef was very gracious and even made small talk with my 2yo who wanted to share his edamame with him. High marks for service. On the way out the door however, we encountered the rudest, most abrupt hostess/server. One of those with the attitude that customers are just kinda getting in her way. Well, unfortunately that was the lasting impression on our way out the door and it wasn't a good one. All in all, I think "mixed bag" sums it up best. I'd certainly go back if someone wanted to go, it's just not going to be a first choice for me. Maybe once they renovate we'll try it again.
The service was just meh. We started off in the lounge where we were told we'd have time to have a drink before our table was ready. We got called for our table and then we had to take our OWN drinks up to the second floor to the table. It was a bit clumsy since we had hot sake...but whatever. We got up to the dining area and it was hot as hell! I know that a bunch of grills were being used simultaneously but dang, I was literally sweating! What saved this review with a rating of 8/5 stars was our chef, Jeremiah. He was polite, funny, and cooked our foods very well. I would come back only, and ONLY if he was our chef again.
(4)
Phuong M.
My fiance and I had a groupon so we decided to hit this place for a nice dinner at half the price! for $25 you get $50 worth of teppanyaki, how can that go wrong you ask? NOPE it can't! The parking is valet, you don't really have a choice, so you have to spend at least $5 for the valet, and another few dollars to tip. I think it's absolutely crazy that the guys run across the street jaywalking to get your car! It's an insurance company's nightmare to know that the employees run across the street in a fast moving Ala Moana street to get customers cars! The entire restaurant was smoky filled of smelly morsels of cooked meats and seafood. I was starving so right off the bat, my stomach growled in anticipation for my food to be cooked, while the table in front of us was getting their entertainment and dinner on. Finally, it was time for us to eat! My partner in crime ordered the Teriyaki chicken for this meal and I ordered the Habachi Steak for mine! Both of the meats turned out perfectly cooked, moist and flavorful! The chef was a sarcastic kinda guy, which of course is always my favorite kind, we bantered back and forth and had some good laughs! I even told him that I may challenge him one day on his knife skills, but knowing me, I may end up with a finger or two on the grill if I tried to cut as fast as he does. He found that rather amusing and as I'm sure he would kick my butt with his eyes closed! I loved it so much that while eating there, I booked another groupon right at the table to make sure I got in on another Groupon deal so I could be back for another date night dinner! It's great place with free entertainment while you get your food cooked right in front of you! Can't go wrong for $25 when you get double the food! I will be back soon!
(4)
Liam C.
Honestly, I've had some good memories here back in the day and so I thought I'd come back here because it's always been good as far as I remember. But coming back here I'm sad to say that I was overall disappointed with my experience. We had made a reservation for a group of seven for a birthday party and because I hate valet parking, I dropped off my mom to get the table while I self park and I'd meet her inside. They told the five out of seven people of our party that was already there that they can't seat until the entire party is present, which I understand. But when the rest of the party arrived, they had us continue to wait another 15 minutes before we were led to our table. Were you guys just making us wait because the table wasn't ready and you used the fact that 2 of the 7 people in my party wasn't present as an excuse? Additionally, none of the staff seemed very happy to be serving anyone and even the man who I spoke to at the front of the restaurant answered me with short answers and walked away from me while I was still talking. I'm sad to give this place such a low rating because I really had higher expectations for my experience here. But until some of the staff fixes their attitude, it's gonna be hard to keep people coming back.
(2)
Alec F.
C'mon Kobe. I wanted this to be a good experience. And I feel like I'm fairly easily impressed. Some really nice McDonalds have blown me away. But when I go to a restaurant that is charging $30+ for a plate, my expectations rise juuuust a little bit. We went in for my boyfriend's mom's birthday and after waiting fifteen minutes past the time we had our reservation for, we were taken upstairs to the dimly-lit dining area where there were maybe a handful of other customers. I'm still not entirely sure what the wait was about. What irked me from the get-go was the ambience - no music, a run down aesthetic, and a waitstaff that could seem to care less whether we were going to tip or not. I couldn't even get them to crack a smile. I ran into broken tiles and graffiti in the men's room and (graphic designer moment) the menus were old and laid out haphazardly, not making much sense at all. Once again, I'm far from high maintenance, but... $40 for my meal. C'mon Kobe. The one positive side was our chef, who did some fun tricks and tried to lighten the mood of the entire room, but he still did not seem overly joyed to be working or talking to us. Don't get me wrong, the food wasn't bad. But I go to restaurants to eat food I couldn't prepare myself, or food that would be rather difficult to prepare myself. And my meal was quite literally grilled chicken and shrimp with rice. Nothing fancy, plain and simple. $40. C'mon Kobe. No refills on sodas (so $3 a pop), unfriendly staff, and seemingly unhappy customers all around except for the very drunk tourists behind us - all tucked into a run down building in Waikiki, where you have no choice but to valet or walk pretty far. If you're looking for the Benihana-grilled-in-front-of-us-onion-volcano-Âtrick kind of place, this is definitely like that. But there are better elsewhere. Even if you're a tourist - you can step up your game. C'mooooon Kobe.
(2)
Sasha L.
Had birthday teppanyaki here with my parents. Ordered the steak and scallop set and was not disappointed, the scallops were on point and so tender! If you go, definitely get the garlic fried rice! I wish they made the happy face fried rice that I saw in yelp photos, but it's okay, all in all had a good time!
(4)
Chavah A.
Worst service ever. They made us wait an hour, seated us at 9:15, made us wait 45 minutes (after only serving drinks and taking our order) then told us that the chef was closing down and wouldnt be out to make our food. Seriously? We were obviously, furious. After a little resistance from our table of 3 different parties that have now grown inpatient and cranky from hunger the manager finally came out. He would make our food after all and only give us a discount. Seriously? Worst service ever, horrible decor, ridiculous environment. And it was a Saturday night. Wow.
(1)
Ryan N.
No free refills. Nuff said. Food is poor. First off, the chicken "breast" is actually anything but. Not frozen, by not breast meat. They hide it on the grill under cabbage. The price is ridiculously high for the quality of food prepared. Lastly, we were told we were the last reservation. This place is empty and now I know why. As I told my party, "eat fast so we can end this pain!" On the positive side, this food will make a turd. In addition, this place is filthy. Also, for those that have been to Kobe Steak in Addison, TX, this is not even close.
(1)
Juliet M.
Hmmmm...where do I begin. There is nothing worse than going to a restaurant that is supposed to be Japanese and see a Caucasian fellow cooking. I am not saying that this is authentic old world Japanese food, but at least pretend? We are in hawaii not central Pennsylvania- it should not be difficult to find a few extra Japanese folks. At another table the chef was talking about him how his po...yes probation officer wanted him to be a dishwasher but he 'got into cooking.' The helper-ness in me liked that a bit, but this ain't no social service agency - this is a restaurant that charges 38 bucks for some steak and shrimp. Let me enjoy my food and pretend I am at Disneyland for an hour or so! Also, time for new chairs! Come on! ...or at least wipe them beasts off, their is buildup on their that seems to be fossilizing. The food was - exactly how it tastes at tanakas and benihanas, eh! Maybe a little greeezy-er! A good treat for my tummy to have a fit shortly after!
(2)
Jessica-Nicole U.
So, I went here through groupon with my bf. It was my first teppanyaki experience at a table in front of a chef preparing our meal. I've been to these places but not in front of a chef. The idea of waiting for your food to be prepared AND COOKED seemed unappealing to me, but I thought it would be a fun little adventure as it was both of our first times there. Parking (valet) was easy. $5 not including tip. Not bad but I ALWAYS hate paying for parking at a restaurant. Like gah damn can't yall make that complimentary (I should start saying this in all my reviews hehe). Anyways, the valet guys are cool, fast, efficient and deserve good tips. We had reservations but there was a bit of a wait. Longer than I had hoped for as it's just added wait time to the extra wait time after we order. We were sat with a group with kids who was celebrating a birthday. Not too bad at all. Friendly people. I swear the wait time seemed to be forever and it minuses a star from 5, maybe even a half star. Maybe more. Because my stomach started hurting and the experience started just getting aggravating. Esp since the prices are high, I wasn't trying to pay an arm and a leg. What they give you for the meals aren't that much either. But I'm not sure I have good judgement (I can eat more than two people combined). So why the four stars? -The waiters were just sooooooo freakin' wonderful, professional, fast, and friendly. -The service -The offer promotions (to help beat the high prices) -I'm in love with the location for some reason. -The chef was pretty cool. Not as talented as the one at the other table we were watching but COOL! -I love the ambience, experience and decor. -The food was actually REALLY good! But honestly the experience itself would've been memorable if my stomach wasn't grumbling so much
(4)
Ash K.
I went here with my boyfriend and really enjoyed the tepinaki experience! Our Chef was very talented. He was also friendly and made lots of conversation with the group at our table, which was was fun! The food was excellent, I had the fillet mignon and it was cooked to perfection. My boyfriend had the emperor steak and it was also delicious! Garlic rice was yum too. I had a pina colada which I didn't think was great but the Hawaiin beer was good. The decor in the place itself is a little dated, but I would not let that deter you. Overall a good experience!
(4)
Gina M.
Service: there was a guy, I think he was the manager, and 2 ladies...1 out of 2 seemed to know what she was doing; the other one...not too sure why she was there...really. Another part of service...when they bring the food out, almost like just plopping it on the table in front of you. Also, they take away the plates and drink even though you're not done with it... (my mother's tea was taken and she was not done yet). Food...Just like most of the reviews here, the food was bland, except for the soup and pickled cabbage...which they were salty...and bland. Did I mention bland?
(2)
Cindy L.
I am a big fan of teppanyaki because it's entertainment and dining all-in-one. So when Kobe Japanese Steak House had a Groupon, I was ecstatic! I thought that my kids would love the cooking show put up by the chefs. We sat down, service was so so. We ordered our food, everyone was ready to be entertained. Well, there's no show, the chef barely talk to us. There was none of the Ala Wai joke, flying shrimp, and bouncing eggs. Okay, he did the volcano, but it barely erupted. My kids were not impressed, nor was I. What happened??? It used to be such a great experience.
(2)
Bret K.
Guys at front desk not interested and when asked for a table for 2 taken to a family style table that was packed. When we asked for a table for 2 was told Very direct this is a table for 2 this place may be good for families or groups not for couples wanting a quiet private dinner left without tasting food or drinks so no comments on them
(1)
Anna W.
This complaint was a long time coming. Haven't had time to set up an account on here BUT here's my experience. A couple friends, my mother, her boyfriend and I went out to celebrate my new job. We were sat on the bottom floor with a few other tables. This restaurant is supposed to be smokey since they cook by your table BUT that night was ridiculous!!. I couldn't breathe nor could I stay inside the restaurant with all the smoke. I missed the cook, my food was old by the time I got back. I was NOT wanting to eat after inhaling tons and tons of smoke, so I took my cold food home. paid about 400$ for all of us and was completely unsatisfied. I WILL NOT BE COMING BACK NOR WILL I RECOMMEND THIS PLACE TO ANYONE.
(1)
Steve W.
Wow. Wow. Wow. Why do people choose to STILL dine here is WAY beyond me. To preface, the staff was great. What failed was the food, atmosphere, and facility. The food was beyond bland and for the price, mediocre at best. The mens restroom did not have any paper towels for me to dry my hands! NICE! I had to use my pant legs. (It was a Tuesday night! Not busy!) I'm sorry but this restaurant needs to be leveled. Shout out to Restaurant Rescue! Hard rescue, but it's in Hawaii!!!
(1)
Mitchell H.
Food was good but the problem is that you may get fraudulent credit card charges of you eat here. I had it happen and so have many other people. Our situation wasn't as bad because they just added an additional 40 dollar tip but other people have had issues with new charges from other institutions, such as Walmart and gas stations. We called the owner about the issue and he told us that it was impossible for his employee to lie. Umm, ok. I guess the receipt we had was a forgery. Anyways, we called the credit card company and had it reversed. I would strongly advise not going here.
(1)
Serena O.
I love this place!! Super fun! Must see the onion volcano! And try the fried rice and filet mignon. It's bomb!!! Just FYI, valet's $5.00 and they take reservations. We were seated in 15minutes on a Saturday night. Not too busy!!
(5)
Kim P.
We had a great experience here. The wait was a little bit long, even though the restaurant wasn't full, but I think that's because they need to have a chef available before they seat a table. Once we were seated, the food was super good and the whole thing was lots of fun. The kids really enjoyed seeing the chef work. For kids, a place like this is a blessing because they're entertained the whole time. And the food is kid-friendly, mostly chicken teriyaki and things they're willing to eat. :) My favorite is the fried rice, prepared right in front of you. The ginger sauce was also pretty good. Another plus for this location is the valet parking. Thank God. Parking in Waikiki is pretty tough.
(4)
Kalahn H.
Sushi was vey fresh and we really enjoyed the laid back atmosphere. It felt more local and less touristy. My only complaint was that our edamame came out cold instead of warm.
(4)
Rebecca M.
David "the hot white chef" is AMAZING!!! So hilarious and seriously cooked the food to perfection. He made the restaurant have an amazing vibe!! Hard to believe he is so young and so successful. We will be back and requesting him!!
(5)
Ole Skool Hawaii O.
First time Kama'aina and military family of 5 visited Kobe Fri 18 Apr. The young chef was great. However, the steak was bad. It was not fresh. The meat had sat out raw too long prior to cooking. First and last visit.
(1)
Melissa S.
My family and I are visiting here in Honolulu and came here for a nice dinner and had the worst experience and meal I have ever had at a restaurant. This place is dirty, overpriced and has dishonest servers. The restaurant itself was filthy, and the chef was unsanitary wiping sauce off the counter with his fingers and putting it back in the bowl. I had shrimp added to my vegetable meal and it costed an additional $13 which only included 5 ridiculously small shrimp! And the salad that came with the meal wasn't even recognized as a salad.. it was no joke the size of a quarter and limp and salty. Don't waste your money on this place, you will be disappointed! By the way, there was no show put on by our so called chef. I think they must have taken the dishwasher and put him to cook. It was so bad we were shocked.
(1)
Mari E.
Thank you Chef Jet! Honestly, I was a little skeptical because of all the negative reviews but I went and it was awesome! Definitely get the garlic fried rice with your meal, it adds to the food! If you're allowed to request chefs, ask for Jet! Very friendly and even made accommodations for my friend that's a very picky eater! Our Busser was amazing as well! I didn't catch his name but we dined tonight on the second floor! Local guy! Super nice and very friendly!
(5)
Michael T.
The hour long wait was a little awkward considering we had a reservation. The setting was pretty neat; it felt like we were in Japan. The food was very good too, though pretty expensive for tepenyaki. We used the Hot Deals Hawaii coupon (Pay $30 for a $50 gift certificate). They come out with those sorts of deals all the time. 4 stars because of the wait was long even though it was not crowded and the parking was not free.
(4)
Aimee T.
On my recent trip to Hawaii, I went to this amazing teppanyaki-style restaurant called Kobe Japanese Steak House. Kobe Japanese Steak House is located in the Waikiki side of Honolulu. For those of you who have been to a Benihana restaurant chain, you will love Kobe Japanese Steak House. When I first entered the restaurant it was decorated with a beautiful Christmas tree, where my husband and I took a photo in front of. My in-laws made reservations for 6pm, and since we got there a little early, so we ended up at the bar to get some drinks while we waited for our table. I ordered my first Blue Hawaiian drink of the trip, which they served with a delicious piece of Dole Pineapple, and a cute umbrella. We started off the night ordering some sushi since my husband loves his sushi. I ordered some Yellowtail tuna with green onion, and he ordered some Bluefin Tuna and Tobikko aka "flying fish roe." We then went upstairs to go to our seats, where we were seated with 2 other people. I ordered a filet mignon with fried rice, and shortly after the show began. Our chef was cracking eggs with the spatula with one hand, to even creating a volcano with onions. I ordered my steak medium rare, and it came out so perfect. The meat was so tender, that it just melted in my mouth. The fried rice was definitely one of the best fried rices I've ever had. It had soy sauce, onions, garlic, egg, and something else I can't seem to put my finger on it. Wait a second. He cooked it in lots of butter, and boy was it amazing. Overall, it was an amazing experience to spend the remaining days of 2015 with my in-laws and my husband.
(4)
Brad S.
Hi all, Yes- I know that the place needs to be renovated and the vents need to be modernized. However, the steak and seafood quality is much better than its competitors (ie Benihana and Tanaka) and the service is quite good. Plus, the price is right - especially if you have the ID card (20% off plus free upgraded fried rice and dessert). They also do Kamaaina and Military discounts. If you're eating with family and loved ones- this place is great. However, if first date maybe not the right place due to the smoke. Tip- sit upstairs if possible; better vents. All in all, we still enjoy eating here and will continue to return. Mahalo!
(4)
Michael M.
Love this place. We've been here a few time, mostly when we have family in town and want to do the tourist trip and eat downtown. A tight place to drive into and the restaurant is somewhat small, but that has not stopped the staff from giving you such a great experience and great food!
(4)
Amber W.
Not feeling to eat after seen the foods. And they are pretty expensive . Not worth the price. They add too much oil. The worst Japanese BBQ I ever had.
(1)
Christopher C.
OUR CHEF CALLED MY MILITARY FRIENDS WHITE TRASH THE DAY BEFORE VETERANS DAY Wanted to celebrate 2014 Veterans Day with a few friends. Our party had reservations at 7:30 and were seated at 7:50. Strike 1: Chef did not show up to our table until 8:40 almost an hour after seating. He appeared distraught and unmotivated to be cooking. My friend and our wives made known to the chef that we were unhappy about the tardiness in service. Our chef tried to improve on his demeanor asking where everyone was from. We told him that we live in Hawaii. In return we asked "John" where he was from. He responded that he lived in 6 to 7 different states before moving to Hawaii. A friend asked if he was in the military. He responded no....... She then jokingly asked him if his mother is an escape con running from state to state.... Strike 2: The Chef turns pointing his cutlery blade at my friend and said, "You white trash, You have no right to talk about my mother that way." We quickly tried to defuse the situation, but the Chef continues to scream "You White Trash!!! I don't care if you are military, military can be white trash too. You have no class" Looking confused and stunned the entire restaurant watches our idiot chef rant for a minute until a co worker attempts to calm him down. Strike 3: The worst thing about this experience is that the Owner/ Manager blamed my friend for harassing his staff. This blew me away.... with no apology he firmly took his Chef side. Of course I did what every sane person would do.... I called that manager a stupid idiot . The manager/.owner inability to reconcile the situation speaks volume to his intelligence. Total Fail in crisis management .... So if you go to Kobe Steakhouse expect to be seated an hour late.... and please refrain from banter with your chef.
(1)
RAYNELL L.
Went there with my family, got to sit onna table area all to ourselves.. Ventilation sucks but the food is tasty and the chefs have personality... Ambiance was too dark and smoky for me but I got over that quickly once the cooking began.. Only downfall was the shortage on Chefs that night, so there was a wait as the guys rotate out between tables... Strong Suggestion: Order Pupu's in the beginning + have some drinks and the wait won't matter but we totally understood... FAVZ: Scallops, Ribeye Shrimp, we gotta try the Lobster & Hello Kitty Fried Rice... Really FILLING wait till the cooking is done then pound the food... Some of us ate as they cooked because it seems like the natural thing to do, but hold back and wait till the end of the presentation... Walked out feeling like giving birth again... Soooooo full rolling out!
(4)
Jonathon Q.
Our chef was hilarious and gave us great tips and recommendations for our time in Honolulu. The steak and chicken were delicious and prepared to the highest quality. I would definitely recommend every one to go and try it!
(5)
Nicole K.
The meal was good but wish our chef was a little more interactive. This place needs some freshening up because it looks pretty run down. My bf was excited to get the seafood dynamite app but it was mostly sauce with raw zucchini and mushrooms (yuck). I was glad there was a special menu for children under 10 which was about $10 less than the regular menu but the same portion. we mAde good use of the gift cards from Costco ($100 with of gift cards for $75) and I have an IDcard that got us 20% off as well so I'm glad I didn't pay full price. Didn't walk away wowed but we were full and didn't pay as much for other teppanyaki locations.
(2)
Dane K.
Service was great. Waitress took away finished plates and refilled drinks. Positive attitude even when asking her silly questions about the menu! Our cook was very cool, he made us feel comfortable and related to everyone at the table! Apologized for the wait although there was no significant wait time to me. Gave a theee stars because quality of meat wasnt worth the cost. Got the emperor kobe steak and it was nothing special. I guess youre paying for the experience. More of an experience than for food typa place. Divide the cost by two and thats the predictable quality of the food! A 40$ kobe steak was worth only 20$ to me!! Come for the experience rather than expecting high quality food! Good place though! Lol sorry i contradict myself just trynna be fair to both parties!!
(3)
Curious A.
Waited 35 minutes, no chef, no food, finally asked where our chef is. Omg! Manager said. 5 minutes later, waitress came and said the chef on other table is going to cook for us. R u fking kidding me? He hasn't even cooked their steaks yet! The kicker is we ordered 2 beers still with full glasses and we left and they charged us! Worse service ever! I know things and people in Hawaii move at a slower pace, but give me a fking break!
(1)
Joni L.
To say the least, the food was disgusting, the atmosphere was very poor. The smell of old grease and did i mention the film of grease on every surface was not appetizing. The chef that was cooking had nothing to say, absolutely no entertainment other than the onion volcano. I give them 1 star because i just have to for the lack of effort.
(1)
Sweetz M.
Food was awesome!! First time experience and they gave a really good impression for me and my family!! Customer service is a plus!! Nice and friendly and someone is always there to help you out!! Most definitely will come back!!
(4)
Aly T.
The food was good! I would probably choose Tanaka of Tokyo if I had to decide between the two, unfortunately... Mainly because the atmosphere is a bit more exciting. When I went to use the bathroom upstairs, it seemed a lot better to be up there. Anyway, I thought our chef was a very nice, cute old man! Lol I didn't mind that he didn't talk to us much, especially cause cooked a good dinner!
(4)
Darci N.
I have been throwing my Mr.'s surprise dinner here for the past three years. Luckily Groupon or CrowdSavings always has a coupon around his birthday so I am able to tell the guests that they can purchase the coupon. With an average of 25-30 guests the staff always accommodates my large group, the only downfall is that we are not seated until the entire party arrives which is rough because they don't have a big enough waiting area and most of my guests end up waiting outside which doesn't have that much room either. The food is fantastic, I especially love their Dynamite appetizer. A seafood medley drowned in like a butter-garlic, mayo sauce that is so yummy alone or poured on rice. I have always received an entertaining chef, each one has their own personality but they each have put on a show for us. Kobe looks as though they have been around for quite some time, I think they need serious updating and cleaning from top to bottom and maybe some new carpet and furniture, technically a total renovation would be good. The parking sucks but the valet does a great job hustling and moving cars quickly so the guests don't pile up at the entrance. Would I return, of course, with a coupon only.
(5)
Bud N.
This place was delicious. If you are in the Honlulu area you should stop in and experience this place, a little expensive but great service by experienced and attractive waitresses.
(5)
Lyle F.
Always a great time here with the family. The food is consistently great and we always had a great chef entertaining us. Emperor steak rare with garlic fried rice and extra shrimp made me grinning ear to ear. The fresh spicy ahi poke and ama ebi shrimp hit the spot too. Will be back as always..
(5)
Dave F.
A group of us went to Kobe the other night for dinner. We all ordered some drinks and the waitress came around to take our orders. It was really smoky which is expected because of the close proximity to the grills. We all pretty much ordered different things which was good. Got to try the fish, Teri chicken, steak, shrimp... I was kinda disappointed this evening because I always thought the highlight of a Teppan meal was the chef and his skills preparing the meals. I think we may have offended the chef?? We were joking about the fish and I hope he didn't take it in the wrong way!!! Oh well, he wasn't too enthusiastic and I just shrugged it off and tried to enjoy my meal. It was actually much more entertaining watching the other chefs do their thing!!
(3)
Daniel C.
I like how they have valet here because parking in Waikiki is atrocious. Food here was about average and nothing special. Ate here with friends and we were all disappointed when we left. If you want to try it then you're welcome to but there are other options available to you.
(2)
B N.
The food here was good, but you are mainly paying for the whole teppanyaki chef experience. I'm not sure if it was just a bad night for them (being my first visit), but the wait was RIDICULOUS! We were told it was a one hour wait to be seated for a group of 4. One hour and fifteen minutes later... we get seated and have our orders taken. Another hour passes... the chef finally starts setting up.
(2)
Scott D.
This place is right at 3 stars for me. Have always driven by Kobe and told myself that I need to try this place. 2+ years later fate would have it (little slow fate), I saw the Group on for Kobe., the kick I needed to try this restaurant. So on to the experience. First you need to know parking is non-existant. They have valet for I believe $5. For cheap parking you can park behind the Illikai only 3-5 min walk from the restaurant, $1/hr. The food is Hibachi grill with your basic red meat, chicken, shrimp items to be mixed and matched. You get your soup, salad, and appetizer shrimp with your meal. Food is as good as any of the other Hibachi places I've eaten before (Benihana's). I would go back if someone I was with wanted to go there (or I got another Group on), but if I am going for this type of meal I'll go to Benihana's.
(3)
Jerry E.
What a dark and smoky house, rival that of an old yakiniku eatery; the ventilation system in this place must be antiquated. After having a dinner there once, our outfits had to be aired out for numerous days, and still need to be washed. I could tell how greasy the place was by the grease coating on my glasses. So. if what I just described is your kind of place, then have a blast. The foods were average. Their steaks came in many grades, so do avoid the cheapest. Price wise, they were on the above average range. Their waiting area was not impressive, and the welcoming mat placed on the entrance was repulsive because it looked filthy. Good experience for one visit.
(2)
Jade P.
I brought a Groupon a coupon days ago and decided to take my bf for Kobe for dinner tonight. I called at 6 to ask for a reseversation for 7:30, thinking they would say 'sorry we are booked for tonight.....' but the rep said 'sure' and I thought must be not busy. We showed at on time and waited for ten minutes before being seated...we got seated in the back..then came two more group....the room was dark and gloomy....our chef showed up after the lady took out order. As the chef was cooking, I noticed he heavily used oil and butter....I ordered steak and shrimp and bf got scallops and steak. Like most people said in here scallops are large but shrimps size is very small. By the time the chef cooked the bean sprout, he must have poured half a cup of oil...I got full...there was no trick or show...our chef is old ..I felt bad that he even have to work at this age. Oh, while we were eting, I noticed another old man in the back was painting ie doing in some repair working. Overall, our experience at Kobe was average.....too much oil and butter in cooking...made me feel like I should double my exercise for the week to make it up for all the oil.
(3)
Aristotle M.
Only been here once. The chef was very lethargic and the food bland. I think he forgot the salt altogether. He went through all of the classic teppanyaki stuff. Shrimp volcano etc., but with zero enthusiasm and nerry a smile. After a very hurried preparation, he left with little fanfare and we were left alone for the rest of our meal until the bill came. No waiter attention at all. For the price, I expected a bit more than a chef on quaaludes, a cardboard steak, and an empty glass of water. I've only been here once, so it is quite possible this was a rare occurrence, and for that i am giving 3 stars instead of 2. Either way, I wasn't at all impressed.
(3)
Tinamarie L.
I had such a blah experience at this place that I felt compelled to sign up for yelp to review it so others could be warned! I got a groupon for this restaurant and I thought it would be a great opportunity to try a restaurant that has been around for years at a great price. Why the low rating? The chef. OMG - It was like someone forced him to go to work that day and he absolutely did not want to be there. He did the whole thing with the "dancing shrimp" with little to no enthusiasm. I felt the need to say "ooh.." and LOL a little, but at the same time felt awkward because it wasn't clear if he wanted us to laugh based off of his grumpy demeanor. He built his onion volcano and then realized his lighter was broken so there was no "wow" factor in that. The food was bland and I needed to ask for salt. No entertainment at all. No conversations with the chef... NOTHING! Would not go back again, even with a coupon. Thank God we were with good company and they made the experience tolerable. I'm sure all the chefs are not bad, but I wouldn't want to take the chance.. I thought the food and chefs were much better at Tanaka of Tokyo.
(2)
Mary K.
Bought a groupon made a reservation and it was pretty good, really enjoyed our chef but it took over an hour to be seated and place orders with a reservation! I have a toddler who's a busy body, plus they charged $4 more for fried rice, which is lame!
(3)
Kaiulani K.
The trick to enjoying Kobe is knowing ahead of time that even if you have reservations, you're going to wait. Also, that the cost of your meal will probably come out to more than you anticipated- especially when sake is involved (and in my case, it always is). Kobe's food is delicious and the chefs are awesome to watch. If you interact with the chefs and others at your table, you'll have a great time. Sure, your chef may not get it perfect every time, but if he did he'd probably have his own show and wouldn't be there serving you. Anyway, I love the food but the prices seem a little unrealistic to me. But that may be because I usually stick to places that are great deals, whereas this is considered the norm for a Waikiki teppanyaki place. I suggest the garlic rice, the beef and any of the seafood. You do get some normal rice, shrimp and veggies with whatever you order, so keep that in mind.
(4)
Bronwyn J.
This was one of the best tepanyaki experiences I have ever had. The staff were very attentive and polite. The chef was very friendly and skilled with many exciting tricks up his sleeves! The food was delicious and definitely value for money. We had chicken, steak and scallops between us and all were excellent. Also definitely worth paying an extra $4 for the fried rice. Cocktails were also yummy and value for money. The restaurant isn't the flashiest place i have ever been but it is cosy and accommodating. Thank you Kobe!
(4)
Jared V.
To start with they have valet parking for $5 ($7 with tip) but it's the best choice as they don't validate if you chose to park in the adjacent parking structure, which costs more. I would like to see free valet parking as restaurants of similar prices often have this service. The entertainment portion of the "cook in front of you" restaurant was a little lacking (at least with our server) in comparison with Beihana's who puts on a much better show and have some seriously talented staff. The food was very good. I had the Emperors Steak which is a very large cut. I was impressed with the tenderness of the meat and the sauce that comes with it was very good. My wife had the chicken and she had no complaints. All entrees cam with mushroom broth soup and cabbage tsukemono, and an appetizer of shrimp and vegetable medley consisting of onions, zucchini and mushrooms They have a pretty good wine list and a decent beer selection but I would have liked to see wine/entree pairing recommendations in the menu. The service was good overall and our waters were always full (which is impressive as we drink a lot of water). The lady that cleared our plates seemed to be trying to rush us out of there so they could get the next customs in and she didn't really respect personal space.
(3)
Clarence A.
5 stars due to location and do to group I was with First off this aint no Benihana, all the chefs are Japanese literally, haha been here once and if in the same city I would go back in a heartbeat, as a sed in the beginning this place is made for groups I think it was 2 days before I got married we invited our entourage and some of the family and friends to eat here. My tastebud mite have been a lil numb due to all the alcohol we ordered at the bar waiting for our guests to appear they do have kobe steak, they have lobster, and boy do they do have a show, alot of people would say this is another chain like benihana but I didnt get that vibe when I was here, chefs were really friendly waitresses also really friendly and helpful, we did have a huge party come out it was total of 40+ folks if I remember correctly, so being quiet was not on the menu for us haha drinks were poured all through the nite, friends and family conversing between each other about the wedding to come and the food very flavorful and filling, everyone left with a smile on there face which is what me and the wife wanted so in total I would definitely hit this place up with a group preferably large group haha the more the merrier.. food **** emperor kobe steak and lobster tail must have (butter lobster, steak juicy n tender med rare of course) price $$$ you will be spending close to 30-50 per head ambiance ***** looks and feels better then any benihana's again my review about this place may be skewed due to the alcohol intake before my dinner but having a group of friends and family all at the same level is priceless.. haha
(5)
Michael D.
I gave three stars because the food was decent but let's face it..... When I go to a Japanese teppanyaki steakhouse I want to be mesmerized by the chef which that did Not happen. He started talking to the group of tourist that was sitting beside us about how bad traffic is in Honolulu. This was the highlight of the dinner. His skill as a teppanyaki chef was lackluster at best. O
(3)
Dito N.
Been here twice and both times I've left feeling like I overpaid. The first time I was here I had a steak dish and the steak tasted like it was going bad. This time I went and had the shrimp which was good but for what you pay you definitely expect a little more. The thing is that the chefs don't engage you in the least. They literally just cook and that's it, no conversation at all which makes things awkward when you're sitting on a table full of strangers. The way I see it you're paying for a whole package (food and entertainment) and they haven't delivered yet. So basically gave it a second shot just to be fair but won't be back to this location again. On the other hand the one in Orlando, FL has always been amazing! To be fair though the valet guys are on point! They jump that hedge and get your car within 5 minutes!
(2)
Daniel W.
Wow my worst reasturant expierance ever only a couple table we waited for ever the service at the Sushi bar was over priced the spicy tuna rool was not spicy just Mayo with color blah we kept drinking because we had to wait so long did I tell You there was only a couple tables we finaly sit down then it's a rush job chef starts cooking shrimp flicks the tails onto table all over the place so bad WTF disgusting tails alll over the place not into his hat or plate all over the table never seen it b4 we hook up the people with drinks at our table we started to cheers then 5 min later the waitress comes up and tell us to keep it down you are too loud. it's a festive resturant where people drink really ? so went up the manager and he said if i did not like it we could leave and we did Chart House around the corner was delicious Would go to Tanaka of Tokyo or even Beni Hana after that expierance never walked away from a meal B4 WOW first ever Review had to get it off my chest WTF REALY KOBE STEAK HOUSE YOU SUCK You almost ruined my Friends B-day so glad we Left ! The Table that complain had finished their dinner when they complained walked out the same time we did. POOR management could have averted all with better service and attention to good local customers i live here not the tourist family sitting across from that had finished their dinner already never coming nor any of my many friends if I can help it Thanks YELP
(1)
Michael T.
Got a groupon for this place the other day. I'm really glad I got the groupon because I would never pay full price for this place. Food was okay, a bit overpriced. I was more disappointed with the service. It took forever for them to start cooking, overall service was slow, and the waiter also messed up our check. Overall, I did not feel like I was a valued customer at this restaurant. I don't understand how there are so many 4s and 5s for this place. But hey, to each his own. Will not repeat .
(2)
Angelique Q.
The first night in Waikiki, the group decided to have dinner out together and this is where we ended up. Not everyone was in town yet but we all wanted to celebrate our first day in beautiful Hawaii. The place itself is pretty shabby looking but nothing majorly gross was noticed. We waited in their little seating/lounge area downstairs and when our table was ready we were led upstairs. Dim lighting but we all it comfortably around a teppenyaki grill. I ordered the Sukiyaki steak (with teriyaki sauce) and I think mostly everyone ordered the teriyaki chicken. It comes with rice, appetizer shrimp, shabu-shabu soup, and vegetables (onions/mushrooms). The food was okay. Pricey for the amount of food you get but you do pay or the "show" too right? Watching the flames slightly buzzed was a bit funny. I think the chef got annoyed with us because we weren't responding to this antics. haha Then he stopped responding at all. All in all it was a good time with friends. static.px.yelp.com/bphot… If you want something more adventurous and "different". Someplace else would suffice.
(3)
J K.
I have been here twice. Service was good especially Chef Hwang was great he was friendly and kind. Food taste good but don't have to wear fancy clothes here cuz your clothes gonna absorb all grill smells.
(5)
Jenadale H.
The only reason this is not a 5 start review is that you come out smelling like Kobe, which should be expected. The food was GREAT! Nothing was over or under cooked; it was perfect. I ordered the chicken and shrimp and my boyfriend ordered the scallops and steak so we could share everything!! We left with a big box of leftovers that we plan on eating for lunch today, Yummy! , Our chief was great too. We could tell he has been there for ever, super cool, waitress was very friendly and on top of things. All and all it's was wonderful so I don't know why there are so many bad reviews lately. We loved it and will be back. P.S. We got $10 off each meal , military discount.
(4)
Albert F.
I took my wife here for our anniversary. She enjoyed the tableside preparation at Hy's, so I thought she'd like this. A groupon sweetened the deal, $50 gets you $100 - so we splurged and got the steak and lobster ($50 x2) and the Kobe sushi platter ($20). The sushi platter was mediocre for the price. I meal was okay but iI thought it was overpriced without the groupon. Overall it was okay. We would have ordered more drinks, but the waitress never came around to check on our drinks.
(3)
Sophia L.
This place is AWESOME! SO much better than Benihanas. The service is always superb and the food is excellent. Each time I have come here I have gotten a different chef, and each chef has their own personal style and way of doing things. You are not only paying for dinner, but also entertainment. The steak is amazing- always so tender. HIGHLY RECOMMEND!
(5)
Dee Z.
When I come to Honolulu I have driven past this place every time visualizing KOBE beef - of course, savoring a big chunk of meat...so, admittedly I was disappointed it was basically a teppanyaki restaurant. Sorry, but I've never been a big fan of sharing a table with a bunch of strangers - not that I'm not a sociable person but it sure cuts into your conversation with whoever you're with...so it's a great place if you're alone and feel like socializing over food. There is the option of eating on the first floor but it seems that people are drawn upstairs for the teppanyaki. It says a lot for the place that it's been around forever - which you can tell from the tired ambiance. It's dark and feels a little sticky. I was surprised that the teppanyaki was on the second floor since it's a little warm to begin with. The tables seem kind of small for teppanyaki. Especially so when the cooking starts and the fans may be a little slow (or need to be cleaned) because the smoke ends up flying into the faces of the patrons. You get a couple of those grills going and the heat begins to accumulate. Along with the dark atmosphere - it's like you can't wait for dinner to be over so you can at least go downstairs for some air... The wooden restroom handles are actually worn down to the wood so watch out for splinters. The valet parking stays busy and the restaurant seems to have a steady flow of customers so its age does not deter...which is significant when you think of all the restaurants that are competing for your money. Food is typical, prices are moderate, but not a place I would feel "WOW" - I need to go back, Definitely needs some kind of remodel.
(3)
Ryan M.
This was my first time here after passing here many times when I head into Waikiki. Finding the place is not hard, it's on the corner of Ala Moana and Kalia road, you can't miss it as after you pass the Ilikai Hotel. Parking isn't the greatest, you only have valet parking. However, you can park at the Hale Koa for a reasonable rate and an even better rate if you're in the military, civilian, or contractor. When I first walked in, it was seemed a little dark, but I guess it's the ambiance of the old style Japanese house. The first thing you do notice is the smell of ono tenppanyaki cooking! On the walls, great mural paintings of old Japan are all over. I thought that was pretty neat, since you don't see that type of artistic work very often. The seating is around a big flat iron griddle that seats about 8 people. Now to the all important food! I had the emperor's special which was very filling and my girlfriend had the rib-eye special. After we ordered, we had this soup with mushrooms and I thought it was pretty good and the first time I had that type of food. It also came with a side of tsukemono. After I polished off that, the chef came and repeated our order to make sure we had the right order. He then proceeded to do some pretty neat acrobatic tricks with his utensils. I thought he was pretty skilled because if I did that, I would be hitting things and people! The first thing he cooked iwas our appetizers which included shrimp and some veggies (onions and zucchini). After I finished that he started cooking the entree! The meat was cooked to perfection and was delicious (not in the league of Ruth Chris's delicious). The last thing to be served was the bean sprouts which complemented the steak very well. I also forgot to mention we had two types of dipping sauces, a ginger based sauce and a hot mustard based sauce. Both were very good, but I think I liked the hot mustard based sauce better. Overall, I would say you have to eat here once for the experience, food is good, staff is friendly, and the ambiance is good!
(4)
Milton K.
What is there to say except FOOD - EXCELLENT, Service - EXCELLENT and ATTENTIVE, Prices - VERY REASONABLE for what you get! Personally - I ALWAYS order the Steak and Chicken Combo, with "additional" shrimp on the "side" - no need for the Fried Rice, although if you want it - it is also great! The ONLY thing that can be a bit of a "pain" is the parking - it is VALET ONLY, but believe me - it IS worth it! IF you feel "Adventurous" - then go for the GUSTO - "The Steak and LOBSTER" "King's Special"- whew! I saw it (didn't order it) and it looked INCREDIBLE - but me being me, I try to stick to my "budget"... Oh, and have a "slug" or two of the Plum Wine.... Now THAT is DELICIOUS - ESPECIALLY for you ladies! VERY "elegant", not TOO "sweet", but smooth....
(5)
Lindsay C.
Last night we went to Kobe - using the Entertainment Book coupon. We were sat right away and the restaurant was about half full. There was one other couple at our table. The restaurant was VERY dark - made us think they were hiding something because you could barely see the walls above the mirrors that line the restaurant. We ordered a Shrimp Tempura sushi roll to start - the waitress warned us that the sushi bar was very backed up and might come out after the chef does. We said ok because we were hungry! I ordered the Shrimp and Scallops combo, and Tony ordered the Filet Mignon. We both stuck with the steamed rice (you can get fried rice for an extra $4 per person). The chef came out to the table, was very nice. This place is not very "showy" with their hibachi tricks. He did some knife tricks when he first came out... and made some music on the grill with these drumstick type things and that was it. No shrimp throwing... although he did make an onion volcano but didn't say or do anything with it. When you go to a hibachi grill you expect to see a show, and a show we did not see. After the shrimp appetizer was served (two shrimp per person), our sushi roll came out. Although it tasted REALLY good - it was not made correctly. The rice was falling off of each piece as you picked it up, leaving one side not covered with rice, but stuck to the plate. The rice wasn't sticky enough to stick to the sushi, but sticky enough to stick to the plate, it didn't make much sense at all. Our food was served to us, as it was cooked - with my food being put on my plate, before Tony's steak was even on the grill. Back in Maryland we used to go to Sakura (a chain hibachi grill) and Nichi Bei Kai (in Columbia, MD) often - we love them both for different reasons, and always left happy. I think that we may be used to the sauces that are served at both of those, because neither of us were impressed with the ginger sauce or the other sauce with black sesame seeds. The scallops were a funny consistency - not chewy, but slightly rubbery. The shrimp were ok, but nothing to write home about (but something to write on yelp about!) When the bill came out we couldn't believe it was $100 (before the entertainment discount) for what we had gotten - and we vowed to make that a first and a last at Kobe Japanese Steakhouse! We will try the other Japanese Steakhouses on the island next!
(2)
Jamieee D.
Much better than Benihana and cheaper. Our chef was really nice, local guy. Food was good and portions were fair. Would definitelu go back as soon as groupon has that $25 for $50 worth of foof special! :)
(4)
Maxwell L.
If you been to Benihana, then this place is the same teppenyaki style. Made reservations, got there and they placed my group of 6 in the back room...looked like the supply room. Ambiance was a thumbs down. Asked if we could have another table in the main dining area which was almost empty by the way and the hostess said no....wow Ok so going on...our chef was cool with a Hello Kitty hat which did please the kids. He did entertain us and he was nice. Food was ok...same as Other teppenyaki restaurants...nothing stunning....but again, you go there for the entertainment and ambiance. Ambiance = thumbs down like I mentioned. We were leaving after dinner and still noticed it was not that busy...so not sure why they put us back in the supply area. Next time...if we decide to do similar dinner...we will be going to Benni's.
(3)
Jessica d.
Not bad. It was kind of weird and dark and old inside, but the food was pretty good. I would NEVER pay full price and was glad for my Groupon because it wasn't THAT good, but it was worth the Groupon price. I had the steak and lobster. Well cooked, tender and flavorful. My husband had the steak and chicken, and by God I wish I had ordered the chicken! It was GOOD!!! I really liked the pickled vegetables they served with the meal. The people who worked there seemed utterly bored and uninterested, but I came to eat not to make new friends. They were polite and professional and I think everybody at my table had a vibe that we just weren't terribly interested in a showy chef. Honestly, the best part was the lady at my table who looked so seethingly angry and went out of her way to tell anybody who would listen she was a "regular" like that meant she would get a special kind of merit badge or something. She was pretty funny to watch. But that's me being catty.
(4)
Barry L.
This place is a bit spendy, but worth it once in a while. Food is awesome!! It's a must go.
(5)
Lois C.
We had a rather sedated chef. Did the bare minimum. No interaction with the customers at all except to confirm the orders. Food was decent, nothing to write home about. If you are from Hawaii, make sure you use your kamaaina discount, $5 off each adult entree.
(3)
Jennifer C.
If you're from the bay area, it's like a Benihana but in Hawaii! The food is okay, but good especially if you're tipsy from SAKE BOMBS. It's a majority of older people in there so when you have 7 youngsters coming in loud and wild, you know where the party is at!! We of course had too much fun with our cook Joe and a friend ended up picking him as her Valentine. He fancied us with some tricks and faces in our food as he cooked. OF COURSE we had to see the usual onion volcano. He didn't, however, do the flipping of the shrimp trick into his hat. He did show us how he tossed an egg a little and chopped it to crack it open! The food has POUNDS OF BUTTA (like Paula Dean does it) and thus, it tastes relatively good at the moment. You get what you order (around 25-40$) plus some veggies, a bowl of rice, soup, and ice cream with plum alcohol. Most of all, we spent $20 each for SAKE BOMBS! That was the best part, having fun and socially drinking with one another. They said we could be as loud as we want, but no pounding on the tables. All in all, it was a fun time with a group of friends, but the restaurant in general was a good host, but not really the best restaurant of choice for food. Thanks, Kobe! I'm glad I didn't stay sobe!
(3)
Meghan C.
The prices were right...I think I got a glass of champagne for $4 and my husband got a Goose martini for $6? Something ridiculous like that...the sushi was good (although, I couldn't find a single bad piece of sushi or sashimi while in Hawaii) and the hibachi was satisfactory. Super salty. Everything is Hawaii is super salty.
(4)
Aimee C.
Food here is yummy...I always like the fried rice. Our chef wasn't too exciting, but since I've seen the "show" before, doesn't really matter to me. I got the steak and fish and my bf got the hibachi steak. Both done nicely! Everything was good. I definitely recommend Kobe. Hate that you have to valet, but we just parked by the Ilikai beach area for free. Had to move by 10:30 though. For HI locals, the entertainment book has BOGO coupon. So worth it!!
(4)
Tracy M.
Went here one night for dinner, and while I think all teppan places are pretty much the same, this place was pretty good. I ordered the steak and scallop dinner with some mirugai sashimi and sparkling sake. While I'm not a big fan of sake, the sparkling sake was AMAZING!! Very nice and sweet. I didn't really understand why the nigiri and sashimi were pretty much the same price when you only get 2 pieces of nigiri vs. the multiple pieces of sashimi they give. If you can do without the rice, seriously, go with the sashimi, you get way more for only like a $1 or $2 more. Steak was great and the portions are huge, but I don't think the server heard me when I asked for extra garlic for my fried rice. Oh well. I was a little disappointed that there was no show aside from the onion volcano. I don't know if Kobe does a show or not, but if I'm going to pay for someone to cook in front of me, I want to be entertained. :( All in all, I had a nice experience, though. :)
(3)
Noelani M.
Kobe Steak House is the best! Meal might be $30 bucks but it comes with everything! We love the garlic fried rice, and boyfriend recommends the lychee sake haha. Chef cooks in front of you, its entertaining if you've never seen it before. Highly recommend it for anyone looking for a good meal.
(5)
Timmy F.
I am giving this 4 stars on a strong basis that it's pretty hard to mess up Japanese Hibachi, especially because I love it. I have been here probably 4 times when on vacation in Hawaii. The interesting fact about this location is the Beni Hana a stones throw away. I have frequented both. One person in our group forgot their ID and could not order any drinks and the waitress was not budging although the person in question was over 30 years old. Being that most of these places are the same barring MUSASHI'S in Las Vegas being far better than your standard teppan both in food quality (serving actual KOBE beef) and originality of tricks. But that is a whole other review. The lighting at KOBE's is like a dark tunnel in which I don't really have problem with, as a matter of fact I think it makes better looking. The mushroom soup was brought out and it is tremendous, not too salty and fresh mushrooms. Alot different from BH as it doesn't contain the fried onions and has alot less salt. I started off with the nigiri salmon and it was brought out fast and was of high quality. I ordered the filet and wife ordered the lobster tail so we could share. The chef was not all that impressive, he was moderately into it which is understandable but every now and then you run into the chef that really makes it worth it (Musashi's especially). The rice is good but has alot less garlic and butter then BH, ultimately, BH wins the rice showdown here at the expense of being more unhealthy, however. Food is done and my filet isn't medium at my request but borderline well done, being that I am not picky I didn't complain. It was still delicious and tender as all hell. The lobster was also spectacular as were the veggies. So, whom wins the trendy chain teppan vs the mom and pops local staple? Well, ol Beni takes the cake on this one!. I have visited both places numerous times and sorry Kobe's your good..but you lose this battle on slight taste varation and atmosphere.
(4)
Boad A.
This place is disgusting the chefs were cut rate didn't know the difference between medium rare and well done, plus we saw a cockroach running across the floor and I had to kill it! Plus another roach in the women's bathroom! Stay away! Cockroach city!
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : No Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Valet Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Touristy Noise Level : Loud Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Megan R.
My boyfriend took me here for our V-DAY dindin. First off, make sure to valley your car. It's only $5... but we were not quite sure (all the gates were closed and there was a lot of traffic at time and cops) so we parked in the Hilton hotel lot. NOBODY validated, so we ended up paying $24.00. We checked in and were told to wait in the lounge til our names were called. Luckily they have a nice waiting area, you can order drinks (cocktails, wine, sake, beer) and appetizers. ---DOWNSIDE... it took forever and a half to get their attention. By the time we got our drinks we were getting seated, so they had to bring our spicy ahi poke to our table. The poke was alright, I liked the cucumbers and onions - they added a nice crunchy texture - but it tasted more like kimchee with a lot of salt. THE DRINK WAS DELICIOUS, I got a piña colada! Gulped it up in a second. We had a super friendly chef, who was still relatively new (it was actually his 1 year anniversary). Impressive tricks! Very cute hello kitty (still on the masculine side) hat and tie thingy! I guess everyone chooses their own, based off of their personality... for a little variety within the cooking staff. According to him they all have to come up with their own tricks too! Like I said super friendly! Good conversations. I really enjoyed watching him cook. It made the time pass by quickly as I waited for the food to cook. The meals came with mushroom soup, shrimp, and sauteed onion,mushroom,zucchini (the perfect combo of veggies yummmy)! The broth was okay, I ate all the mushrooms. As I mentioned in my profile I can't do seafood :( so I gave my boyfriend the shrimp. The vegetables were good, I saved them for my meal! I ordered filet mignon! EXCITING. I loveeeeeeeeee my beef. I also opted for the garlic friend rice instead of white, it was good... nothing too fancy, but I still enjoyed the extra flavor. Sapporo beer + EXTRA SOFT AND TENDER MEAT (with the spicy mustard sauce!) + garlic fried rice = GOOD COMBO. I enjoyed my meal, but for the price I have experienced better. Overall I enjoyed my experience, the chef was a nice and funny guy (big factor) - glad we tried it, but we'll probably hit up another steak house next time. thanks though kobe :]
(3)quinn a.
Food was better than Benihana but come on give the place a facelift. Run down and the service was slow although our chef was super pleasant especially considering our table mates who basically told him how to cook the food (no vegetables, my steak is done now, only lemon ya ya ya (seriously?). Steak was tender and chicken was juicy.
(3)Sen S.
An unfinished review from last year!? Wow, ok let's finish it. The place is fairly small and crowded, but the chef was pretty good and the food was fine. Much enjoyed!
(4)Daniel L.
I got the fish/steak and teriyaki chicken combo with fried rice. The food is decent but it's more the experience that was enjoyable. Our wait staff was excellent, attentive, and very accommodating even after we were caught eating after their 10pm closing time. They serve dinner 530-10pm. 5 stars if the prices were slightly more reasonable but nevertheless, my girlfriend and I had a great dinner :)
(4)Monthakan B.
First time here on a Monday night.... the restaurant wasnt that busy but we had to wait for about 10 minutes to be seated and another 10 mins for the restaurant to filled our table and possibly another 15mins for the Teppan chef to show up -- Minus 1 star there! The chef wasnt as entertaining as I thought he would be....but he was very nice and funny. The food was okay.....nothing special. We ordered the Emperor's Steak ($38.95) and Teriyaki Chicken ($18.95) with Fried rice (Additional $4), Hamachi sashimi ($13.00), 2x Sake & a big bottle of Kirin Ichiban. Total bill was $98 and some change. Overall, the meal was okay, the service was good, but for $100 + $20 tips + $8 Valet, we couldve gone somewhere else for a much better food.
(3)Marina P.
Choose somewhere else. Very average. Drinks are small and watered down. They start you with this salty mushroom thing they call soup. I had the kobe steak and wasn't sure if they had switched the meat. Some of it was chewy. Skimpy side dish portions.
(2)Foxi L.
This was one of the WORST restaurants I have ever been to. The good was TERRIBLE tasted, old. The restaurant is very dirty looking. If it wasn't my daughters birthday I would have went to McDonalds. I would have scored it a minus star but it's not an option.
(1)Kristen U.
Kobe trumps Benihana. *phew* I said it - ok now go ahead and make a big deal out of it, I don't care. I love Kobe! I've been coming here since I was a kid, basically every year almost twice a year. I love this place and it will always hold a dear place in my heart. Every time I come here, it doesn't feel like the place has changed. I always order the teriyaki chicken with shrimp because I'm a fond believer in it. It has never steered me wrong. I guess my only beef with this place is that the most of the chefs are old and kind of run down (sorry to be so blunt about it). They're still enjoyable to watch and extremely nice, but it's not as refreshing as seeing a young man hop up behind the grill and show you new tricks of the trade. Regarding how long it takes for your food to be ready, I don't think Kobe is any slower than Benihana or Tanaka of Tokyo. Food prep does take longer for teppanyaki dining since they have to take your order, set up the grill, and start cooking. It's not a terrible wait, but just a tad bit longer than what you'd encounter at other restaurants.
(4)Melissa B.
I came to eat here the last night out in Waikiki. It was pretty empty on a Tuesday evening. The place reminds me a lot of Benihana which I think its BETTER. I'm not sure I was in the mood for it, but the food was OK. Nothing special. The cook was quite entertaining though and tried to spritz up our moods. I see it being fun if you have a bunch of drinkers in your group. It's not really fit for kids.
(3)Kenyan K.
I've eaten here at least three times for dinner, most recently last Thursday for my girlfriend's brother's birthday. The restaurant is pretty big with lots of seating upstairs. The lighting is very dark and the atmosphere is comfortable. The food is pretty good but not superb. I ate the beef and teriyaki chicken combo with fried rice. It costs around $28 plus $4 more for the fried rice. Pretty tasty but nothing special. It comes with a mushroom soup, side of tsukemono, and some grilled onions, zucchini, shrimp, and bean sprouts. Although the variety of food is good, the overall portion size is kinda small. I was still hungry after eating my entree. They have a bunch of Japanese beers including echigo. The highlight is the entertainment from the cook as he grills the food in front of you. I remember the first time I came here the cook was very entertaining - he told jokes, was very skilled with his knife and did tricks with his utensils and the food. The cook we had last Thursday was very old and seemed extremely tired. He didn't say much and barely did any tricks at all. He didn't season the fried rice good either so we had to add salt. I've always had reservations when eating here but it doesn't seem to get too packed if you were to walk in. I've eaten here on both weekdays and weekends. The parking is valet only for $5.
(3)Mindy D.
Food here was decent, nothing extraordinaire, typical of a teppanyaki restaurant. That being said, it is a teppanyaki restaurant, right? Well, I don't think our chef got the memo that night. We were promptly seated at the table and the waitress took our drink/food orders not long after. Once the orders were placed, the chef came out with the preparations. He barely greeted us and looked tired/sleepy/hating life the entire time. Folks come to a teppanyaki style restaurant for the show, us included. It was a special celebration for two people in my party and we were expecting a fun, lively dinner. It sure was fun and lively, only due to good company. If anything, the chef took away from our experience. He didn't make ANY conversation and simply did the volcano onion... Honestly, I don't think he said a single word... Oh wait! He asked how I wanted my filet cooked. Thanks for caring. To get to the point, if you want a fun celebration for whatever occasion or simply a nice show during dinner, I wouldn't recommend Kobe. I've had much, much better experiences elsewhere. If you need recommendations, I suggest this one awesome site... I think it's called YELP?
(2)Kelly G.
Just found out Kobe offers kama'aina and military discounts! Bingo! Now if only they would offer a happy hour that includes their Apple Sake! Although as of right now, the website is advertising a hole sake or [cold beer] with a California inside out roll for $7.50
(4)Anna B.
Loved this place! You know you are getting quality meat when they bring it out raw and it looks as fresh as it gets. My food was cooked right in front of me, so their was no questions there. Ordered drinks and Poke and the tuna was as fresh as it gets, which is what i look for when eating in cities on the ocean. The staff were amazing, our cook was hilarious and so entertaining. I would reccomend this place to anyone! I will return each time we visit Hawaii!
(5)Emi H.
While staying at the Hilton for a family staycation we decided to go to Kobe for a nice family dinner. My children had never been to teppanyaki and I thought they'd get a kick out of watching their food cooked up in front of them. Who doesn't love the volcano made out of onions right? I don't care how young or old you are, that steaming tower of onion will bring a smile to anyone's face! I called ahead to make reservations and they were happy to take us. We arrived at Kobe, the hostess escorted us upstairs and we were seated with three college girls visiting from Southern California. We waited about 15 minutes before our cook came and when you've got two small hungry children that can feel like an eternity. You know, like waiting to go to the bathroom when you really have to pee and there are 3 old ladies in front of you. Eternity... I ordered the scallop dinner, my BF got the filet and I ordered a kids teriyaki chicken dinner for my children to split. I knew that this would be more than enough for them because my daughter eats like a bird during dinnertime. I asked that the milk be split into two glasses and our waiter asked the cocktail waitress to do this. She had this really sour look on her face and I wanted to tell her "Hey, I'm not asking you to milk a freakin' cow. I know how little my kids eat and drink, it's not going to make you bankrupt." My BF saw her nice little bit of attitude and he told our waiter to just bring us an extra glass and he'd do it himself. Someone needs to get the boot either from their job or from me personally. Yeah I'm pregnant and I will open up a can of Samoan love on you because your Mama sure didn't teach you any manners or customer service. For pete's sake It's milk for kids! Once our cook came over the fun began as he cooked up our shrimp appetizer, vegetables and entrees. Teppanyaki is always yummy and it's pretty hard to mess it up. I was a bit upset at myself when I realized that I had forgotten to order the garlic rice. See what happens when I'm mad about milk! My kiddies really loved watching their meal being cooked and as I had anticipated the teriyaki chicken kids meal was more than enough for my two extremely picky eaters. In the end our dinner came to about $85 for two adult entrees, one kids meal and a bottle of sake. Be sure to ask for the Kama'aina discount. Kobe is cheaper than Benihana and Tanaka of Tokyo but keep into consideration that it is also more run down. I have the fondest memories of coming here from when I was a little girl for special family dinners and discovering the joy of green tea ice cream. My kiddies are not enjoying the same memories but they prefer vanilla ice cream because they're ultra picky and the green ice cream tastes like bleck.
(3)Ethan C.
They have the best scallops. I highly recommend the steak w/ scallop combo and getting double ginger sauce. Oh and ask for "Bacon". Not as flashy as Tanaka of Tokyo but if the food is your number one priority, Kobe is better. We had this chef named Justin. Very friendly and one of the younger guys. Made our fried rice into a picture of Hello Kitty. Major points with the 4 yr. old daughter.
(4)Chad Y.
Kobe is a teppanyaki-style japanese restaurant that is a reminder to us all of old Waikiki. Note, I said "old" Waikiki and not classic or nostalgic. It is simply a restaurant that sticks out like a sore thumb simply because it has not modernized as many others have before it.That being said, it certainly offers a good menu, decent food, and good service. The menu isn't extensive, however it makes up for it in a well-balanced array of items that are sure to please the palate. It features core staples: chicken, steak, shrimp, scallops, and etc, while preparing them in a very simple clear-cut manner accented by your choice of dipping sauce. Afterall, you really are coming here for the entertainment. Who doesn't perk up when they see the volcanic onion or seeing a shrimp thrown about? Located right off bustling Ala Moana Boulevard it can be a challenge to get there and an even greater challenge finding parking. Kobe offers valet only so be prepared with a few smaller bills to pay for the service and to top your driver! Carpool if you want to save a few bucks. Is the food great? No, I can't say there is anything that would keep me coming back for more. However it doesn't disappoint. The service is decent but nothing great, and the restaurant itself is somewhat lackluster and showing its age, especially considering how much you pay for your meal. Definitely a spot that I would consider a-ok, not great, nor something that I haven't had better.
(3)Brooke L.
We did not enjoy our experience at this hibachi restaurant. We came during our honeymoon and we regret the decision. No Yum Yum sauce, they charge you per vegetable when you ask for extra. They put a mystery meat in the fried rice. Instead of a salad they give you kimchi. I ordered the chicken expecting chicken breast...nope mixed meat (dark, white and fatty chicken). Don't waste your time!!
(1)Kevin S.
Very similar to most other Japanese steakhouses where they cook the food on the grill right in front of you. Service was a little slow and cold / robotic. Prices were significantly higher than I'm used to (compared to other Japanese steakhouses just like it). Food was delicious. No major complaints. Kobe Steakhouse was A-OK. High price and cold service brought it down from 4 stars to 3 stars.
(3)Mike C.
went with the family. the cook dropped cooking tools twice, kinda in my 5 year old daughters direction.. very scary after that. he was a good talker though.. both lady servers were walking around just angry and mean.. for the price it wasnt worth it. way over rated. sucks cause 5 years ago it was great. erf
(2)Travis Q.
Great food at the price you'd expect at a place like this. Got right in on a friday night and chef showed up at the table rather quickly. Get the Emperor's Steak... delicious and feeds a very hungry person!
(4)K V.
Kobe Japanese restaurant, a place I will never be back. If u don't believe my story, you are more than welcome to text me, I will give you my groupon FOR FREE. Went there for the first time with my 3&6 yrs old. Kids were amazed by the fact that chef is cooking in front of them & a happy face fried rice! End up paying a total of $110 (one mom with 2 kids ), a little pricy but it's all worth it cuz kids enjoyed it so much n finished all their yummy dinner !! Can't wait to share this great place to my friends, so I urged them to purchase groupon n there we r, party of 10 ( 6 adults & 4 kids). I think it's fair bcuz we ordered 2 btl of wine, 2 beers n 8 entree for a party like this, however, all 8 steaks were nearly well done, it's not " melt in ur mouth like what it said on the menu " (ask for medium rare), fried rice were like crispy rice. Even my 6 yr old told me the rice was too hard ! All 4 kids nearly didn't eat anything. (They all love steak n fried rice ) so we made a complaint to their manager. This lady came, n tell us " bcuz u r using groupon, I cannot do anything, I can take the fried rice off" " excuse me MANAGER, u didn't get my point. I don't mind spending $110 for 3 the last time bcuz food's good. I don't need u to take off anything, but ur attitude is unprofessional. Despite if we r using groupon or not, this is totally unacceptable, both the food n ur unprofessionalism !!" So she apologized n walked away. On her way back to her post, she rolled her eyes with an ugly expression n WE SAW IT !!! This is truly the first time, we spent almost $300 n left NO TiP ( of cuz, we pulled our server aside n side tip him cuz he's doing his job right n it's not fair that we put the blame on him while he's doing a better job than his so-called-MANAGER ). On our way out, (of cuz the MANAGER is no where to be seen), I was so upset,I had to turn around n tell the host " pls tell ur MANAGER, as a professional manager, u roll ur eyes n show ur ugly face in the kitchen, u don't do it while u r still on the floor, bcuz WE SAW IT". To Kobe restaurant, if u think that customers dine with groupon r all cheap axx, why do u promote ur groupon almost every couple months !!! U obviously do not appreciate local business !!!
(1)Brittany L.
We didn't have a reservation, but we just wanted some sushi before we headed over to a dance class so we sat at the sushi bar. On a tuesday night we got right in and we were the only people at the sushi bar. We got a philly roll ($10) which was the best philly roll I have ever gotten on the Island. Seriously, I will be back JUST to eat that freaking thing again. Then we got some miso soup which is always a good choice. They make theirs with mushrooms in it and it was super good. ($1.50) And then we got a house special, Volcano shrimp. I wasn't really a fan of this. It was basically $10 for 4 small shrimps in tabasco sauce. And the shrimp was overcooked so it had this hard consistency to it which was super weird. The chefs at the sushi bar were great, and the hostess was also very polite and cheerful which I like.
(4)Kim C.
If I could give 0 stars I would. First off, this place is old, looks extremely raggedy and dirty inside. Our chef was more than 30 minutes late to our table and he was all dirty and sweaty and seemed very unprofessional. The servers took a long time to give us drinks and the soups and salad that come with our meals. The soups were gross and the salad was two tiny pieces of lettuce with a drop of oil. Really disappointing. You have to pay $4 extra to have fried rice - but don't bother, it tastes disgusting and burnt. The only thing edible was the shrimp, because the chicken was undercooked and the steak was like biting into leather. Overall; I was extremely disappointed. Thankfully I came here because of a groupon so I didn't spend a lot of money on crappy food. I've been to many Japanese steakhouses on the U.S. mainland and never left disappointed until dining here. Stay away, save your money! Go to Benihana's or PF Changs instead.
(1)Jane F.
Burned my face! I went here again- because we bought a Groupon. This time I got burned in my face by the hibachi chef. He did the volcano with only two pieces of onion and splatter- splatter- splatter onto my f****** face! Lucky it did not scar and I was able to get to the bathroom quickly to apply cold compress. Plus the $5 parking and they didnt offer to compensate me in anyway after I told the staff I had been burned on my face and showed burn! The whole table saw it and was aghast! The chef apologized. I forgave him- but seriously- wtf! I WON'T EVER BE BACK!
(1)Valerie A.
Great Teppanyaki or Hibachi cooking !! Fun for the whole family ! The food was delicious and prepared very well. Truly a great experience !
(5)Heather S.
Very short wait. We had a drink in the lounge while we waited for our table. It is a little warm in the restaurant so maybe wear layers, because once the grill starts it gets really hott in herrrre! The shrimp was delicious and the misplaced soup was as expected. I ordered the teriyake chicken and steak combo. Very well cooked and tender. My husband had the scallops and steak....I wish had chose that bc it was delicious. Now the reason why I chose 3 stars....I'm pretty sure our chef may have been a rookie. Slightly burned the shrimp and failed many of his tricks. But he was good-natured and jovial so extra points for that. I was a little disappointed in the entertainment but the food was great!
(3)Desirée P.
Love this place,The chef was amazing!!!!Had the surf and turf(Lobster & Steak) Great atmosphere,I was over dressed,It's very hawaiian casual.
(5)Jasmine R.
First of all: We are on vacation & young. We need cocktails!! They didn't serve alcohol that night due to "an expired license/misunderstanding with the office" As soon as walked into the Resturant it smelled like cat/human urine! It was humid & hot. We go upstairs to order food and it's dark/and kinda sketchy... You barely can see your food! The one star is for the chef who was sweet... The food was ok? I guess Kobe in Palm Springs, Ca is what I was expecting...
(1)AnneMarie H.
I just had the WORST dinner. My boyfriend and I went here for his birthday. I took him here once before and he loved the steak so we decided to celebrate at Kobe. We were seated downstairs, which immediately seemed dirtier and darker than upstairs. Waitress took our drink orders. We started chatting to the couple next to us. Drinks arrived. A different waiter came to take our food orders and also moved each plate from the hot grill to the table in front of us. Waiter picks up my plate and a COCKROACH crawls out from under it. A COCKROACH. I was looking away and heard my bf say, "Oh shit." The waiter rushed away. I asked my bf what had happened and he said a COCKROACH crawled out from under my plate, the waiter grabbed it with a napkin, and then ran away. The couple next to us saw it too and immediately started to freak out. The waiter came back and apologized a bunch of times to us. The group at the other end of the table asked what was going on and the waiter said, "There was a bug." BUG? We told them it was a COCKROACH. NOT A little tiny fly or spider. The couple next to us said they were going to leave, the waiter said, "You have to pay for your drink first." WTF WTF WTF. The couple said, "NO we don't" and the waiter ran off again to talk to the manager. The waiter came back and said that the manager said it was fine and they need not pay for the drink. Well, thanks for that. I refused to eat, my boyfriend was on the fence. The group stayed. So my boyfriend ended up eating too. They came over and cleaned the grill twice, cleaned the table again, and replaced all of the plates and silverware (after we asked them to do this). The waiter said he would talk to the manager about a discount. The bill showed up and my boyfriend got 5$ off. WOW. I thought that the chef would make it up with a great show. He was funny, but didn't do any tricks and hardly talked to us. The waiter also go multiple parts of the order wrong. You think that they would have gone above and beyond to make it up. Not at all. The waiter apologized every time he came to the table and was very nice. Honestly, it seemed like this wasn't the first time this had happened. Now that I've read the reviews....... this WASN'T the first time. Never again. PLEASE Don't EAT here.
(1)Lorilynn L.
I didn't know it was poker table style seatin. Eating with strangers, gotta love the awkward silence, until the strangers get intoxicated...yikes!!
(2)Alaynia K.
Love the food but not very good service. Was seated at our table and waited 1 hour for them to take our order. Considering it was my birthday I wasn't too pleased about waiting an hour for them to take my order and then another on top of that to make it.
(2)Amanda S.
My friend and I went here for dinner the other night - so good! I got the steak and scallops and a sushi roll and everything was delicious. The portions are bigger than Benihana, and it is not as crowded. The onion volcano was pretty neat - they light it on fire! Our chef was young and talented, but his show wasn't too spectacular. I think it's a little pricey but I guess it's more for the experience. I would definitely go here again - the lobster my friend had was to die for!
(4)Hohoho B.
Just came from a friend's birthday gathering. We had pupus in the lounge/bar area and man o man was it great!!! The poke both spicy and regular were SO good. The quality of fish was like butter. The hamachi kama was perfection! It didn't even need the sauce that came with it. I even munched on the fins it was that good, i mean bone sucking good!! We had spicy soybeans which were as expected, as well as some sushi. Again quality of fish is super good! Very easy to get to, we parked at Ilikai $7 dollars flat rate and walked over which was really only about two blocks. Then when we got there we realized valet parking wasonly $5 (plus tip). Prices for food is as expected for Waikiki a little on the high side, but it was for a special occasion so no biggie. Definitely will go back, such a great atmosphere. Service was excellent, food was excellent so overall my experience was excellent.
(5)Misti C.
I agree with Ivy. $4 for fried rice is a little overboard, but it was really good. We stock up on Living Social and Groupons for this restaurant and go here when we have friends or family in town. The food is always good and the chefs are usually pretty entertaining. Except one....He was very annoyed when my friend used the wrong sauce on her food. It was very awkward. His annoyance was overshadowed by my own when he started flirting with my 15 year old daughter. But I digress.... This review is specifically for our visit last night. Our res was for 6:30. We were directed to the lounge where I ordered a Kirin. It was ICE COLD. Just the way I love it. About 5 minutes later, we were seated. Our chef was Brandon. We LOVE Brandon. He's just the sweetest kid and had us in stitches throughout the meal. It was a very fun and personable experience. My scallops were cooked to perfection as well as the steak. He didn't rush us, had a great sense of humor and made everyone feel attended to. I hope that we can specifically request his table on our next visit. I would give them 5 stars, except it really irks me when a restaurant charges $3 for a soda but no free refills. :/
(4)C K.
Horrible. No refills on drinks, Salad comes in a soy sauce bowl, they but some type of meat in the fried rice... Weird. The dipping sauces look exactly the same. The spider rolls had no taste, even after dipping in soy and wasabi sauce. The chef almost threw the fork in my husbands face, it was accidental, but still in all. Didn't use much garlic or soy sauce for the fried rice. Ended up adding more for taste. The chef didn't clean/scrap the grill in between preparing the meal. Save your time and go to Benihana's which is located right around the corner.
(1)Edwin M.
Well I've resurfaced in America and this was the first restaurant I tried and it was mediocre at best. It was nothing out of the ordinary and nothing really sprung out at me. I mean it had that cool neat chef show but it was just blah. Most of all the place is called Kobe Japanese steak house but they don't even offer kobe steak on the menu. Maybe you have to ask for it hmmmmm. Overpriced for ok food. Oh and some lady takes your picture for 10 bucks. Pretty cheesy but it was cool I thought.
(2)Seiya Y.
We came bc my mom bought groupons... Even though it was half the price, it was still not worth it. Seriously last time coming here.. only going to Tanaka of Tokyo for this type of dining. Our reservation was for 730. We came about 10 min before 7...so we expected to wait. When we got here the girl couldn't even find our reservation and tried to tell me that I didn't have one. I looked at her reservation book and pointed it out to her and she was like "ooooh..Okay." So we were waiting for an hour. In the meantime.. Lots of people came...and got seated. I just assumed they had reservations before 730 so that's why they were getting seated first. But Another group of 4 who came 15 minutes after us were in the waiting area right next to us. They told us they had reservations at 730 too. So at about 8 they got seated (before us). That's when I waited for the host to come back and my girlfriend politely said "did you forget about us?" We were here before all of those groups esp the one that was sitting next to us. The girl looked at me in confusion and said what's you name? And I pointed to it in her book. She looked at her seating list and my (girlfriend's) name was not on it. She said "oops I forgot to write your name down. I'll seat you next." And then she sat us 2 groups later with NO APOLOGY! We were sitting right in front of the desk the whole time. Unbelievable. When we finally got seated the people at our table told us they all had reservations at 8. Our waitress was unfriendly. When refilling our water she just stuck out her hand. When taking our order she just stood in front of us with her notepad. No "may I take your order?"...Nothing. When clearing our dishes she just said finished? But She did bring out our soup and tsukemono (pickled veggies) out promptly, so I'll give her that. After that we had to wait for our cook. We waited about 15 minutes at the table after we got our soup/tsukemono. There were only 2 cooks for the entire floor. Which already says a lot about their business. Luckily our cook was okay. He gets the one star I will be giving this place. The food was okay. Nothing really special. This place has really gone down hill. I am not one to complain about food industry workers because I have worked in it for years and know that sometimes it does get hectic and stressful.. But no apology?? No thank you for waiting?? Unacceptable! I will not be back again. Did I also mention when we were waiting to get seated a lady that was leaving told the hosts that she was really disappointed in the service. She said she came there for years and it was "not up to par". While we were waiting for our cook we decided to see what yelp had to say. We came across a yelper who got a burn on her face from splattered oil from the onion volcano.. Let's just say everyone at our table leaned back when that onion lit up. This is where my rant ends.
(1)Crystal K.
Food is good but expensive. Valet parking is a nightmare. Took over 15 minutes to get our car.
(3)Rhome Z.
The food is ok and the atmosphere is busy and smoky (food being cooked in front of you) Tepanyaki style. Not Ideal for a first date location for it is quite loud and pretty much you will be sharing tables with other guest (up to ten per table). Over all it is an ideal place to eat with a family if you like Tepanyaki style meal.
(3)Sang Yup K.
The staff is awesome and the filet and scallops are great.
(5)August A.
I've been going to Kobe's for a good 20 years, and it has always been a consistently pleasurable and entertaining experience. The service, food, and environment all generate high marks with me. So, I'm going to describe with, with great relish, the experience from start to end. Every reservation and arrival starts at the waiting room, where you sit at the tables or sushi bar. Here, you're allowed to order a drink and sushi while waiting for the your table to fill up to 8 diners. Upon receiving the call for your table, you are escorted towards a U-shaped table where a drink waitress takes your drink order, then the food waitress takes your order. Food part of review: Every dinner comes with a choice of white rice/garlic fried rice, mushroom soup, fried onions and zucchini, shrimp, and sprouts (great deal considering the prices and constant coupon blasts in the Midweek). My personal recommendation has to be the steak and chicken combo, emperor steak, or filet mignon. Everything is customizable to taste, I really like Kobe's teri sauce on my steak selections. The chefs are extremely entertaining and are willing to make special accommodations (my sister and I are allergic to shellfish, the chefs usually cook our dinners separate from everyone or cooks the shellfish last). Most entertaining part has to be multitude of talents the chef's possess: from juggling salt/pepper shakers, building union volcanoes, or playfully antagonizing customers; these chefs not only have a talent in cooking but also have the moxie to play a crowd. The closing end will come (since we are long time customers) when the wait staff asks if we would like rice wine, sorbet, or vanilla ice cream. Perfect ending. This place may be close to my heart which I wish it would become to more of an affinity to more locals. Kobe's is situated in Waikiki, you should expect Waikiki prices, BUT the coupon ads in the Midweek definitely make up the price difference. I recommend Kobe's to EVERYONE: visiting and locals.
(5)Sid S.
I love Kobe Steak house! I usually get the shrimp and garlic fried rice. The different chefs I've had have all been entertaining, but there is one specifically that I really like, so I like to call ahead and request him Some things to watch out for are their sauces - I like that they're not stingy at all, and are always attentive and keep my water glass full. Service is important to me when I'm paying a lot for a meal Often when I go there's a mix of locals and tourists at my table, and they're usually good friendly people - but who isn't? If you like teppanyaki, I think you'll like kobe steakhouse.
(5)Peter C.
Great company, laughs, and food. the chef put on a great show. if you dont mind sitting with a bunch of strangers, you''ll have a blast. it's like sitting in bolohead row, but watching a different kind of artistic performance. i thought this guy was Filipino because he was good wit his hands and skillful wit da knife. from the onion volcano to the hello kitty rice i would rate his performance five stars. he had a great sense of humor. someone tried to heckle him, but he was fast and quick with a come back. he made me laugh throughout his performance. i would like to thank my great friends Mr and Mrs. Smith for sharing their groupon with us. Mabuhalo!
(4)cmonk e.
I would have to say that I was a little disappointed with my experience here at Kobe's. Since this is such a popular place and has been around for a while I figured it would have the best of the best chefs. The chef we had , had no personality. He never told any jokes, or even tried talking to his customers. He didn't even perform the infamous shrimp tail in hat (or pocket) trick. The two tricks he attempted, he failed. He couldn't even get his volcano lit! My boyfriend and I had to settle for watching the chef on the lower level cook for his customers. As for service, it was o--k.. not good, but not the worst. The waitresses would come around and always offered a refill for my cocktail and boyfriends beer. However, they forgot to fill our waters. About 5 minutes after the chef leaves, the waitress comes over and asks my boyfriend if he's done with his food (as she's about to grab his plate). As she's asking him, he still has about 1/3 of his meal on his plate...and he's still CHEWING! Thank goodness the food at least tasted good or I would have been very upset. Overall, I don't think I would come back. When i left, I wasn't even full. Next time, I am definitely choosing Tanaka of Tokyo over Kobe's. Tanaka's dinner even comes with a complimentary bowl of ice cream and the chef's all put on a better show!
(3)alex t.
Average teppanyaki place. Bottom floor is ghetto and smells. Tourist trap.
(2)Jon T.
They cut up the shrimp to make it look like you get a lot. You don't. Prices inflated, because of location. For a better experience, try a place back home.
(3)Rainer L.
Kobe gets three stars for their food and minus two for lack of cleanliness. This place is mucky. So much that my wife refused to put her handbag on the floor! Needless to say we won't go back. They need to clean up their act and reinvest. At no point in time would I have been surprised to see cockroaches join me for dinner. That's how bad the state of this place is.
(1)Dee C.
I went into this thinking that it would be a good experience, but after the wonderful hostesses the dinner went downhill. The initial server was rude. We didn't order drinks right away and I think that ticked her off. The food was so, so and extremely expensive. I asked for my meat to be medium rare and he cooked the heck out of it. If I am going to pay $38 for filet, I would assume that the chef would know how to cook it. Save your money...this place is a rip-off. I felt very sorry for the tourists.
(1)Giang L.
The food was a bit bland. The service was pretty decent. We pretty much made the cook feel pretty nervous, we kept busting his balls about how long he's been working for. He needs a little bit more work on his steaming volcano and the egg trick was not on point. We got the kobe steak and the steak and lobster. The steak in both dishes weren't all that great and the lobster was okay. I think Sakura is much better went it comes to seasoning. One good thing that came from dining here was the riesling, it was pretty damn good. And whatever we did not finish, we got to take back to our hotel room.
(2)Amy C.
We went here with a groupon (which was a great deal!). There were a few restrictions; check ahead if you plan on using one. The quality of our food was above average (we had the kobe steak and it was delish) but the experience with the chef was disappointing. He really didn't make it very fun, just showed up, cooked the food and left. Normally when I go to this style restaurant I expect a little more than simply receiving my food on a plate, with a little fun and humor in the preparation. We also had to wait nearly 15 minutes before we even started since it was so slow when we went and they wanted (I'm assuming) to see if they could get another couple or two at our table.
(3)An-Nhien L.
Went there on a night where we were craving both steak and sushi. I would rate this place a 3 if I didn't feel so bad for the chefs there. I felt like they were little monkeys on a string--forced to perform for tips. That being said, our cook wasn't as enthusiastic as I've had before at other restaurants similar to this (Benihana's anyone?) and his tricks were uninspired. Also, i took one bite of my sushi to discover my mouth on fire because they put wasabi inside the sushi roll! Please do not assume that I want that monstrosity in my mouth! I don't mind the wasabi on the side for all my more adventerous buddies out there, but it simply ruined my roll. Other than that, Steak was cooked very nice and delicious. As was the fried rice... and the lycee martini... i think that's what i had... O yea, and girlfriend going around taking photos of your groups and assuring you that there's "no pressure to purchase anything"...PAH...she walked over in the middle of dinner with our group photo in her hand printed out and in a picture frame.....of course we felt bad and had to buy it!
(4)Rachael R.
I ordered the Lobster & Steak, but the chef also cook'd up vegetables and Shrimp. The shrimp was so bomb! Lol. I always get my steak well done. Idk why some people make it such a big deal when I ask for well done, it is my preference...right? Right! So the food was good, nothing much of new taste, but it was really good. It gets smokey and humid in the cooking area, obviously...so I'd dress accordingly. I wore a blouse w/ a blazer, leggings & heels. I had to take off my blazer, so yeah. Y'all get the picture, lol.
(4)Cher-o F.
Great teppanyaki! Our chef, Lester, was very entertaining with his witty jokes and knife tricks. The food was delicious and kind of pricey, but worth every penny. The fried rice is definitely worth the extra $4. The furniture does need an overhaul, but we were there for the good food, not fancy furniture. I disagree with other reviewers regarding the service. The staff was nice and gave us good service, but then I didn't expect the staff to entertain us. That's the chef's job! After all, Kobe is a teppanyaki restaurant. If you go in with an attitude, then you should expect to get attitude. The staff is there to serve you, not slave after you. Overall, good food and good service. No complaints from our family. This is not a restaurant for a family on a budget.
(5)Geoff K.
The quality of my experience at Kobe always seems to vary. I always have a good time, but some visits are better then others. I think I've have seen every chef. The old japanese guy who less energetic and not so good at tricks, the young japanese guy who is awesome, the local guy who was clumsy. There was even a white guy, he turned out to be really good. They seat 6 to 8 people at a table. If you come here with a few people you will have to share a table with someone else. One time I was sharing a table with people and this lady tried to custom order her meal. So the chef had to put his energy into her meal instead of doing tricks and flinging knives around. Damn lady.
(4)Inthira M.
This is more in between a 2.5-3 stars. We came here for my coworkers birthday. I was excited because I've only been to one other teppanyaki place in Vegas so I thought it would be cool to see another show like this. We had a rather big party, about 12 people, so because we rented out a whole 2 sided grill we had to wait for our whole party to get here in order for them to seat us. It was all good though because there is a waiting area and even a server that comes around and takes your drink order while you wait. Great way to cover up my hunger, give me a drink instead! Haha! When we finally did get seated the service was very quick and prompt. I thought it was cute that the all the servers wore kimonos. They take your order and then they come back with a "miso" type soup. I say miso type because it's not miso soup at all. It was a bit bland so I had to add shoyu, but nonetheless a great way to start off a meal. Included in every teppanyaki menu item you get a soup, grilled veggies, grilled beansprouts, a shrimp appetizer, rice, and cabbage salad. There are many choices to choose from but I chose the scallop and steak combo for $33.95 (I got garlic fried rice instead so add another $4.95) and my fiance got the steak and lobster combo for $44.95. The teppanyaki cook that performed was pretty good, not as good as the other cook that grilled for the other half of our table, but was still entertaining nonetheless. The thing that made me a little iffy is that I'm just not very sure about the flavoring of everything. The 2 sauces they gave us, one was strictly for meat and the other one was for shrimp, veggies, etc. Both I didn't like. They were both a light brown color and looked very similar (but the one for steak had black sesame seeds in it), and I must say that the sauce for the meat did compliment the steak, but it still wasn't great. They both didn't make me want to dip anything in it. But I can toughen up and live without dipping sauces. The garlic fried rice would have been awesome if the teppanyaki cook didn't add a big ol' spoonful of the seasoning making it too unbearable to eat (and I like salt, so if it's too much for me to handle that's A LOT of seasoning) and I didn't think a small asian bowl was worth the extra $4.95. It was so salty I had to start eating the fiance's plain rice. The steak also was a bit salty. The one redeemer was the scallops. They were huge (none of that bay scallops stuff, this was the real deal) and it was cooked to perfection. Yum!! I would go back in a heart beat for those scallops. To finish up the meal they serve you with hot tea while everything settles in your stomach. One thing's for sure, you won't leave hungry here the portions fill you up. I think I would give this place a try again, now I know what to order and what not to and although it's a bit on the older side, I think it makes the place look more authentic.
(2)Victoria S.
Whenever we are in Honolulu which is about every 2 years, my family and I always go to Kobe the first night we're there. It's a more traditional Japanese Steak House with sushi and full bar. But don't go for the bar atmosphere because it's very dismal. It's cool because the waitresses wear traditional kimono dress. The pricey menu includes typical items with fried rice which is excellent and soup and salad. I had the steak dinner before becoming veggie and it was very good especially with the spicy sauces they give you. But now I have vegetarian and tofu option which is definitely not bad, very plentiful and filling and much cheaper. They have a photographer there who takes pictures and you can purchase them. It's a bit annoying and tourist trappy but just politely decline and they leave you alone.
(4)Jessica C.
Totally thought this was a Japanese Steakhouse that served Kobe steak but it turned out to be a Benihana-like place. We arrived early and they had reasonable specials for early bird diners like us. Drinks were ok, but I would skip the Mai Tais. For starters we tried their Dynamite. It was pretty tasty and original as the mix of seafood is baked in a casserole like sauce. I also ordered the garlic fried rice, but it didn't have that much flavor. Everything else was great. The shrimp, veggies, and steak and chicken. There is a $10 coupon off entrees if you stop by the tourist books. I think it might be in Best of Oahu or one of those. Oh ya, we made the mistake of parking in the Hilton Hawaiian Village garage and it costs us 25 bucks for parking. Just pull into the valet for $5 on Ala Moana Blvd. so they can take care of your car. If you come on a Friday night, the Hilton has a cool fireworks show on the beach and entertainment you can check out after dinner. I recommend checking that out while your done eating at Kobe Steakhouse. Ps. this isn't really a steakhouse...
(4)Kristen N.
This place needs ventilation! After waiting 10 minutes for our single beer, we still had to remind our waitress twice more for it. The food is okay, but we found it curious that my medium cooked steak came out more tender than his rare piece.
(3)Carla R.
This place is exactly like Benihana with the same routine/cooking show, but they have an extra sushi menu on the side, drinks, and it's not as crowded; A little more casual. I really liked it. Good food and good vibe! It's a tourist town, so it was fun being sat with a diverse crowd. :)
(4)Dynamic Du O.
Bad food, shitty service. Go to Benihana's at the Hilton Hawaiian Village or Tanaka of Tokyo in the Ala Moana shopping center instead.
(1)Danny C.
Ill make this one short since I only jumped into the Sushi here. We rolled in 10 minutes before close and didnt want to make the staff feel overwhelmed so we only got one Sushi Roll each. They are HUGE rolls and about $10 per but very filling. The staff was very nice and accommodating even tho most would be hating since they wanna go home. The chef was cool and made sure we were full. Will go back again next time for a full sit down meal.
(4)J L.
My parents and I came here on the weekend because I had a certificate that was going to expire. The 4 stars goes to John our chef that night. He was great in the show that he put on and my mom was amazed, this being her first time here. He was entertaining and friendly unlike the rest of the people who work here. 2 stars goes to the other workers. First was the woman who took our drink orders. She wasn't very friendly at all and was a bit harsh when I asked a question. Then came the second woman who brought our drinks and took our food order. Same as the first woman, not very friendly at all and again was harsh when I asked another question. Lesson learned, don't ask any questions!! Place was a bit dark but got over it quickly. I was worried about eating here because I had read some of the reviews on yelp. I called to make reservations and asked if we could stay downstairs because mom has trouble walking up stairs. They said not to worry about it and I didn't have to because we were seated downstairs. 3 stars to the food. Not only was it entertaining to watch your food get cooked but it was nice that the food was delicious. I asked for medium and it seemed my steak was a bit overcooked. The chicken was very tasty so was the appetizers. Dad ordered a soda which was $3 with no refill!! Parking is valet which is nice, we didn't have to go searching for parking. But the location of the valet parking was right on the sidewalk. Watch out pedestrians as the guys bring in the cars!!!! I know they are worth points but I don't want to be a witness!! Overall my parents and I had a great experience.
(4)Shaun V.
Upon entering their was an odor of old grease, but the hostess was friendly, the service prompt, the food tasty until the people next to us received their bill and a COCKROACH came scurrying out from under the it on to the table. Then I felt sick and grossed out. Paid and left. Never to return!
(1)Jacob B.
This place isn't all that great. We went for dinner and had chicken - much to our surprise, a 15% tip was automatically added. The waitress indicated it said that on the sunset special, but we didn't know anything about that. This place is exactly like Benihannas - which is also just around the corner. I guess you know what you are going to get when you go there, and they cook the food right in front of you while the chef tells lame jokes. Overall not a very good experience and was nothing original at all.
(2)Arbine V.
The hubby and I got to go out for dinner sans kids (yay for in-laws!) and decided to go to Kobe Japanese Steak House. We've been there before but it's been a few years. We got there a little after 5:30pm so we both ordered the Sunset Specials. The steak wasn't over cooked and the dipping sauce for it was quite tasty. Oh and I have to say that a lychee mojito is my new favorite alcoholic drink. The chef was a little slow with his knife but was super nice. He wore a really cute Hello Kitty chef's hat. I would definitely go again.
(4)Andrea T.
"I want steak. I can't remember the last time I had steak...it HAD to be before I left. Let's go have steak. I smell garlic. It's probably from that steak place behind our room." I loved Kobe when I lived here way back when. About 6 years ago, my buddy and I had a memorable night here when we sat with a family who was meeting their son's fiancee for the first time and the fiancee showed up looking like a prostitute. It was awesome. Dinner was always great and fun, but I wondered if it had changed. Sure, it's right around the corner from Benihana, but since it's "local", the tourists tend to stay away from it. We sat down with another couple; I thought we'd wait forever for 6 more to sit down since it was 9 p.m. on a Monday, but the waitress came over to take orders from just the 4 of us. Suhweet. Our chef was a cool guy and everyone envied my awesome fried rice since I was the only one who ordered it. We moseyed back to the hotel fat and happy. Still the same delicious Kobe!
(4)Takako F.
This place was less expensive than Benihana. But I would not go back. But I would rather go to Daikoku (Teppan Yaki Japanese restaurant) in Auckland New Zealand . They have prawns with super delicious sauce. It was 20 years ago... I do not know if they still serve good prawns.... daikoku.co.nz I have got to take my husband there, if they still serve good food... But the best Teppan Yaki was Teppan Yaki Restaurant in BALI IMPERIAL HOTEL 99bali.com/hotels/baliim… It was about 15 years ago. Dinner course at their private marble teppanyaki table was soooo good. The Sake sherbet to wash off the taste in our mouth in the middle of the course was soooo good. They had Matsuzaka Beef. The total cost was about $30 for two of us. And their French restaurant was good as well!!
(5)chuck m.
I really love Kobe's. The service is really great and staff is really helpful. The manager ( Emerson) really does go out of his way to make your visit very enjoyable. Kobe Emperor cut is really goodeven though it looks small, it'll fill you up. They have a really good keiki ( little kids)menu and enough for them. Highly recommend it for anyone staying at Hilton Hawaiian Village since it's right outside of the hotel.
(4)Jay E.
Nothing to say about the food but the valet is terrible! Not only do they speed with your car, they run red lights and blast your stereo as soon as you're out of sight... They park your car across the street in the wailana coffee house garage which you can do yourself cause it's a prepaid parking lot.. I got my car back with my radio station changed,cigarette smells inside, and a burn on my back seat! Seriously.. You mayas well go to benihana in the hilton next door.. At least parkings free and if you chose to valet, the Hilton guys are very professional...
(1)John J.
Went here for sushi. They have limited selection of rolls, but have many choices for nigiri. Just watch out for the mayonnaise, it's on every roll, and its miracle whip. When we got our bill they had charged us for refills at full price for sodas.
(2)Darby C.
Kobe's has really gone downhill it seems. I've been coming here for years, and each time gets a little worse. This last, and possibly final trip to Kobe really killed it for me. The interior has always been the same. Super warm stagnate air, dark and somewhat dingy decor, with a film of grease that encompasses all. I can overlook all of that considering each table is connected to a giant steaming griddle, and everything is cooked on an oil slick... it's bound to get everywhere. Upon arrival we endured the typical 20 minute wait before even seeing our cook. It's teppanyaki so you'd expect a little show right? Our guy was on quaaludes or something. Total lack of energy, total apathy, and the worst onion volcano I've ever seen. He couldn't even get it to light! Our waitress was slammed, and only came around once every 20 - 30 minutes to refill drinks, which sucks when you feel like you're hanging out inside someone's mouth. I guess what I'm trying to say is that it was really hot and humid. The food was decent. Over priced for what you get, but that's to be expected when you're dining at a teppanyaki place in waikiki. I think my meat had already begun to turn, and it made for an unpleasant rest of the night. But all of that aside what really killed me was at the end of the meal when we were trying to pay our bill. The waitress ran my card; I signed and was ready to leave. My friends gave the waitress their cards and the waitress disappeared for over 20 minutes. She finally came back and said something got screwed up and their card wouldn't go through until I gave her my card again to re-run it. She explained it would be double charged and within a few days the charge should be returned back to my card. The situation was really suspicious, and shady. Long story short, I had to call my credit card company and have the double charge removed. It took forever, and the whole experience sucked. I told the manager I wouldn't ever dine there again. Go to Tanaka of Tokyo, its better
(1)Tina L.
Kobe was a very interesting restaurant and interesting experience. Some good but mostly bad. The restaurant was a little too dark for my liking and their lounge waiting area had a nasty smell. They had good drink specials but my lilikoi mojito was very week and red house not very good. Our chef was not very interactive nor very entertaining. It seemed like he was just going through the motions and mumbling things I didn't understand. He was getting everyone's orders all mixed up. The waiters however did a good job and kept our waters filled and were attentive. I ordered the scallops which were very good but could've been better if the chef added less butter. Husband ordered the chicken and steak which he did not care for. They had forgotten about his chicken until the very end so the chef was pressing the chicken against the grill, trying to cook it faster which made it dry. I prefer Tanaka of Tokyo much much better. They have better entertaining chefs, nicer atmosphere, and provide ice cream. Kobe does not give any dessert. I don't think I'll be returning.
(2)Leah S.
Well my husband and I went here for our last night on vacay. I wasnt impressed and neither was he. We usually go to benihana but decided to go for something less corporate. The lighting is fairly poor, its really dim and we couldnt see much of anything. Ask whats in everything! The fried rice had mushrooms, my husband HATES mushrooms and ordered the fried rice unaware of this fact, needless to say he didnt eat it. Our waitress forgot our drinks twice, she seemed new. As she came to fill my water she stared blankly at me then remembered she forgot our drinks. I got the filet and chicken , this was fine and the shrimp app was good. The veggies were ok, I dont care for onions so I asked for no onions so instead I got mushrooms and zucchini. Overall not impressed, would have rather gone to benihana, the prices are roughly the same...
(2)Sarah J.
We wanted to like this place. It was close to the Hilton Hawaiian Village, we had a coupon and it was no wait. Then we sat down and realized why the coupon and no wait.... A very large cockroach walked across the grill across from us. And now we are at Benihana
(1)Hyejee S.
This place is over rated. Cook was nice but all the other servers sucks. Not coming back to check on customers, nor even care about them Food is bareable, not like it's the best thing ever but feel that it is no good for the price. very disappointed, i rather go other gourmet Japanese restaurant and never going back to Kobe. EVER
(1)Megan T.
Totally misleading. No Kobe beef is actually served here. They try to mislead you on the menu with the naming of their entrees. This place is very dark, the fried rice is not as good as benihana and my steak was over cooked. I have eaten at many Japanese Steak Houses (its one of my husband and my favorite types of restaurants) and this one ranks either last or second to last on my list. I was not even that impressed with the chef's skills or the little tricks with the food they do. Go to Benihana next door... you will have a better meal!
(2)Mariah G.
the Kobe steak is worth the price! and the show is pretty fun too! Worth the trip!
(5)Regina T.
Used a Groupon for this. Dinner was decent, but wouldn't pay full price for it especially after tonight. To be fair our chef and the other workers get 5 stars. I'm putting 1 star on this review though because right after finishing our food, a huge cockroach jumped out, ran across the table, and back under where they throw the scrap food. I'm not sure if it lived in the table or the cart where they place the food. Disgusting. I've been to hole-in-the-wall places that I've never seen cockroaches at. For Waikiki prices I expect it to be cleaner than that.
(1)Sunny L.
I don't know where to even begin! This was the WORST experience ever! We usually go to Tanaka of Tokyo, but my daughter wanted to take the family out to celebrate her BF Birthday. First of all, we were sitting so close together , I was beginning to wonder how we would lift our arms to eat! My husband who is kind of husky , needed to move down in order to eat. The waitress there was not the friendliest! I'm not sure if because we didnt look ASIAN or because she HATES her job? we ordered our drinks, (soda's) when I took a sip, it didnt taste right, FLAT! no carbonation. I asked her politely to please bring me another drink because this was so flat. She came back and RUDELY announced, there's nothing wrong with the Diet! I was so SHOCKED! If she had any CLUE what GOOD customer service was, she would have said, I'm sorry, can I bring you something else to drink? I think she saw the SHOCKED look on my face! She asked, i can take it off your bill if you don't want to drink it! OMG! I just told her forget it, I 'll just drink the FLAT soda! After the rude waitress took our order, the chef comes out and starts prepping the sauce for the steak & shrimp, etc... never once speaking to us! Infact the only words he spoke was "how do you like your steak cooked"? He didnt entertain us AT ALL! He sliced and diced and made the Volcano, not saying one word to us! By then, my eyes was ROLLING backwards! @@@@@@@! I couldn't take it anymore! I told my daughter, geez! I guess we have to look at the other tables to be entertained! HEY CHEF! I don't care if you don't speak english, you can still make eye contact with us! TOTALLY DISSAPOINTED!!!! I will NEVER EVER recommend this place! I don't care how GOOD your food taste, if you got BAD customer service, everything will taste SPOILED to me!! Now here's the kicker... when my daughter got home , she checked her bank account, they added on $30.00 more to their tip! She was VERY upset! she called Kobe, and they told her they do that for some kind of pre-approval, and they re-imburse you in a few days? WTH are they smokin' over there? NEVER heard of that before! Too bad I couldnt give Kobe just a HALF a star! that would be just for the SWEET photographer who took our picture! YES! we bought the picture because she was the only FRIENDLY face through the whole dinner experience! Our poor Birthday boy, we didn't even get to sing HAPPY BIRTHDAY , as we were quickly RUSHED out! Yes! This will be YELPED,FACEBOOKED & TWITTERED! I WILL make sure NONE of my 1500 friends ever dine at Kobe's! Over priced , RUDE, poor customer service = NO BUSINESS!
(1)Mike D.
Took my wife and daughter out for some fine dining and I'm happy to report the chef did not disappoint, dinner and a show all in one. The sushi was excellent, atmosphere a little dark but still perfect.
(5)Angela D.
The food was just OK. A bit overpriced for the quality of food. They charged extra for Garlic Fried Rice. I thought that was a little odd. I ordered the Shrimp and Chicken which were both dry. The veggies were good. The staff was nice and always had a smile.
(3)Kat M.
Decided to try out this spot because of the sweet Groupon deal i snagged! Since I am the the worlds biggest procrastinator I crossed my fingers and called for a reservation for 15 two days before the event. Kobe was more than accommodating! Yea! the birthday celebration is on! Reservation was for 7:30pm, but since we all know that nobody in Hawaii can show up at the scheduled time, they had us wait in the lounge until everyone in the party arrived. No problem for my group because that put us closer to the bar! Once seated the mamasan quickly took our order and brought out the miso soup. Soup was delish and did not have huge chunks of tofu which I hate. If you have ever been to a teppenyaki restaurant, then you pretty much know the deal from there. Our Chef was very personable and even did some tricks I havent seen. Our group was pretty rowdy(sailors) and he kept up on our toes. The one and only complaint I have is that the ventilation SUXS!! I think I can still smell the grill in My clothes and hair. I did order a spicy tuna roll and was shocked at the freshness. This was by far the best sushi I have had in a while. Overall a great time with good people and awesome food! We will be back soon.........I hope you have the rum stocked! :)
(4)Becky T.
Went here for the teppanyaki, and to say that the chef was lackluster would be quite the understatement. The man must have been having some crap going on in his personal life or something because there wasn't even a hint of a smile on his face throughout the night. He had no fancy moves and his repeated attempts at flipping a shrimp and then catching it on his spatula was an embarrassing fail where we all sorta just looked away. I ordered the steak and fish combo, which was merely okay. It wasn't particularly well seasoned or the best cut of steak but wasn't horrible either. I've definitely had better bbq type foods at half the cost. A return here is highly unlikely despite the proximity to where I'm living.
(3)KaThy T.
You should call to make reservations just in case it reaches capacity. We did valet parking for $5. When we got inside there was a lady sitting on a bench and didn't look like a worker, but she was a worker. When we were seated, we had this woman help us. She didn't seem friendly. She took our drink orders first. As we waited another couple was seated and the woman made a comment about how she always requests a certain lady to be their server. My friend and I noticed why! We had a nice cook who did tricks for us. He tossed stuff which he caught in his pocket and on the top of his hat and he made a "volcano" out of the onions which he made smoke come out of. I had asked him if he did tricks but he said no. Good thing he was kidding or else I would've been very disappointed. My friend and I ordered the poke dish, which was delish. We also ordered combo plates. He got the bbq steak and chicken; I got the bbq steak and fish. The steak and chicken was good and moist, but the fish was dry. Next time I'm ordering just steak, and also poke. The poke sauce is good. The sauces that the place provides were also good. My friend like the sauce that goes with the meat. I on the other hand liked the veggie sauce.
(5)Jerome B.
With knife skills more impressive than the food it minces with surgical precision, Kobe is perfect for tourists looking for an entertaining evening with some good food. Your money mostly paying for a performance. I say this because I remember the chef's routine more so than the food. The grilled veggies were good, especially the onions...to make a flaming volcano out of. The shrimp were cut into a perfect size for....flipping into the chef's pocket. The steak was cooked with butter and a splash of seasoning. The steaks really lacked much original flavor, mocking the restaurant's name sake, an area known for the quality of their beef. I hate to rely on a dipping sauce to give a steak flavor, unfortunately the steak bathed in the sauce...sigh. The food is still good, regardless of what I write. Just not meeting my expectations and money's worth. Maybe good once or twice a year. If you've never been to one of these restaurants, it's worth a go to see the spectacle of an erupting Mauna Kea...modeled by onions! P.S. Parking is small, prepare to pay for valet. Reserve your seats in advance if possible. If you ahve time to pour through those Waikiki tourist Mags, they could have a coupon for the place. You'll never know.
(3)Silvina S.
Being a fan of Benihana I was not disappointed. Really good shrimp and steak. The chef was very nice and cool. Really enjoyed this place. The people we shared the table with were really cool too, not a bad experience at all.
(4)Thao V.
It's kind of really 3 stars for the food and pricing, but since I had a groupon deal, it was more worth it for me. The groupon deal was $60 worth of food for only $30 so we basically got one steak dinner for free. I tried the surayaki Steak and my boyfriend got the filet mignon. The food was just average, and the portions were pretty small. It did come with some soup, rice, a small side of mushrooms/ vegetables and some pieces of shrimp. Our chef did do a lot of tricks although he didn't seem enthusiastic as he was doing it but his tricks were kind of cool. I'm not sure if I would return though if I had to pay full price.
(4)Sucharkin L.
Nothing changes between here and Benihana just cheaper and not that same atmosphere very rude and if u ask for something different to add oh boy becareful the chef doesn't like it.
(2)Michelle O.
For starters, I agree w/Shep. It seemed darker inside then it was on Ala Moana Blvd. The 2nd observation is that there is no A/C. The steam from the grills and lack of an effective vent system made me feel like it was a sauna in there. My food was actually pretty good. I ordered the smoked salmon nigiri & spicy tuna roll. Two pieces of fish & the 8 piece roll were more than enough for 1 person. They also provided miso soup but it was so hot in there, I had no desire for it. The companion ordered the shrimp & chicken combo. A little on the pricey side @ $25-28 but was a lot of food. We liked that the chef prepared everything @ the table & having tasted the chicken & veggies believe he did a great prep job. Overall, I liked the place/ambiance but couldn't go above 3 stars due to price (too expensive) & comfort (or lack thereof).
(3)Cathie H.
Went with my daughter and we both had the emporer steak and garlic fried rice! Got a glass of water knocked over in my lap and on my plate by the chef and he had the gall to take my plate, dump it back on the griddle to reheat it and tried to put it back on another plate for me.... I was like WTF?! Um, no, I think I'd like a new steak thanks. They brought out another steak and veggies and my meal was redone for me. When the bill came they mistakenly put my sparkling water on another party's bill.... Waitress, "oh YOU had the sparkling water?" Um, yeah, I'm wearing half of it! Used to love this place but no offer of free dessert, half off my dinner, no apology even from the chef.....wow.
(1)Claudia M.
Ok let me tell you whats up with this place. This place has decent food and the show is cool and all. The only thing i really had a problem with this place was that they didnt sell kobe beef. I mean you would expect this place to sell kobe beef if it says Kobe Japanese Steak House. Ughh.
(3)Wes O.
I tried this place thinking that it would be on par if not better than a Bennihana's. NOT EVEN CLOSE!! I read some reviews here and felt okay about going. But I was truely disappointed. The chef: no personality, poor customer service and no skills [he missed the shrimp tail in the hat trick 4 fricken times]. The entertainment: :: looking around :: nobody home here. The chef didnt even try. The Food: Salty!! The fried rice was salty, the veggies salty...I had to tell him to NOT put any salt on my steak. Wack wack wack! The summary: WTF! can we get some new tricks. I mean how many times must I see the onion volcano's and shrimp in the hat tricks? EVERYBODY DOES THEM! I want originality. Bottom line... do what I should have done...go around the corner to Bennihana.
(1)Daniele S.
Service here is phenomenal. The meat is extremely fresh and tasty and everything is well prepared. It truly feels like an old Japanese house inside. Upgraded version of BeniHanas with better food, selection, and service. As they are in downtown, arrive early or make reservations.
(4)Boris L.
The chefs are skilled but the food is better at Benihana.
(3)Shep G.
This place is ok, it's dark and a little thread bare (seen better days). The food was pretty good, and the chef did a good job, but I thought the prices were REALLY high....I'd rather have gone to the Wailana Coffee House across the street, and had a burger...
(3)sky i.
The only reason I would even consider the idea of eating at a Teppanyaki restaurant would be for the show presented by the chefs. BUT, if the chef is inexperienced or clumsy then good money is wasted because all the food prepared on the grill have the same, uniformly bland taste of salt, pepper, butter and oil. In the three times I've eaten here, the quality of the chefs have progressively grown worse. On my last visit my table had the misfortune of having a novice chef who perhaps had two weeks of practice under his belt. His routine was slow, lame and he dropped his spatula three times. He had the coordination of a four year old on Prozac. Kobe must've been desperately short on cooks for them to use a person who was clearly not ready. Instead they made a mockery of a craft that requires skill and dedication. I won't be coming back anytime soon, even if it's someone else's treat.
(2)Kelsey S.
STAY AWAY FROM THIS PLACE IF YOU TRULY CARE FOR YOUR HEALTH. Decided to give this place a try while in Oahu just 3 days ago. Had a coupon for $10 off and it wasn't your typical commercial tourist trap. Sounds perfect huh? Exterior is dirty but I still gave it a chance and didn't judge at first. We stepped in and the staff was very friendly. Interior looked a little better and was really dark. Seemed like a great atmosphere.They seated us with another couple,my boyfriend and I on one end. He ordered a beer and I got some plum wine. Our waitress was a taking a bit long. Which was truly a blessing. As we waited for her to take our order my boyfriend yells out HOLY S*#T and I looked to where he was pointing, a two inch COCKROACH (not kidding on the size) came up from the bottom of the table, across the teppan grill and over his plate. We jumped up took one look at each other and said we're outta here. He ran up to the host and explained what happen. We didn't want to leave without paying for our drinks so we asked if we could. He had us sit on the couch, while I guess he told the manager. I feel like I'm going to throw up. A few minutes later he said the drinks were on them. I walked outside as the host asked many questions to my boyfriend about where it was, and the waitress seemed upset we were leaving. Okay,if I really had the choice, this place would get no star. That's not the first nor the last COCKROACH in that place. They are everywhere and they know it. I'm sure their kitchen is full of them. Absolutely DISGUSTING. PLEASE BE AWARE WHEN EATING HERE. THIS PLACE IS DARK FOR ONLY ONE REASON. TAKE A WILD GUESS WHY. AND REMEMBER THIS HAPPEN ONLY 3 DAYS AGO!
(1)Consuela P.
The best teppan-yaki place on Oahu as you watch your chef prepare, slice and dice delicious steaks, seafood, and chicken entres right at your table.
(5)Debbie R.
service was not all that good - the waitress got a little testy when we told her we had one more person coming who would order sushi and she said we could not order until everyone was there - sushi is not cooked on the grill, so she finally relented, but seemed put out. The chef acted like he was bored the entire time. the only reason we went there was because the hotel had given us a coupon & said if we told them they had sent us, we would be treated great...wrong! Prices were bit expensive for what it was. On a good note, the guys outside working valet were very nice.
(2)Ruben P.
It's been a while since I had actually visited here and gone to eat at Kobe Japanese Steak House, but figured it would be worth dropping a quick review. I'm not normally a big fan of the "Benihana" style restaurants because I'm not really amazed by the cooks performing their tricks while cooking. I mean how many times can you really see an onion volcano or have him flip a shrimp to the top of his hat or into his shirt pocket. Okay, we get it...yay...very entertaining. For me, just give me my food and let me eat already before it all gets cold. The reason my rating is actually a 4 is because in this case the cook was not only "let me flip food around and show you I can juggle knives" entertaining, but actually had a personality and talked to us the entire time. I can't recall his name anymore, but he made us laugh and pretty much bonded with my best friend, the groom and reason I was in Hawaii at the time (to be his best man). The food was good, as it usually is at a place like this, but the service was exceptional and made you feel like you were part of the family there.
(4)Rowdy G.
I thought the place was good but i am a huge fan of the Japanese Steak house. I thought our server could use a little work but over all I enjoyed myself. Was a little expensive. Just for my wife and I it was over $100!! My wife said all the food there tasted the same but she still enjoyed herself. 1 bad thing is that the ventilation was not great and the whole room seemed to fill up with smoke from the grills. Not so good..
(3)Suzi S.
Used a Groupon for this meal, thank goodness because I'd be more pissed if I had to pay regular price. Even though it was a groupon of $50 worth, our out of pocket bill was still $80+. First, host that answered the phone when I called to inquire about parking/valet was rude and had no customer service. I asked how much was to valet and he said, "I don't know you'd have to ask them." I then reclarified and said, 'you mean you don't know much your own valet charges?" He said very rudely, "nope you need to ask them!" When we got there the valet which is right in front of the front door had a big sign that said $5.00 Valet Parking. He could have easily seen it if he walked to the front of his host stand. What a lazy and very rude host. Then our chef did not say anything to us while cooking our food. It was a full side facing him and he cooked all 7 of our meals without no talking. On the same table but opposite side with other customers the chef was the typical animated, talkative teppanyaki chef. Emporers steak was not fit for any emporer. Tough and fatty. Definitely NOT recommending nor returning. Even if it was free, you can't get me to walk in that place again! 1 star only because the server was polite.
(1)Megan M.
Great food great service! No wait.
(4)Stephanie S.
Nothin special. Valet is a must. Vise to Waikiki beach. Hostess' weren't all that friendly and our chef wasn't all that entertaining either.
(3)Ema C.
This place is awesome because the chefs will cater to food allergies the best they can. If you are sensitive and can't have contamination to certain foods, just mention this to the chef and waitress before the show begins. I'm allergic to everything from the ocean (except salt and seaweed) and my food was cooked completely separately AND first (before the cooking table was cross contaminated from the scallops). This was awesome considering there was a lot of seafood on the table and I felt that my allergies were taken seriously and very courteously! The steak here is super yummy, so are the sauce dips! A lot of locals come here for special dinners (graduation, anniversary, holidays, etc.) Ask for Jiro!
(5)Nissa G.
Typical hibachi style steakhouse.. Good choices on the menu, good presentation by the chefs. I believe they have two for one Tuesday's! Also military discount with ID!! Overall yummy and TONS OF FOOD!
(4)Kevin M.
For me, a trip to Oahu wouldn't be complete without eating at Kobe at least once. This is truly delicious Japanese tepanyaki prepared by expert chefs. While living in Japan, I ate at a number of tepanyaki restaurants but I still enjoy Kobe for the superb food, the location, and the aloha that the staff has for their clientele. My absolute favorites are the lobster, scallops, and beef. The veggies are all fresh and perfectly prepared as well. The servers and waiters are all friendly and prompt and the owner frequently stops by tables himself to make sure his customers are enjoying their meal. If you're looking for a tasty, entertaining, and friendly place to eat with a date or even a larger group, I'd highly recommend Kobe Steak House.
(5)Janett A.
My boyfriend and I are from Cali and were looking for a good Teppan grill place. A bartender,Randy, at the Hilton hotel recommended Kobe. We enjoyed every minute of it! The chef JOHN, a young guy, was super friendly and fun. Besides him making interesting he cooked awesome food. We ordered the steak and scallops with the garlic fried rice. Oh my god SOOOOOOOO GOOD!!!! I couldn't stop eating and wanted more. I hardly ever like those places but I had to try one in Hawaii and was not disappointed at all!
(4)Annalynn C.
I love teppanyaki and it has been a while since I've had great teppanyaki. Kobe, in HI, is the first place to get a 5 star rating from me, as far as teppan places are concerned - Benihana has nothing on Kobe. The chefs are creative when they cook and my meal was unforgettable. The ginger sauce for the seafood and vegetables wasn't enough for the entire meal that my friend had to order a second helping. If you like fried rice, you'll absolutely die for Kobe's fried rice. The rice is cooked with lots of butter and the rice in and of itself can be a meal. Like most Japanese meals, the meats and veggies are cooked with yummy shoyu (soy sauce). If you want to eat good food and want to be entertained while you dine, Kobe is a good place to hit when vacationing (or if you live) in Oahu. Be prepared to walk out smelling like food; however, it might not bother you to have a constant reminder of your onolicious meal!
(5)AsianRunningDiva S.
My first time here, but since I bought a Hot Deals Hawaii coupon, we decided to go. It was really great that they had valet parking ($5) since it's really difficult to find parking in this area. Food was a little on the expensive side, but all entrees included soup, shrimp appetizer, veggies, and rice. We ordered the scallops and steak, fish and steak, fish, and filet mignon. Our chef was EXCELLENT at entertaining! He was funny and prepared our meals with great flavor and the meat the way we wanted it. The price of the meal is due to the entertainment factor and the meals prepared HOT right in front of you! The only thing that gets me about this place is that you leave smelling like cooked grease because of all the grills going! The valets were QUICK getting our car--even jumping over the bushes to cross Ala Moana to get to the car! FUN and ENTERTAINING night! :)
(4)Heather G.
Flat out amazing first hibachi experience! Our cook wasn't too exciting like some of the younger ones were at other tables, but he did tricks and cooked an amazing meal.
(5)Smooth R.
Are you serious?? I give one star for the dim lighting which is relaxing. The second star for the entertaining chef that dropped the pepper shaker into our food while cooking. I think he dropped it more than once.. Stick to Benihana.
(2)Lana K.
It's all about the mustard dipping sauce!!!! Just give me gallons of it and I'm good. My family goes to this place for: -everyone's birthdays (me, bro, mom, dad)--4 - Father's Day -Mother's Day -parent's anniversary Enough said.....
(5)Mike B.
Located next to Benihanas which means it has to be good to compete. Only bad thing is they don't have Kobe steak. Nice atmosphere fresh food. Can't go wrong.
(4)Rita L.
way better than the other teppanyaki...a little more expensive but more bang for you buck! the ginger sauces are better and the mustard sauce is awesome. the scallops here are delicious, huge pieces! the steak is great...the quality is much better than tanaka of tokyo, but i still like both!
(4)Alison M.
Not the worst sushi I've ever had... this review is only for the sushi. Very overpriced and not fresh. Would have never gone except I purchased a $60 groupon. No central air. Dark and grungy. Even at half off- the food was not worth it. Better sushi across the street at aloha sushi. 10$ for 6 pieces of cali roll? Yikes! Will not be returning.
(2)Paul H.
Great place for fun with friends. Another one of those places I must visit when in Honolulu (which is often). The food is excellent (although a bit pricey) and the service is wonderful. The chefs put on a good show and banter with the folks at the table. Don't forget to tip the chef for the show, it's worth the extra $$$ to let them know you like it.
(4)Darren T.
So, I am a fan of Benihanas, but had never been to Kobe before probably because I had never been to Hawaii before. We had an entertainment guide coupon, and it was a block from our hotel. We went about 6:15, no reservation, and were seated right away. We had a great meal at a fair price, and the service was good as well. I had the teriyaki steak and my wife had the teriyaki chicken. Both came with soup, veggies, shrimp app, rice, and hot tea. Overall I thought it was a good meal and my wife and I had a good time there as well. Great for families and young children. Prices might be a little high for some but you will leave full. If you have the Hawaii entertainment guide, You can save $20 for BOGO.
(4)Erika A.
Every time I have to come here for a friends birthday or whatever, I always roll my eyes at the thought of going, but you know what? I always leave happy and very satisfied with my meal. I always feel silly going for the novelty of the chefs entertaining us by flipping our food around and making shrimp do a tail dance for us like we are all 5 year old kids watching in amazement. Ooh, look at the shiny red ball! I think that is the key to this place though. Let your inner child out! If you had a boring chef, that's probably because you are boring too! These chefs have to do this day in and day out, at least work with them a little bit. I'm sure they feel just as ridiculous making an onion volcano for the 15th time that day as you do in watching it, so get involved. Talk to the chef a little, smile and laugh and your experience here will be better. It's always great to go with big groups too cuz big groups are a lot of fun! Most of these chefs are from Japan, so it's always cool to hear them talking in their accents and answering our questions of where they are from, blah, blah, blah. This interactiveness makes it more forgiving when they screw up too. You start rooting for them to do their trick on their 3rd try! Give them a freakin break. This is not an olympic sport of flipping the shrimp in the pocket, so if they don't do it on the 1st try so fucking what. 99% of the time they do their trick. They are not robots people. It's just silly entertainment in the end anyway. The food is good. I always get the garlic fried rice and a steak of some sort. Everything is always very very tasty and I leave full! And don't get me started on their dipping sauces!! The ginger whatever you call it sauce is so so good!! There's always $10 off coupons to use if their prices seem a bit high to you, but even without the coupons I think it's still a decent deal. $20-$25 for most meals, even combos. I mean you would pay that much at most steak places and here you get just as much food. The one bad thing about this place is it's a bit dark and hot, but after a few beers, who cares, I'm more interested in the shrimp in the pocket trick at that point anyway. So maybe I should stop being an in the closet Kobe fan, cuz I really like this place. I can't say I'd ever pick this place for my birthday dinner, but if someone else does, count me in!
(4)Jessica D.
This was the first Hibachi restaurant I ever came to on the island and it is one of the better ones I think but it still is lacking. I've been here several times because it is still one of the better ones in Honolulu, but to me, Benihana is much much better with the food much more flavorable. One of my favorite things at Hibachi restaurants is the fried rice and the vegetables and if those aren't good then it's kind of disappointing. Kobe was kind of bland in the fried rice, it needed the garlic you could choose to add. Other than that it was tasty, I guess. I always order the filet mignon at HIbachi restaurants and I have never found any that I did not like. My first Hibachi restaurant was a place in Virginia Beach and I've been to several around there. I moved to the island excited (among other things) that there would be probably lots of nice hibachi restaurants but I experienced lots of lacking in flavor at every one that I have tried and the closest I have come is Benihana. But what will make me never come to this restaurant again is the valet. Cheap, sure. We've done valet parking once, no problem. We came back two times after that and ran into very rude valets BOTH TIMES. So we ate somewhere else. The garage is pretty expensive, which makes me sad because I rather like Benihana.
(2)David K.
Fried rice is worth the extra dollars and the food is the right amount of salt. Chicken was a bit salty. Beef was cooked perfectly. Lots of food!
(4)Mel G.
Not impressed. We love Japanese steakhouses, but this was very expensive and probably our least favorite Japanese steak house ever. We recommend skipping this on your trip to Hawaii. California rolls were good. Make sure to read the fine print on the menu. Fried Rice is an additional $4 per person. We love Japanese steakhouse leftovers also, but didn't even eat the leftovers this time. Food was okay but not worth the price. Try the Japanese steakhouse around the corner in the Hilton- much better. The cook was very good though. We just weren't impressed with the food.
(2)John O.
Of all the many teppanyaki style restaurants on Oahu, this one is the cheapest. What it lacks as far as appearance both inside and out, the food is decent and the prices are much less than the others you can find. Hint: check out the Honolulu Weekly magazine, you can find a coupon in there. Enough to go ahead a splurge on a Mai Tai! Well, I kind of like the appearance inside this restaurant. It is old and that is fine by me. Waikiki is getting a more upscale atmosphere everywhere you look now. Not a problem, but its always nice to go into a place that prides itself on quality. One of my favorite things about the place is that they have this tank just as you go in and have some really nice tropical fish. They even have my favorite, the Humuhumunukunukuapua'a.
(4)L D.
The food was terrific. Lots of fun for the kids. Service was great and so was our chef Lester. We would definitely come again.
(4)Noway D.
DON'T EVER GO HERE!!!! CUSTOMERSERVICE SUCKS!! FOOD SUCKS MADE US SICK FOR the whole night. go somewhere else and do not waste your time and money here. You are better off Pf CHANG.. i mean it and go to a local spot. A FAT lady in a red kimono didn t serve us right. we met up with our friends here since they loved this place. Treated me and my kids like shits. As a tourist you would think they would do a better job.They didn t offfer us any drink made us ( me, my kids 14 and 12) rush our order and to top it all off none of our meals came with rice. We was charged a full meal with 5 tiny pieces of chicken and more of vegtables. Do they not think these growing hungry kids was not looking for rice. I then asked what type of meal did we get since it didn t come with the menu they serve , no response . But my friends spent over $200 in their dinner and we all sat in the same table. I just don t understand how you treat your customer this way. I might as well just sat with them and watch them eat , since they served me wrong and paid to have a bad service and food.... NEVER EVER GO HERE NOT WORTH YOUR TIME AND MONEY
(1)Auzon A.
We had a great time at this place. Our chef was funny and entertaining, the food was tasty and the prices weren't too bad for a hibachi type place. We also used a $10 off coupon from the coupon book we got from the hotel. The service was fine so we have no complaints. It was a great start to our vacation. We both got the chicken & steak combo for I think $22, not bad right? We'd go again if we visit oahu & we're close by. Our hotel was right across the street so that made for real convenience.
(4)Jennie S.
I don't see why this place is still in business. I went on a SLOW night but still had to wait long to get the waitress to take our food and drink orders. We always go to teppanyaki and have no problems but something must be wrong with the air feed. By halfway through the course we all took turns leaving the table because our eyes burned from the smoke, our kids were screaming and kept rubbing their eyes. Usually when the chef cooks, they use a shaker to put salt on the food, this chef used a SPOON to DUMP salt onto our steaks. It was inedible as was our scallops and fried rice. To top it all off, our chef had no show, no jokes, nothing to compensate for the awful food and atmosphere. I'll never go back.
(1)Iris S.
Had dinner there. The food is great. But they need to up date the resturant. Went in to the waiting room first thing I could smell was roaches. The walls, carpet was dirty. If it wasn't being a birthday dinner for someone special I would have walked out. The chef and waitress had no personality. Oh be sure if you cannot eat shell fish make sure you tell the waitress. Which we didn't know , so we told the chef he got so up set I was willing to take my chances with him cooking my steak with the shell fish. Very rude place. I don't care how good the food was, I will not go back. I guess we will be seeing another old resturant close it's doors. How said.
(2)Sandra S.
We had been here a few years ago, and the think I most remember was the smell when you walk in, it is strong and upappetizing. Well, it is still the same. We had a groupon and made a reservation for the first seating, 5:30. We arrived a few minutes early, waited briefly, and were seated. Our table was quickly filled, drink orders placed, dinner selections placed and the food began arriving quickly. Everything was standard teppanyaki, our chef, Jet, was new, and could use more motivation for his showmanship. Overall, we enjoyed ourselves and would return with a groupon, coupon, or other promotion. They do have sunset specials which are quite reasonable.
(3)patrick o.
Unlike Kobe, this place is OVERRATED. I felt they hurried through my meal to get through another seating the portions were like little snacks. The show was ok, but the chefs didn't seem that interested. They also had a nickel and dime photographer charging $12 for some lame picture. I ordered the Kobe style steak, not sure what that means, it sure didn't taste like Kobe beef. The chicken wasn't that great, just tasted like stir fry. Overall if this place was $10 cheaper per person, it might be better, but not at $45/person.
(2)Jenn W.
The interior seemed cramped and poorly ventilated. I started to feel claustrophobic during my meal. Our waitress was extremely rude to her other co-workers like bossing them around and yelling at them in front of us. So aside from the ambience I thought the food would be delicious but it really wasn't. I usually am able to finish everything off my plate but couldn't this time. The food was extremely salty it was unbearable. Id rather go to benihana or tanaka of tokyo for teppan-yaki any day.
(1)Aaron A.
chefs on the left side are fun ( doing tricks) and personable. were the chefs on the right are a little boring don't do many tricks or talk much. i think it maybe because they are the new chef's. only bad thing is i have been to japan and had real Kobe steak with nice marbling of meat. the GF brother ordered Kobe and it look the same as our regular steaks. the scollops are amazing. the fish and steak is outstanding. the fish is so soft good eating.
(5)Jenny L.
Teppan-yaki is fun. The chef did the usual, throw shrimp at some foreigner's face, flip your shrooms into your bowl, make all kinds of clackety clink noises.. entertained us basically. The food was good though, which was expected because it's not cheap. The beef was delicious. Great atmosphere, and you're in Hawaii! YEA!
(3)gee t.
1st time at teppan-yaki and after reading the reviews, didn't have high expectations for the food. I knew we could get much better japanese food somewhere else but was going with our family for the entertainment. we were pleasantly surprised and really enjoyed ourselves, my 6 yr oldespecially loved the show. the food was great as well. this is not sizzler steak and seafood combos, you can tell it is a great cut of meat and they definitely know how to cook their seafood so that it doesn't turn out hard. used quite a bit of butter on everything, but it tasted great and we loved the experience. warning - expect to walk out smelling like barbeque.
(4)Chesley B.
Best "Lava Flow" at the bar in Hawaii yet! Chef was very entertaining and service staff very attentive. "Garlic" fried rice was a great addition to teriyaki chicken entree... a first for me.
(4)Sierra A.
Don't waste your time/money. Went there while on our honeymoon. On such a lovely sunny day, entering the restaurant was like entering a dark smelly cave. The food was ok but the service was terrible. Underline that terrible. We arrived just as they opened. They seated us alone at a table - and even though we were the only people there...they seated us at the side of the table, rather than the front facing the chef. Which made no sense. We ordered cocktails and a sushi appetizer. Make sure you don't try and order sushi from the cocktail waitress, or she will snap at you. So, we place our food order with the regular waitress. Seconds later, before we got our sushi, the chef came out and began cooking. We got our sushi...then later...got our drinks...dinner was ready before we were even halfway through our appetizer. By this time, we were already wishing we had just left instead of ordering dinner. I really can't re-iterate how rude the staff was. As the cocktail waitress refilled our water, she spilled it all over the floor, then snapped at me to pick up my purse from the ground if I didn't want anything spilled on it. (It was not in anyone's way, it was under my chair). Our chef was nice enough - but he dropped almost everything and didn't seem skilled, and the whole thing just seemed a little forced. I got the regular teriyaki steak and my husband had the filet. The filet was definitely worth the price upgrade - very tender and delicious. The rest of the food and veggies were fine. But as soon as we had all the food on our plates, we immediately began to feel rushed. No one came back to check on us, but after about 5 minutes, the bus boy came over with a cart and stared at us. At this time, the restaurant had a few more tables - but there did not seem to be ANY reason for them to tap there foot like we were eating too slow. The whole thing left a bad taste in our mouths.
(1)surprise m.
yuck! its dark,dingy and way overpriced here.i think if they made the lighting any brighter you'd see just how dirty this place is. the food wasn't even worth a star. the only reason i'm giving this place 2 stars is because the chef put on a good show. seriously, there's nothing else even worth mentioning about this place.
(2)Tina P.
kobe is great i love the food there and there new pupu like the fries are awsome i been eatting at kobe snice i was small and i still think they are great and awsome
(5)josh v.
if i could, i would give 4.5 stars... i had a great time! i ordered the steak and scallops combo. very good experience...we was seated quickly, the chef was personable, having friendly banter with his audience, the chef also did some crazy knife work which made me want to try it at work, he cooked my ny steak the way i liked it (medium-rare) and waitresses were very friendly and also pretty cute : ) atmosphere seems more "japanese-esqe" type of feel than benihana's which i loved. architecture and the art, especially the rice paper canvas painting was pretty sick with its very intricate brush strokes. plus the lighting was dimmed down enough to where we can see whats happening and what i was eating and also made it cozy.
(4)Alita M.
ii keiken deshita ne! The one thing about Hawaii is that there is so much Japanese culture that the food is amazing - almost like being in Japan! It's like home away from home. Kobe has a neat setting - definitely trying to be Japanese-like, but the amount of foreigners really throws it off. You come in with your waiter to sit at a large cook top table and find 3 salarymen who speak no English awaiting the chef. Sharing a table is wonderful, especially when you miss speaking Japanese and want to pick it up. Your waiter arrives and greats everyone formally, cleaning and preparing the vegetables right before your eyes to demonstrate quality. He swiftly dissects the shrimp, slicing and dicing in ways you never knew food could be chopped. After his knifemanship he builds an onion tower, stuffing it with butter and cooking sherry to turn it into a flaming volcano. Then he divides up the shrimp and veggies onto everyone's plate, flipping the final shrimp for every individual into one of the sauces to signify which flavors are meant to be tasted together. Then comes out the steak. Always a girl's favorite part. He asks you how you like it, and when you say rare he flops the steak onto the grill for two seconds and flaps in onto your plate. He smiles and moves on to the okyakusama next to you, waits until he serves everyone else as you drool over your uncooked cow and then deftly swipes it from under your approaching fork to tease cook it a few more minutes before really serving you. All subtle fun and games. And all of it makes you hungry, but you're so worried about not catching the perfect moment of every move he makes on camera that you are stuck in limbo over what to do. Magical photo or steak? But ultimately you surrender your camera to the table and dive in with your chopsticks. Mmmmhmmm. This is what makes you wonder why anyone is vegetarian. Just remember to look for the coupons in your travel guide. Always a bummer when even the Japanese tourist have coupons and you don't.
(5)? ?.
Very similar to Benihana's. Loved the "show". Our chef was very friendly and even made a heart for us out of fried rice when we told him we were from San Francisco. The food was very good. It was pretty pricey but then again, you are paying for the "show" and for them to cook it in front of you. Read my other Kobe review.
(4)Mymy N.
I was craving sushi and my uncle was craving steak so Kobe seemed to be the best choice for my uncle's birthday dinner. This Benihana type dining experience is really fun and entertaining because the chef cooks everything right in front of you on a sizzling grill. I split a hibachi steak dinner with my cousin and got the garlic fried rice. The fried rice was super tasty because of the pound of butter we saw the chef dump on top of it. YUM. The steak was cooked medium and was super juicy and flavorful. Someone else at our table got lobster and omg that looked so good! My little sister got the Sukiyaki steak and it was delicious and my uncle got the fish and steak and the fish was buttery and flaky and yummmmm. Our chef was not as entertaining as the one at the other table drumming and yelling, but he was nice and he sliced those shrimp like no tomorrow. The sushi was ok. Definitely fresh but wish we had more options. Overall a super fun dining experience and yummy food!
(4)Jessica W.
This was overall a great experience for my future in-laws from the mainland. They were entertained and we were happy with our food. We had a large group-12 people and 2 chefs and were seated at 2 facing tables. Our problem came at the end of the meal when we discovered an extra drink had been served to us. My in-law uncle had asked for water and received whisky and water. Since they were at the other table I didn't hear about it until the bill had been paid, so at that point we brought it up and our receipt was brought to a back room by the owner of the restaurant. We were then subjected to an extremely long wait and lines like "It's because he has to recalculate the bill." It was a single clearly priced line item. Finally he came out with the $6 and proceeded to accuse us of trying to cheat him. Not a single apology that they served alcohol to a person who doesn't drink, which he then unknowingly tasted. We would have understood that mistakes can happen (though that is a particularly bad one to make). To instead get an accusation was absolutely incredible. I feel sorry for all the employees who have to deal with this man. I only say "man" to be polite because there's a much more appropriate term.
(3)Kai G.
I picked up the Groupon thinking this would be a good place for me and my wife to check out while in town. I ignored a couple of negative reviews, as the vast majority seemed ok. I now wish I hadn't. First impression was ok. The place its kind of dark and dingy, but I've seen worse. We showed up about an hour earlier than our reservation, but after about ten minutes we were seated and ordered. The soup and salad came out very quickly. I liked the soup, my wife wasn't overly impressed. The salad was a joke. A few tiny shreds of wilted iceberg and carrots in a saucer approx 2 inches in diameter. It was very sour. At this point the chef for the adjoining table got started. He got going on the standard onion-volcano, fried-rice, etc. He was maybe 5 minutes into his act when my wife started freaking out pointing at him. I thought I was missing a cool trick, bit when I looked up I saw what she was pointing at: a giant cockroach was crawling up the guy's back. We pointed it out to the busboy who quickly hit the chef in the back with his drink tray, trapping the roach and ushering the chef back to the kitchen. About this time our chef showed up and covered for the first guy. While we debated whether or not to leave and sacrifice a $25 Groupon, a diner two tables down leapt out of his chair when he found another cockroach climbing up his neck. That made our decision pretty easy and we got out of there. I'd gladly sacrifice $25 to eat somewhere sanitary. I try to support local restaurants, but now wish we'd just gone to Benihana.
(1)Grimeater A.
The food here is ok. Don't expect any complex flavors here. Everything seasoned with salt and pepper. The portions are too small to satisfy my appetite. If you're lucky you'll get a "chef" that puts on a decent show, if not you'll be bored to death wondering why you paid so much to eat mediocre food while sitting with complete strangers.
(3)K N.
Kobe is so awesome. We went there to celebrate my dad's birthday and we really enjoyed ourselves. The steak was so tender and juicy. The texture of the ginger sauce was perfect. The combo came with teriyaki chicken and it was so tasty. The garlic fried rice is a must. I've been there many times and also like scallops and steak and shrimp combo. Granted, it is a little more pricey than some restaurants but I think it's worth it for a fun and entertaining dinner. We are always so satisfied when we leave Kobe.
(5)Stella K.
This place was my first experience with teppan-yaki and it was awesome. I was in Hawaii as a guest @ my friends house and we went here for his birthday. It was six of us so we got one table to ourselves. I got the chicken and shrimp combo and the chicken was melt-in-your-mouth good. The shrimp was tasty and cooked to perfection. The veggies and fried rice that accompanied the meal was great too. I long to go to Hawaii again just so I can eat the amazing food.
(5)JDizzle D.
This place is great! very friendly staff. the steak is cooked the way i like it, and the Sake gives me a nice warm feeling. nice vibe and even the people who eat there seemed nice. Only complaint is price. its not expensive per say but there are other places where i think i can get better prices for same quality. but the chefs and staff were very pleasant. 4.5 stars if i could
(4)Michael E.
Kobe is always one of our go to spots when we want to avoid the traffic going home. It's always a toss up between the sushi bar or the entertaining dinner with any of the talented chefs. Of course got to include a cold drink to enjoy with the meal! I've never had bad service here, the staff is always pleasant. Of course the food has always been ono! So I still feel the decor needs to be updated, it's fairly dark in here. Also it is a bit pricey to be quite honest, best to be on the look out for the Groupons, Living Social, or Hot Deals Hawaii deals to get the most out of your money. Either way though it's a must if you come to visit Hawaii!
(4)Vincent P.
I like Kobe more than Benihana & Tanaka of Tokyo. The atmosphere always brings back memories and is one of the things I love about Kobe's. I'm also happy to see that they still make the onion volcanoes by using some real fire and making a small lava show too. Benihana doesn't do this, they use laser pens to make a light show. It's not as exciting. I'm sure it's some type of safety issue. But I'm glad that not every Tepanyaki place has changed to a light show. It's one of the things I go to a Tepanyaki place for. It's the show and there's nothing like seeing real flames...... Everything else is still to par on how I remember through out my years of going here from childhood. I love Kobe's and haven't found a better Tepanyaki place yet. I will probably have to go to Japan to find a Tepanyaki place that is better. I guess I'll put that on my list.....
(4)First Name L.
You know that feeling you have when you're leaving a whore house and you feel like you paid too much for something you could have at home and what you have at home is way better? ME NEITHER! hahahah! But I imagine that's what if feels like. After we finished with dinner, we were walking down the stairs, and this feeling came over me... like where am I? I was back in the 80's and doing the walk of shame. This was an overall negative experience, not 1 star negative as the service and people were good, the food was fine, but we were so completely underwhelmed.
(2)Dennis M.
Worst play I have seen in hawaii. Took 56 mins form the reservation to get a drink and the cook was horrible. Never come here. Go to tanaka
(1)Tami H.
Great food & service. Staff and management always go above and beyond to make sure you have a great experience.
(5)Vanessa S.
the chef was good, but the wait was excruciatingly long. food was just ok. not the cleanest looking place either. probably be better off going to a Benihana.
(3)Keilana M.
I came here to Kobes a few times as a child, and therefore had great childhood memories about this place. I was excited to come back when I was older with my significant other as he never experienced the teppanyaki style. So we went here on a Thursday night. It wasnt hard to make a reservation, and also we were staying nearby so no need to valet, which I believe is the closest and only way to park near the restaurant. From the outside, it looks kind of dingy and for the firsttimer, it could be a turn off. But when you go inside, the decor and old ancient japan rustic feel to it is pretty nice. Although, it seemed a lot cleaner and livelier when I came here as a child. We were seated upstairs, and since it was only us two, we were seated with another couple and a party of four. So I think our stove area could sit 8 people. We took our orders and my boyfriend along with the other males on our table were all military, so they gave us a discount and I guess because of the day, they were giving free fried rice. SCORE! It took a while for our chef to come so thats they only thing I didnt like. Also, our chef remained pretty quiet during the experience. Theres no dinner music in the back so it made it awkward and I guess thats why the party of 4 tried to make it interesting. They made a few snarky jokey comments to our chef which I thought were plain rude. They said he seemed like it was only his first day on the job, and when they asked how long he had been here, he replied for about 15 years. HAHA! Jokes on them. Our Chef was great, the guests were rude. We tried the emperor steak and filet mignon and they were GREAT. Beyond great, AMAZING. I liked that my steak was soft and juicy, and my bf liked the quantity and meaty quality of the emperor steak. The hot tea after was good too. And the fried rice was sooo good! I remembered from before theyd have a photographer walking around, but no one was there and I was hoping there was because it was a special occasion for us. Also they only had ala mode and ice cream for dessert, the best memory I had as a child was their fruity sherbert! Hope they didnt get rid of that. Our bill was around $85 dollars. It was great, but now that Im older its not as WOW cool as I thought it was. Wish the chef talked a bit more, but I think if you plan on going here, try to fill the table with 8 people or more.
(4)Anthony B.
Completely over priced for a totally disappointing meal. Dishes are $30+ and 90% ONIONS! Servers were slow and inattentive. Chef looked like a they grabbed a homeless man off the street. Worse is he was so unhygienic, touching food with his bare hands, I couldn't believe what I was seeing. The whole place was just filthy in general, if a health inspector walked in, this place would be shut down for sure. DO NOT GO HERE
(1)Greg D.
Kobe Steak house! Such a fantastic restaurant that was part of my childhood growing up. Quality steaks great service and awesome food. I also love the Japanese Inn style of the place with the traditional decor. I highly recommend it for groups or just a date night for anyone who wants something different. It's also nice as you are seated around a table with the chef who entertains and cooks all the awesome food!
(5)Jessica V.
Very very sadly disappointed by our experience here. We went here on Saturday night for a date night (which a rare these days with our busy schedules). The place at 730 pm on a Saturday was surprisingly very slow. We had an entire table to ourselves. The waiter came to take our order. My husband ordered a Mojito (which he enjoyed) and I ordered a glass of plum wine. The $7.50 glass of plum wine was served in a very tiny wine glass and tasted like very tart white zin instead of sweet plum wine. Yuck. Drank water with dinner instead... They served us onion soup, which was more like flavorless chicken broth...then the chef came out to make our food. We both ordered the steak and chicken dinner (29.99 a person). The dinner preparation was the most disappointing part...No flair from the chef at all... No fire, no action, nothing you expect from a hibachi place. We were served shrimp, a pile of zucchini, and bean sprouts... None of which I like so hubby got it all. Then they gave us steamed white rice... Sticky and cold and tasted like it was from Panda Express. Then he made the chicken and steak... No flavor at all and we were served very fatty pieces of meat. We have been to many hibachi places before... So I expected a lot more... Especially for the amount of money we spent. Never in my life have I spent $90 (not including tip) on dinner and left hungry... And just an FYI... No parking except valet... So $5 plus tip for parking also...
(1)Kate R.
We never miss a trip to Kobe when we come to Waikiki. This time we had the best Tepan Chef ever-David! He had all the tricks down & personality plus. A tip most don't know is if you go between 5-6 you can get in on the early bird special. We'll be back!
(4)Mike T.
Kobe Steak House by far is the best Teppanyaki restaurant to eat at. Starting from the valet all the way through dinner and dessert and until we got back to the valet. Service was superb. Food was excellent. Absolutely zero complaints. Chef John was excellent and performed tricks with food that I have never seen before. He made my kids have the best first Teppanyaki experience and now all they want to do is keep going back. Oh and by the way, we just went tonight. Lol!! Hands down to the owners and management team. They know how to cater to customers and their quality control over the food...STELLAR!! Thumbs up all the way for Kobe's if you want great food, awesome service and a killer performance of a real life veggie/fruit ninja.
(5)Debbie R.
If it wasn't for the happy hour specials, I'd say avoid this joint. The place is dark, dingy and just "feels" dirty. Other Yelpers have complained about the same thing - the filth and disrepair, and its all true. My friend insists on coming here for happy hour though, so here we are. Can't complain about the quantity of food and I'm just hoping that they keep the kitchen a little better than the dining areas. Oh and valet parking ONLY.
(2)Preeda K.
Ate here the other night because I found a coupon in one of those tourist magazines. The food was OK nothing special. I have been to benihanas and their food was way better. KOBE although is cheaper is really not worth the price. Our chef was Good he put on a pretty good show and interacted with the tourist and not us LOL I guess because he asked if we were local. The chef at the next table I noticed had NO customer service what so ever he didn't even interact with the customers at his table. The dinning room itself was small and stuffy. Be warned it does get smoky so if you don't like smoke than I suggest you avoid KOBES. I would probably not go back maybe try Tanaka of Tokyo.
(2)Angela B.
Love me some Groupon! My friends and I each bought their $25 for $50 and we ate FAT! They allowed us to use our own so we each got $50 credit. The food was good, but steak was overcooked. They really could use a vent clean out because by the end of our dinner, we stunk of food. Happy Hour is until 7:30 pm for $5 martinis. $5 Valet parking
(4)Kelly K.
Every time I visit Honolulu, I come back to Kobe. Their food is delicious, and the staff is always so pleasant and friendly. Order the dynamite off of the appetizer menu, you will be glad you did! The hibachi chefs are all so great, and they make some of the best food I have eaten at a Japanese steak house, all while keeping you entertained! Love this place! Can't wait for my next visit this summer!!
(5)Nicole U.
First off... valet took forever. After waiting about 5 mins I went inside and asked the host if there was a valet. He said he should be back any minute, which then we proceeded to wait a few more minutes. He did apologize for the wait. We found it unusual because we got there at 530 and there was literally no one in the place. We had to wait till we had a suitable amount of people so that they would seat us at a table. Walking through the restaurant some employees were in uniforms and others were clearly not (and did not care about their appearance in the least). The restaurant dining room was filthy. I understand with the grills things can get a bit greasy but come on. The restaurant is very run down. Carpet is pretty gross. We were there at opening and it looked like it hadn't seen a good cleaning in a few months. Food was eh... the show was eh... the price you pay for an entree there you expect it would be outstanding. It's not. I was really hoping that it was going to be good but this was a complete let down all around.
(2)Tam D.
Price $$$$ Food 1 star Service 2 stars Not worth the price, big mistake. Steak bland, veggies too salty, soup flat, and what's with that salad? Should have went to Takana at ala Moana. At least worth the price. Now I know there was only 3 couples in there on a Saturday night.
(1)Gen M.
This place was a bit overpriced for the amount of food they serve you, the fact that you have to share a table with strangers (I hate that) and it was completely deserted when I went which had me questioning why there was no one there.
(2)Renee M.
Yay for this place! I was right behind our hotel at the Hilton Hawaiian Village! We made a reservation the morning of, and when we arrived, we only had to wait a couple minutes for them to set up our table/grill. This isn't the kind of place you can pop in to for a quick dinner. I think we were in and out in over two hours. The food was AMAZING. The only downside was this older lady at our grill had a soy allergy and was gluten free. Not the place to come to... it was a huge burden on us because our poor chef had to remake a couple things because she noticed her scallops were battered in a flour, and WE had to keep an eye out if he used soy sauce in the food. Lucky for us though because we got her fish instead so it wouldn't go to waste. The price seems a tad high for Oahu, but I think it's because they know out of towners will visit! I would recommend, it was a fun night!
(4)Beth B.
We decided to try this instead of Benihana's next door, where we eat every year when we come to visit. -super loud -really hot, especially upstairs where we were seated -our chef did nothing to entertain us or engage us other than the onion volcano. I think he smiled twice. -mushrooms in EVERYTHING! -Benihana's tasted better, was more fun, similar in price, and we are one and done with Kobe.
(2)Raquel B.
Went there for a date night with my fiancé, the appetizer was pretty good, as well as the scallops. After the presentation which was just okay, the fried rice we had ordered was served and it had this very intense meat flavor. If you are not a fan of meat let them know to make the rice without it. Also everything else was just barely okay, we were pretty hungry so we ate, but honestly for it being so over the top pricey, the food is so not worth it. The place also looks a bit run down but on the bright side the servers and everyone else who works there are really polite and super attentive to whatever you may need.
(2)Lance T.
FRIENDLY STAFF DOESN'T ALWAYS GUARANTEE A GREAT DINING EXPERIENCE. TIP: FOLLOW WHAT STEAK YOU ORDER AND MAKE SURE IT IS YOUR STEAK FROM THE GRILL TO YOUR PLATE. I am not sure if i want to dine here in the future. Kobe steak isn't suppose to taste mediocre. It sure was not a fine steak. I couldn't tell which was mine because there were 6 of us at the bar and we all ordered different steaks. They were all grilled together and the chef did his fancy show and started dishing out our food on small plates as if he really knew what steak he was giving to us individually. I don't know the other 4 people with us but clearly -- it didn't matter what steak you ordered. \Waited about 30 minutes downstairs. Ordered 3 rounds of heineken. There was really no line behind us. Two of us met up with 4 people at our bar. More waiting as one of the waitresses came around arranging things and finally asked if we wanted something to drink. Didn't feel like it. I was ready to eat. I think we waited 15 minutes more for our chef to show up. It felt like we waited an hour. There was a lot of noise of celebration from the other side and i was just guessing the entire staff were tending to that bar. I was too tired to make a complaint. I didn't even want to ask about what steak i was eating. They are super friendly. But the experience was a negative overall.
(1)Jessa A.
So this is my first time coming here because my dad's friend and my friend recommended it to us. First thing was, I didn't like how the valet parking was small. But the valet guys were quick and friendly. I came here last night with my family and boyfriend because it was my birthday. I guess the place was alright. When I walked in, everything was dark and calm. Which I liked. The host took us upstairs and seated us. Now this is one thing that made me rate this place three stars. They placed us right next to the air conditioner. My parents were complaining about how cold it was and wanted to change tables. And now for the entertainment... It wasn't that exciting. Which is another reason why I rated this place three stars. Our cook didn't introduce his name, he barely did any tricks, or told any jokes. For the food, I actually enjoyed it. Me and my boyfriend ordered the scallop and steak. It was sooo good! I ate it all! Since it was my birthday, they gave me a free scoop of ice cream, which was good. I chose the rainbow sherbert. I also ordered a virgin lava flow which was good too. If I had to compare Kobe's and Tanaka of Tokyo, I'd come to Kobe's for the food but Tanaka's for entertainment. I'd come back here again though.
(3)Sally R.
I made this review after reading previous reviews. First of all I think it's funny when people comment on their "salad" if these people took the time to read the actual menu nowhere does it say a salad comes with the dinner. Just because other teppan places serve salad does not mean ALL others do. This "salad" is actually pickled vegetables also known as "oshinkomaki". Back to the food! The food is soooo delicious here! I always get the filet and scallop combo and I'll add extra shrimp! The ginger sauce here is to DIE FOR! It's addicting and goes good with everything! It's hands down the best ginger sauce! When I think of Kobe I go straight into thinking about their ginger sauce and my mouth gets watery! There sushi menu has also upgraded from a couple years ago it's delicious!
(5)Jherold P.
At first I was curious didn't believe what the comments on the bottom till I got here... yes the worst place.. service sucks!!
(1)Ben H.
Don't waste your time, no Japanese egg roll, no beating heart, no butterfly and no flying shrimp....this is where hibachi chefs go to die. The food was as bland as the chef cooking it. If I were you I would just move along. You would be better off eating at McDonald's.
(1)Ivy Lou H.
Let's keep it short and sweet. Kobe does the job when you're craving some Teppanyaki and don't have the patience to wait with 1,000 tourists for a seat at Benihana which is just behind Kobe. But Kobe is really showing it's age and doesn't have the same clean, bright, ambience of it's neighbor Benihana. A couple of tips. If you order a beer it's usually the large one they'll serve you and the waitresses don't tell you that beforehand. Just FYI. If you want fried rice there's an additional cost of $4.00 extra per person unlike Benihana. Kind of weird since the whole idea of Teppanyaki is to fry your food up in front of you so it's not like fried rice is going out of their way. Again, just FYI. I do have to say though that the food is delicious at Kobe but everything else needs some work.
(2)J.J Z.
My girlfriend and I received a gift card for Christmas and decided to try it out. Ordered hamachi sashimi and it was fresh and tasty. ($14) She ordered a miso soup and it was ok. I had the emperors cut and she had the fillet mignon. The meat was tender but not the quality I was hoping for considering the cost (40 each). As far as the show that we thought we were going to get, it never happened. Before we knew it he was saying have a good night. I figured that for the cost and sub-par quality we would at least be wowed by the show because that is what you are really going for...right? Happy we were not paying for this meal or else we probably would have had more to say about it. Very disappointed!
(2)Christine K.
Fun as usual. Never a complaint. Just good food. Something to do. Wouldn't say its a must do in Hawaii. But it's good for a Tuesday night! Valet parking. Older dated decor. But hot hatachi grill!
(3)Trish N.
I must say, we've had several GREAT experiences at Kobe's, a couple so-so...but the last time we went (a couple weeks ago) was totally disappointing. The times when it was great, our chefs were super-engaging, friendly, some were really funny, but they all just seemed to have a GOOD TIME and (most important!) the food was cooked perfectly. Other times it's been so-so, with the chef doing a good job with the food, but clearly just tired & wanting to go home, going through the motions of building the volcano, wagging the shrimp tail, etc etc...fine, I get it, it's a job, we all have those moments. Luckily I'm not a tourist, so it's not a one-shot deal for me...and the food was good. But this past time...OMG!! The guy who cooked for us was clearly a rookie: only got about half the tricks, jokes were stiff & over-rehearsed...and otherwise not talking to us at all. I could forgive that, but he also overcooked my steak--as in cooked well-done rather than medium-rare--AND he overcooked my scallops. Seriously, he must've turned the scallops over 4 or 5 times (very bad sear), then cut them in half & cooked the cut-sides-down as well! =( I felt so sad for those beautiful scallops. To make matters worse, he kept dropping food on the table (not the grill, but the actual table)...& he'd throw it back on the grill for a few seconds, then put it onto someone's plate...this happened at least 3 times. Ew. He also tried to flip someone's bowl of fried rice onto his spatula...flubbed...caught it in his bare hand, rice-side-down...then he just turned it right-side-up & gave it to her. To eat. EWWW!!! If this were a cheapy-meal, or if Kobe offered some kind of "rookie rate," I'd probably be more understanding...but this was a $100+ meal-for-2, which ended up taking over 1 1/2 hours to cook, with very poor results. And there was no master-chef (or anyone) standing by to guide his performance. Like I mentioned, we HAVE had some great meals at Kobe...& we've just had this one horrible one. But just be aware that your entire dining experience will rise & fall on the quality of your teppanyaki chef...so if you REALLY need to impress a date or out-of-town guest, make SURE you've got a good chef. When in doubt, ask for Jet ("like the airplane!") who was the last AWESOME chef that we had. Hopefully other Yelpers will share whichever great chefs they've had too...so Jet doesn't get bombarded. ;D Sorry Jet, but you were seriously fabulous!!
(3)Jennifer S.
I love teppan-style steakhouses, had great service at other Kobe restaurants (notably Lahaina, which I would probably give 4 stars). We came on a weeknight just after a Groupon came out (I think everyone at our table had one!), so I don't know if we got a subpar experience as a result of their overall increase in volume, or if this is typical of the Waikiki location. The whole experience was a little rushed: we sat, ordered, ate, and had the check in an hour! It's not like they were trying to turn over our table for other groups, as there was plenty of room and chefs. It just wasn't anything to linger over. The chef was personable but seemed like the second-string. He joked with a ten-year-old at our table and talked with everyone. Did a few tricks and an onion volcano, but I've seen better. Relatively standard teppanyaki fare. Sushi and cocktails available. Soup and a vinegary cabbage salad starts you off. The cooking begins with a shrimp appetizer. You have your choice of meats and combinations of meats, or even just vegetables. The vegetables were mostly onion, with some mushrooms and a few zucchini pieces. I ordered teriyaki chicken and steak; in retrospect, I'd have ordered all-chicken. The beef tasted borderline gamey and wasn't seasoned very much. Fried rice is an extra $4 and worth it. Garlic is an option for your rice, too; I might have opted for no garlic if I had to do it over. Bean sprouts came at the very end. A photographer took two photos of us, but wanted $12 for the prints. It was a nice enough photo, but no thanks. $5 valet parking, which is a decent price, given that your other options are HHV parking. We asked if we could walk down to the beach for sunset before returning for our car, and they didn't have a problem with that.
(3)Amanda J.
When we called we made a reservation for 5pm and when we walked up to the restaurant the sign said "We open at 5:30pm" so that was confusing and outside looks a little trashy. The inside of the restaurant needs a little work but when we sat down we did not have high hopes. The waiter was on top of his game and kept our drinks filled and made sure we had everything we needed. Our cook Bobbie was AMAZING! He cooked amazing food and had us laughing about different adventures! He also asked us about our plans and just kept the atmosphere up beat. It is a nice place to relax and have good meal. And the ginger sauce was WONDERFUL! Best I have had in a while :-)
(4)Elizabeth M.
If you stay on Waikiki, don't go to Benihana's- Kobe is the spot! Their food is better and they add more unique touches. And of course, if they have a good Happy Hour, it gets a special place in my heart:D
(5)Gspot H.
Opens at 5pm. can get sushi u name it. Valet Parking. U can get full menu on bar side. Nice Staff
(4)Christa L.
As with most Japanese steakhouses, this place was amazing. I was quite surprised to find that it only has an overall three stars. After reading some reviews, I see that people have had both good and bad experiences, but since I have only been here the one time, it's five stars for me! The food was absolutely amazing. We had five people in our party and everyone was happy with what they ordered. It was a bit pricey but you can't expect anything less in Waikiki. Great experience and I highly recommend!
(5)Sharmaine B.
Environment had a very traditional, Japanese atmosphere. Well conditioned, expecting heat from the griddles. It took a few minutes to get greeted at the door though. I treated my family to this restaurant for the first time because I had a Groupon and wanted to retrieve it before it expired. Also being named #1 Japanese Steakhouse in Hawaii, I definitely wanted to check it out. I am a huge fan of Japanese cuisine so I have an idea of what's expected. Joe was our Chef for tonight, great sense of humor and skillfully talented! I was observing the other Chefs preparing the Teppanyaki dishes, they were skillful as well. Chef Joe could not stop cracking fun, clean jokes, making the food preparation such a thrill! He also made the fried rice sing to the group "Happy Birthday" although it wasn't anyone's birthday, just for entertainment. Food was well seasoned. The onions were carefully stacked and lit on fire. Amazing show! That was beautiful! We had been served vegetables, well seasoned and caramelized. Shrimp was flavorful. I liked the fact he had handed a sample of the steak and personally asking if the doneness is up to our expectations before plating it. Teriyaki chicken was well cooked. Scallops were amazing. Scallops are a bit tricky to perfect because if overcooked, it'll become rubbery. That goes for all shellfish so great job on that! The cutest thing ever, he had flipped the lobster tails on the grill as if it was waiting to be eaten! You just had to be there. Overall, the food was good but I would definitely come back again because of the great service that was provided!
(4)Brian F.
I've been to a couple of these types of places before. This one had to have been one of the mediocre ones. After trying to explain to two different people that we ordered the shared plate and didn't receive the fried rice, they finally understood when the first waitress came back around. She did apologize at the end but it was a little frustrating especially when you get a little attitude about it the first time we asked and was told that's what we ordered. Besides that, the food wasn't as good as I thought it would be. 3 stars for the food. I wouldn't go back to this place and my company came to the same conclusion. The inside was nice though.....a positive.
(2)Prince L.
TL/DR: would go back again, don't dress too fancy you'll smell like smoke, fun, expensive First impression: Felt like I was in Tokyo with all the noise and smoke. Tip: get the older ninja japanese chef for extra excitement Pros: Steak was good, chef is fun, groupon makes it well worth it, even without groupon its still comparable. i mean, you get like 4 waiters per a "table" area (japanese chef, filipino buser, japanese tea lady, haole hostess). Friendly staff. Negs: Place is outdated. Bathrooms are old, grafitti, small, like a park bathroom lol. The Dynamite made me explosive (hence, the detailed bathroom reviews).
(4)Claire F.
Don't get me wrong, I love teppanyaki. Kobe Steak House in particular holds a special place in my heart, as it used to be one of my favorite restaurants to go to in Maui as a kid. I'm such a sucker for all those knife tricks and onion volcano, even as a grown girl in my mid-20s. But I'll have to give Kobe 3 stars for lack of consistency. I've come to the Waikiki location a few times since moving to Oahu (I keep buying all those $25 for $50 Groupons, aghh), and each time has been different. I've had really great experiences and also really mediocre experiences. I think mostly, it's just the fact that there are dozens of different chefs at the restaurant of varying skill levels and styles of cooking, and it's all luck of the draw which one you get. My mediocre experiences have included overcooked meats (when I ask for medium rare and they give me medium well), overcooked shrimp (rubbery taste), and rice where the top portion is hard and dry (probably a result of sitting out for too long). And somehow, my fried rice tastes different every time I order it! The chef's are usually all outgoing and entertaining, but of course there are some who are pretty quiet the whole meal (awkward turtle). On the "great" side of the spectrum, I've had chefs who have been doing teppanyaki for over 10 years and have awesome skill and cooking technique. My food came out perfectly cooked, seasoned, and delicious with these chefs. I think the price is about fair for teppanyaki for the amount of food you get. All orders come with clear broth soup, tsukemono, sauteed mushrooms and onions, shrimp appetizer, cabbage/bean sprouts to end your meal, and unlimited bowls of rice. I'm always stuffed by the end of my meal here = a happy stomach :). Parking is valet only for $5 plus tip. I hate paying for parking so much that we walked from Ala Moana Shopping Center. A great way to walk off your meal? Haha.
(3)Stephanie A.
We have always enjoyed the food at Kobe's. It has been 15 years since our last visit and tonight's visit was no different. The service was great, the food even greater. That was a wonderful way to celebrate our 41 years of marriage. My steak and scallops tasted the same it did all those years ago. Unbelievable. I love the mustard sauce for the steak. Yummy.
(5)Jacinda N.
Kobe Steakhouse was the first meal I've ever eaten in Hawaii whenever i was still just a tourist visiting. We were promptly seated with another group of tourist who come to Hawaii often. They were really friendly and it wasn't awkward at all. Being that we were still on the "OMG WE'RE IN HAWAII" high, my brother and i went all out and both ordered the Kobe Emperor's Steak and a boat load of Sushi/Sashimi. My sister being the sensible one ordered the Terriaki Chicken. I was really amazed at how they didn't just season everything the same but seasoned everything separately with their own unique flavor. That's a good three stars for me. :) The food tasted great and were great sized portions. We were all really pleased. What didn't please us was that our waitress kept pressuring us to buy the photo they took of us. Seriously, NO is NO! and its kinda pricey here. Overall i would recommend this place for special occasions and big parties. Great place to eat, I'll be back soon with my family who're visiting from the mainland! :)
(4)Donna M.
I was extremely iffy about coming here after reading some of the negative yelp reviews, but the boyfriend had a groupon that was just screaming to be used so we decided to give it a try. I'm happy to say I'm pleasantly surprised. Rolled up at around 5:30 in the afternoon without reservations and were told that we would have to wait an hour for the two of us to be seated. We decided to wait it out in the lounge--which has happy hour until 7! Domestic beers are $3 and sushi is 20% off. I got the garlic edamame to snack on. It was pretty good sized, but leaned more towards shoyu than garlic. Just my thoughts. When it came to dinner, I thought the entertainment was great! Our chef was very friendly and personable throughout the time he was cooking. I ordered the Rib Eye and the boyfriend got the steak and shrimp. Both came with more than enough food. I found that the food was kind of more on the oily side... But that can't be helped with the nature of how everything is cooked. I will comment on the mushroom soup though..... That thing is wack. I don't know what's going on with that, but it was nasty. A few pieces of mushroom floating in salt water? Do yourself a favor and pass on it. Overall, I enjoyed our dinner. I think Kobe is alright if you remember that you're mostly paying a higher price for the entertainment factor for the meal and not the food itself. We probably wouldn't come here again with just the two of us, but I think it would be a fun place to come to with a group of friends, if you're feeling particularly spendy. I think between the two of us, pre-groupon applied, our tab came out to about $90 before tip. As for parking... We parked in the lot behind The Modern/Ilikai, whatever it's called these days. It's a dollar an hour, and a little bit of the walk, but I definitely appreciated the walk after all that food!
(3)Tze M.
It has been a decade (and some) since I've been here. Being back here feels like this place has NOT changed since. Everything was still the same, but older, and dingier. The only reason why I went was so I could redeem my soon to expire voucher. I called ahead for reservations, and it wasn't a problem getting in. As I arrived, I valeted my car ($5) right in front on the shallow driveway. Luis L. and I got there a bit early from our reservation time, so we didn't wait too long in the "lounge" area. Looks just the same as the last time I've been there. A waitress came by to ask if we wanted to order a drink, we asked for water, but she gave us an answer to wait till we get seated... I found that strange. Good thing I carry my own water. I was parched, and so was Luis. Not long we were escorted upstairs to be seated in a room in the back. We sat with a local family also redeeming their vouchers. A hostess came by dressed in a kimono (that looks like it was the same one from 20 years ago). She took our drinks and food order. Luis and I both ordered the shrimp and steak meal with fried rice, and yes, please add garlic! The drinks came quick. The service had been pleasant. When the chef arrived. He spoke in a very mousey voice. I had no idea what he was saying. He got our orders right. When I think teppanyaki, I think cooking show/performance. This guy's performance was lack luster. He even screwed up the fun part... the fire onion volcano! That really crushed my spirits. Food was still delicious. I give that a 4.5 stars. The service was pleasant, I think that's just Japanese custom. For that I give them 4 stars. I give the cooking entertainment 3 stars. Decor, uniform, overall establishment I give 2 stars. I now have different memories of a place I once enjoyed.
(3)Patricia L.
I am a Hawaii resident. I've been dining at this restaurant for over 20 years. For the last 5 years, the overall qualities of this restaurant have gotten worse. First, the restaurant is not clean AT ALL. There is poor ventilation (which makes no sense for a teppanyaki restaurant), the rooms are filled with smoke, and the carpet was dirty and sticky. To make matters worse, all of the employees looked like they were hating their jobs. My issues with this restaurant go beyond cleanliness. We ordered 2 filet mignon dinners, 1 steak and shrimp dinner, and 1 shrimp dinner. One of us requested for our steaks to be cooked well done, which was met by sarcasm, dirty looks, and pouting from our chef. The cook essentially passive-aggressively FORCED us into getting our steak cooked a different way. Next, when the food was ready to be served, our cook gave us the WRONG STEAK. Instead of giving us the much more expensive filet mignon cut, he gave us a New York Strip. When we pointed this out to the chef, he got very defensive and started to raise his voice to try to prove that the steak was filet-mignon. He claimed that he was the executive chef and that he was trying to prove we don't know the difference between steaks. It was unbelievable to hear the "executive chef" arguing with his customers. We even showed him a picture of a filet mignon (round shape) and we made our selves very clear that we got a New York Strip (long cut). The chef began to yell at us and insisted that we got the filet mignon and the reason why it was longer was because he "butterflied" it. As most angry customers would do, we asked to speak to the manager. Little did we know that the manager was not professional at all, and even sided with the chef (HE WASN'T EVEN THERE TO SEE WHAT CUT WE GOT) . The manager didn't even make adjustments on the tab, and instead told us that he could make another one.. I have been to a lot of bad restaurants in my life, but I can EASILY SAY THAT THIS WAS THE WORST EXPERIENCE I HAVE EVER HAD AT A RESTAURANT. NEVER GO TO KOBE STEAKHOUSE.
(1)Elizabeth A.
The restaurant was hot and the food was bad. The server was nice and friendly but the food was not worth the money we paid.
(1)Shatonya P.
My girls and I didn't have a reservation and it took about 15 min to seat us. Service was great and our chef Brandon was excellent! Very funny and witty while tossing utensils and food in the air. His pink hello kitty chef hat was an added touch I must say! I had the teriyaki chicken and steak!!! Very tasty! He cooked my medium steak to perfection!! We also met people from different states as well while at dinner. So if you love great convo with people from places that you wouldn't normally dine with a steakhouse like Kobe is where you want to eat!
(5)Eva C.
Went there tonight for our anniversary dinner and its was absolutely perfect. The staff is very polite and welcoming. The food their is great. They put on a great show. I recommend getting the garlic fried rice, its great!! Had a great time, I'd go back for sure.
(5)Regine G.
My family is from Guam, and whenever my dad visits Oahu and passes by Kobe Steak House, he reminds us of the time he took our family to our first teppanyaki experience here circa 1995. That was the last time he took our family to the restaurant because of inflated, tourist-y prices. You can imagine how thrilled I was when I saw that Groupon was having a $25 for $50 voucher deal. I purchased two at a total $100 value for my siblings and I to use. Because they're only open for dinner, I made reservations a week in advance, notifying the hostess over the phone that I had a Groupon voucher to use. I felt it was best to inquire what the limitations were, knowing that there had to be some kind of catch. Sure enough, the Groupon couldn't be combined with any other offer, thus we weren't able to use it with the Sunset dinner package at a discounted price. But with my $100 voucher, I wasn't that disappointed. We showed up on time for our reservation, and despite having made a reservation a week in advance, it took an additional 40 minutes for us to be seated. They sat us upstairs. It was very dim, but I assume the darkness of the room adds to the excitement of the teppanyaki experience. I had the chicken & shrimp plate. It came with mushroom soup, hot tea, cucumber salad, 1 grilled shrimp & a scoop of white rice. The starter set was mediocre - I wish they would've served us miso soup instead. The teppan itself was rather oily. The vegetables were masked in oil and butter. I was disturbed by the amount of oil that was left on my plate, but it didn't stop me from eating it all. Overall, the service was great, and the chef & waiters were very friendly, but the food was just okay. Our total for three people ended up being more than $100 *face palm*. It was a fun experience for my younger siblings, but I would've much rather brought them to Hibachi San Grill at the Ala Moana Food Court.
(3)Amber B.
First time going and I thought it was very good. A little on the expensive side but food was great as well as the people.
(4)Brian G.
The restaurant is old tired and dirty. The staff is polite but ill informed about everything. The food quality was average and the portions were ok except for the free shrimp appetiser which was less then 1 shrimp per person. The restaurant has a mildew odour due to the leaking AC units. Lets hope this ageing restaurant dies a quick death.
(2)Francisco C.
We have been to Kobe's restaurants many times over the years and each experience has steadily declined mostly due to decreasing portions. Tonight was the last straw, however with the worst service we have ever experienced. The whole allure of this type of dining is the entertaining show and excitement generated combined with the food. Our "Chef" seemed frustrated and as soon as he came to the table. He had the orders all mixed up and backwards, then seemed upset with us for trying to straighten him out. After that he cooked in silence, no conversation, no juggling of the spatulas, no flipping the shrimp into open mouths... nada. I was actually embarrassed because I was meeting with a friend and his family that I haven't seen in about a year. I suggested this restaurant as a great way to catch up as well as for our families to enjoy the "wow" factor usually provided by this type of dining. So that seals it for me. I will go to Ichiban at Ala Moana from now on if we wish to enjoy Teppanyaki.
(1)Kathy F.
Size is deceiving...this is a large restaurant. Dining areas up, around, everywhere you look. In the midst of new restaurants it would be considered old...but the food is good!!! We both ordered the beef and chicken entree and because we are kama'aina we received about $5.00 off each entree. Typical Japanese style of cooking and fortunately we had a young chef who spoke English.He even decorated our two sauces with X and Os. The table behind us were all English speakers and the chef spoke little to no English...he hardly spoke to them at all. We noticed they just got a blob on their sauces, not the cute X and Os. Food was good, atmosphere is dark, so not sure about cleanliness. Did not use the washrooms here, but that is a sure sign of cleanliness in the kitchen. Will be back and check out the washrooms next time.
(3)Jenny F.
Their slogan should be "Butter makes everything better!" Because it does. And they use a lot of it! Pat of butter for the veggies, 5 pats of butter for the yummy garlicky fried rice, pats of butter for the shrimp, pat of butter for the chicken, pat of butter for the steak...pats of butter on everything all day e'ry day till the cows come home. No regrets, just deliciousness. Okay, maybe a teeny bit of regret. Anyway, our chef was pretty good, but he didn't say much. He did seem like he enjoyed what he was doing though, which was nice. He made the legendary onion volcano and tossed the eggs for the fried rice up and down on his paddle. Between the two of us (and thanks to a Groupon) we split the Emperor's Kobe Beef and the Teri Chicken. Both were good, seasoned and cooked perfectly, but I actually liked the chicken better! It was white meat, but he cooked it underneath a cabbage leaf so it was super tender and juicy! Totally stealing that trick. All entrees come with hot tea, a strange slightly sour soup, shrimp, mushrooms, zucchini, onions, beansprouts, and white rice. $4 extra and you get the delicious (and buttery) garlic fried rice! Overall it came out to $79 for 2 people, and both of us had the fried rice. It was tasty, and with the groupon it was not bad, and I think it might be ok full price if you just got the tasty teri chicken. Probably wouldnt' pay full price for anything else. Nevertheless, we were both stuffed full and we happily rolled our buttery selves home. (on wheels. after paying $5 for valet.)
(3)Pamela F.
I usually don't give poor reviews but I wasn't a happy camper last Thursday night. The service was bad, drinks tasted like they were made with watered down liquor, the food (at best) mediocre. Save the ton of money you will spend here and go somewhere else.
(1)travis s.
Ate here again for a friend's birthday. Still the same highlights for this place. Great food with a decent show. 5 dollars off each Kamaaina adult dinner. If you come here wanting to eat good food, you will not be disappointed. If you come here purely for the show you may be left wanting at the end of the night. Bottom line, this place does good food with a show. If you want a place where you pay for a show and the food suffers because of the stale jokes go else where.
(4)Charles N.
Yesterday, June 6, 2013, me and my GF went to Kobe Steak House for our second anniversary. We had a Groupon voucher and an expired $25 Groupon voucher. It was $75 worth of goodness. Our reservation was at 7:30pm & we got there about 7:10pm. First of all, I want to say that the folks who was working for valet, they were very nice. Me & my GF didn't really know that they park at the garage underneath of Wailana Coffee House arross the street. Also, she had forgotten our expired Groupon voucher from her bag in the back seat of her car (I had the other voucher on my iPhone 5). She told the guy and he used his walkie talkie to tell the other guy to bring her bag as he comes back to Kobe Steak House. Awesome work! Now, to our dining experince... We sat at the lounge area to wait about 20 mins and we got called & and got seated upstairs in the middle area. After about 30 mins passed, that's when we got to see the chef preparing his things and started to cook for us. Me & my GF got the same item from the menu, which is scallops and steak combo. I was going to get plain rice but she suggested we both get fried rice. Good thing I went with it because it... is... yummy! I requested my steak to be cooked medium rare and her's was medium. When we got our scallops I noticed that some of them still had the "catch" muscle still attached. This bit of muscle is strong; it's the one the scallop uses to clamp its shell shut in order to defend itself. It's also tough and unpleasant to eat, and it should be removed before cooking. Our steaks was next. When our chef cooked it the meat came in whole. The other steak was in pre-cut for the other people in our group. Mines was cooked to well done, so as my GF's steak. Still, we was able to eat it becasue it was a bit moist as it came off of the grill right away. This is both our fist time going to this kind of cooking show and we enjoyed it.
(4)Linda T.
FYI: went to Kobe steakhouse in Waikiki on 6-24-2015 for our anniversary. It's one of our favorite restaurants, unfortunately my credit card and my brother in law's card, who just returned from a year long deployment in Afghanistan were compromised. After using our credit card ( 2 separate accounts) at Kobe steakhouse, fraudulent charges appeared on both of our accounts. My account had 3 charges at Walmart ($414, $220,$200) and his had a $200 charge at Safeway. Neither one of us have been to those places. We had to call the card companies and cancel the cards and have to file disputes. To make matters worse, we called Kobe steakhouse and spoke to the manager Roy Nakumura who could care less and told us to take it up with HPD. It didn't seem to care that he had a thief amongst his employees. I have always loved that restaurant and would never think that my identity would be stolen at a fancy restaurant like that. So if you decide to go there, carry cash. Identity theft is easier than you think and a real pain to try and clear up and don't think the restaurant will help you or give a crap if their employees steal from you.
(1)Gina P.
Would have given it a 5 star if we were greeted better. Hostess seemed like she was doing us a favor :( & it's not like it's been a long night. We were there 20 mins after opening.
(4)Chris O.
Let me say first that if you're craving hibachi, Kobe will work. Just make sure you search for a coupon somewhere to make the final bill less painful when it's delivered. We were non-traditional and ordered the Rainbow roll as an app. Fresh and good :) Husband ordered a Coke, sucked it down, asked for a refill and was told he'd be charged again for the second one. Water it is! The soup was pointless. We're talking broth with 2 mushrooms, a carrot sliver and a leaf of lettuce. So bland and blah. I was hoping for your iceberg lettuce salad with ginger dressing (or, ginger dressing soup with floating salad as I like it) but that wasn't even on the menu. Onto the show...there was none. No points docked at all for us because we were glad to avoid the fake laughs and claps usually required for the hibachi experience. Garlic (super garlicky) fried rice was pretty good and hit the spot...add an extra $4 to your bill for that decision. Teriyaki chicken was good and typical of what you'd find on the menu of your neighborhood Japanese restaurant. Shrimp was good...steak (according to hubby) was not so much. I so badly wanted ice cream but unfortunately it's not included in the price. Of course. After being nickel and dimed the entire dinner, it ended up costing us a little less than $100 even with a coupon. Not a must-visit place but when I'm pregnant craving hibachi, I might just be back.
(3)Emily L.
ROACHES!!!!!!!!!!!!! Husband and I were highly disappointed. By the entire place. We had a groupon because we love the Kobe back home. The place is dark, dirty, and disgusting. The menus are sticky and old. The prices are very high (even for Hawaii). Go to Benihana or the top of Waikiki instead!!! We sat down (reluctantly because of how dirty it was, but we already paid for a groupon) ordered cocktails, had two sips and saw them crawling on the hibachi table, and on the chairs!!!! I'm sure they were on the floors and walls, but it was too dark to see! Got up and left immediately. Left the groupon. Waiter tried to seat us at a different table... No thank you! This place needs a serious remodel and deeeep clean! Nasty, nasty, nasty!!!
(1)Susan T.
Come here twice, they mixed up my order twice. Customer service is not good, I think employees are not happy working there
(2)Mike D.
What a great experience for a first timer. My wife and I went out for her birthday dinner with a groupon for $50 worth of meat for $25. Great deal! We started off getting a drink before being seated and shortly after getting our drink we were shown our table. Standard 9 seat table with flat top grill in the middle. We ordered the Nagi-Hama yellowfin tuna roll before dinner which was really great! For dinner my wife had the lobster and steak and i had the teriyaki chicken and steak. Both were cooked very well by our chef. He was very nice and definitely more quiet than most chefs in that kind of setting. I personally like chefs that don't use the same old jokes. He was the perfect chef for my taste. If u order the Kirrin beer they will bring u a 22oz bottle which was great. Didn't expect that at all. Overall, we had some great company sitting around us and our experience was great. Would highly recommend dining out here in a group. Only reason for the 4 stars is that I did think it was a tad over priced for what it was. Had we not had the groupon, our tab would've been $120 for 2 people. That's a little much for an appetizer, 2 drinks, and dinner.
(4)nikki T.
Yes it's an older building and needs to be renovated like last year, but we've always had good service and good food. We can come as we are last minute without getting stink eye or feeling like were not wanted because were not "dressed". Were on our 5th or 6th visit all last minute walk in or call in reservation as we walk that way and I have nothing bad to say, sometimes we go with a groupon but they also offer a kamaaina which is nice. They still do the real onion volcano with fire which the kids love and the chefs are personable and fun if you are. We like a cheesy joke and parlor tricks and are easily impressed despite going to teppanyaki's all over. Wait staff are friendly and take good care of us. They've taken us in early when we've shown up for a reservation and I've never had an issue getting a table. Poke is great, food has always been great. I only wish they would let you add extra garlic and bacon to your fried rice. But I'll still go back. If your reading this think about bacon Kobe! The beer is always cold +bonus points
(5)Brandon L.
We had a groupon for Kobe Steak House that was expiring really soon so we came here on a weekday. I made reservations a few hours before without any problems. Parking is valet only ($5), but the entrance was chained off when we arrived, so we had to pull up on the sidewalk. The restaurant wasn't too crowded when we first got there at 7pm, but it quickly filled up. Lighting is very dim throughout the place. You are seated next to other guests around an iron griddle since it is a teppanyaki restaurant. The waiter didn't take our order until all the seats around us were filled. We waited about 20 minutes for the chef. There was one chef cooking at the griddle next to ours. I initially wondered if he was the only one and that it was going to take forever to get our meals. I counted 3 or 4 chefs total by the time we left. Our chef, Justin, was really friendly and entertaining. I enjoyed the onion volcano and egg flipping. I ordered the fish & steak combo and my gf ordered the chicken & steak combo. Everyone is given two types of sauces for their food. According to the chef, the ginger sauce is for seafood and vegetables, while the mustard sauce is for chicken and steak. Everything except the chicken tasted average in my mind. I preferred my gf's meal because her steak was a leaner cut than mine and the chicken tasted better than the fish. I think the steak that comes with the chicken combo is sukiyaki steak. Service was good throughout the meal. Overall, I thought the price was a little steep for the food quality. I guess part of the reason for the high price is that you get to watch the chef cook in front of you. The portion size is decent. I was stuffed only because I had to eat half of my gf's meal. With tip, our bill was about $80 for the two meals. I would have given this restaurant 3 stars, but the valet attendant made us get our car. It was parked on the curb right outside the restaurant. We were handed the keys and that was it. No opening of doors, guiding of the car off the curb or watching for incoming traffic. Note: iDcard holders get 20% off a Teppanyaki dinner for up to 6 people per card. Kama'aina and military folks receive $10 off your total bill when 2 or more Teppanyaki dinners are purchased. These offers cannot be combined.
(2)Dave S.
Not our first Rodeo at Kobe so we had previous data for comparison. This place seems to be working its way down the scale with little room left to fall. Details: absolutely filthy, tired and depressing from the time you see the outside to the carpets, walls, stairs, chair arms... one of those places where you conciously avoid touching anything.... staff was pleasant enough working their way through a wad of Groupons and taking orders.... the food.... perhaps I'm picky but I prefer my shrimp deveined on both sides to avoid eating the dark teal guano therin... then there was the oil... then more oil... then more oil... far more than prior experiences... then there was the show.... what show? We spent more time looking over to the table next to us. For us, this marked the end of an era as it was always on our dance card. Maybe by next year Hilton will have eminent domained the property to add another tower to their collection and save the sustinance seekers.
(1)Shaun C.
I expected more from the Kobe steakhouse. The food was adequately prepared, but the presentation was awful. It seemed like it was his first night at the hibachi grill. I would not recommend this place to friends.
(1)Sharalis C.
This place was very disappointing. I have always been a fan of hibachi restaurants but coming to this place changed my mind. I was expecting a show from the cook because that is the norm but did not get one. I asked for a vegetable plate and I received unchopped carrots, potatoes and broccoli. Never again will I come here.
(1)I. Y.
Yelp has this place listed twice. I gave it only 2 stars because the condition of the place is a 0 or 1 star and the food and service is a 3 or 4. The outside of the building reflects the inside. It is falling apart and needs a major renovation. The lounge waiting area had empty bottles stacked on the counters, dishes on the counter, and bar rags spread out on top of the alcohol bottles like they're drying. They also make you close the bar tab separately from your dinner even though they had you wait for your reservation. When we ate dinner, half the room was storage. Chairs and furnishings stacked up next to us. The musical instrument hung on the wall as decoration had broken strings and were just wrapped around it and draping down to the floor. The drum on the other wall was broken, like someone pounded on it and the skin broke. The list is endless. That guy John Taffer from "Bar Rescue" would have a field day. Although we enjoyed our meal, the condition of the restaurant made me worry about the quality of the food. The food was good, staff was good too. But the only thing that will be remembered is the run down beat up decor. Bummer.
(2)Erica L.
Back when my husband and I lived on the mainland, we lived for teppanyaki/hibachi date nights. It was honest to God our favorite kind of restaurant, and we really took it for granted that we'd always be near a traditional, mainland kind of Japanese steakhouse. But then we moved to Hawaii. There ARE teppanyaki restaurants here (obviously, I'm reviewing one!), but they're just not the same as what we had back home, and that made us sad. We need our yum yum sauce!! But then we decided to make it our mission to sample each teppanyaki restaurant on the island in order to declare the winner as our favorite. Kobe Japanese Steak House was the first one we tried, and the one we ultimately came back to (we've been probably 6-7 times total now). It seemed the most "mainland" to us, and we could not resist that awesome garlic fried rice (sometimes we are SUPER indulgent and get double order garlic fried rice...EACH -- it's for leftovers!!!). Plus I like that they actually do a shrimp appetizer instead of rice bombs that we got back on the mainland (although I've never seen the chefs try to ring people's mouths with the shrimp). The prices are WAY higher than what we were used to, but Waikiki and all so we just don't come out nearly as much as we'd like, or we just come out when there's a Groupon -- awesome! They also do military discounts, if I remember correctly. We still miss the salad (the cabbage they serve is good, but it just isn't the same, darn that ginger dressing goodness) and of course the yum yum sauce, but we did come up with a fix for the sauce at least. We ordered a case of yum yum sauce from a mainland restaurant and just bring a bottle with us haha. Not EXACTLY the same, but still delicious! Plus we actually both like their house ginger sauce...just wish it wasn't attached to the other sauce so we could pour it on stuff haha. Otherwise, we've always had really great service here with smiles, and the place seems very well-kept and clean. We do actively try to avoid Friday and Saturday nights though, so it may get a lot crazier then. If you spring for it, there's $5 valet parking -- we always factor in the money + tip when we come here.
(4)Chuck M.
We found this place over priced for the quality of food you get. They add additional $7.00 to the already over priced menu if you want to split a meal. The resturant is very dirty furniture carpets are filthy. There are tons of restaurants in the area stay away from this one.
(1)Jim V.
Found this place via Groupon. Quick service, friendly and professional staff/chef. Our family ordered Emporer sushi as a starter and Hibachi steak and King Kobe steak as the main. Everything was fantastic! Cooked exactly as requested. Portions were generous. The Chefs humour and flair was a lot of fun and provided great entertainment for our kids. Traditional Japanese steakhouse environment. Would definetly go back!
(5)Roxanne H.
Came here tonight for a late bday dinner for me with my boyfriend. Service: Very good. The server and chef were both great and had really good customer service skills. Only negative would be to have the waiters around more bc I wanted to let them know there was a mistake with the wine id been given but ended up drinking it anyways. Alcohol is alcohol lol Food: Got the shrimp appetizers (bomb) Veges (pretty good) Steak and shrimp entree (pretty good) Fried rice (pretty good) The mushroom soup they give you before your meal is pretty bland and not that great. Lava flow was weaker than what I was used to but still good. I also ordered Riesling wine and got Pinot grigio instead. No biggy bc I like both but would've preferred with my choice. Parking: valet only $5 They also offer a picture $12 each that you can purchase at the end of the dinner --which we took advantage of bc it was a cute pic haha! Overall it's a cute date night spot. Pretty much exactly like tanakas but the tanakas chef told more jokes and did more tricks. Nothing big but other than that they seemed exactly the same to me!
(3)Lindbergh B.
SAVE YOUR MONEY & GO SOMEWHERE ELSE!!! My friends and I came here recently on 4th of July and was not impressed at all. Even the couple next to us agreed. There was no show or it seems the chef preparing our food was seriously going through the motions like a "teppenyaki zombie". There was no creativity or excitement in the few tricks he did. And didn't even care to interact with the customers. All he did was the "onion volcano", fried rice smiley face and said a few scripted jokes about our food order. Nothing special and worth going to. We were not entertained. TIP: If most of your table order the fried rice and all u want is to taste, don't bother ordering it since, the chef splits the left over among everyone. Also, if you don't want to waste time finding free parking, valet is only $5.
(2)Christy H.
I didn't like this place. They didn't put on a very good show. The food was mediocre and super expensive. If you want good steak and a good show, just go to Benihanas. I think it might even be less expensive than this joke of a place. I had scallops and steak with the garlic fried rice. My sister got a fried rice without garlic. It wasn't nearly as good. She also got the Teriyaki chicken. It was mediocre. My steak was okay. A little tough and had too much vein for a $45 steak. My other sister got sushi. She liked it.
(2)R K.
Worst experience ever... Never again waited at the table for over and hour. The chef did talk at all the waitresses was very disrespectful!
(1)Teresa G.
Came here tonight because I had a groupon. There was a funny smelling odor in the building when we first arrived. Place opens at 500 for cocktails and 530 for dinner. We got there at 515 and was seated shortly after 530. Seating is kind of squashed because you are sitting around the grill. Loved our chef who was rockin the hello kitty hat, pink tie and hello kitty utility holder. He was very personable and engaged in conversation with us. Food was good. I personally thought that they used too much butter in their foods (they use it for everything) but it was delicious.
(5)Lauren M.
I visited Kobe Steakhouse last night with my son and my mom and I have to say I was quite disappointed with my visit. I purchased a Groupon and was excited to use it since I haven't been to Kobe in many years (I think maybe 8 years?!). Unfortunately, I don't think I'll be back. As other people mentioned, I don't know if it was because I was using a Groupon, but the service was well.....not good. The lady taking our order wasn't friendly and as my 5 yr old son put it, "she looks tired". She really did. As if she was just going through the motions, no smile...nothing. We ordered the Emperor Steak (which is supposed to be a BIG steak) and the Scallops to share between the 3 of us. The scallops was worth it. 8 big pieces grilled perfectly. The steak was a disappointment. Somehow I remember it being big, but last night's one looked like any other ordinary NY strip. It hardly had taste, but he did cook it to our liking. Finally, I thought dessert was included in the meal? Well it's not. I believe it used to be and honestly, with the cost of the meal...it should be. I would say our entire meal was ordered, cooked, and consumed within 1 hour. The only "show" our chef did was the onion volcano. But that's about it. He literally just cooked our meal...in front of us...that's it. Cleaned up and left. I wouldn't recommend anyone to come back here. I hope that the fact that we (along with the other party on our table) were using a Groupon is not the reason we were treated this way. Even my 5yr old wasn't impressed.....and that should say a lot. Save your money and spend it at Tanaka of Tokyo. They have way better service, the food was tasty, and at least you'll get a little show with your meal.
(2)Janem C.
We waited for a chef for an hour. The food was quite greasy and very different from your normal Japanese steakhouse. The restaurant overall was extremely unclean and filled with smoke because I don't think the vents were working.
(1)Jenny C.
We decided to try Kobe for my birthday while on holiday in Oahu, and we used a Groupon (easily). Our chef was very entertaining and skilled, and we enjoyed the food as much as the show, which wasn't too over the top. Four stars because the cost was too high.
(4)Rus O.
We had a group of 7 and we were seated after drinks in the bar. At first I was worried that our chef was going to be a dud, he never smiled while he was setting up. Once he started cooking though, he was great. Very good jokes and he was a master with his knifes. He didn't do the same old shtick that most chefs do, he was great. I had the Emperor Steak that was great. Will be back on my next trip to Hawaii.
(4)Davone M.
Food amazing! Best dinner on the island so far. Mai Tai was strong and I only end up getting one of them. We got a coupon from Hawaii Parasail employee named Greg which saved us $18 in total and we got free fried rice and free dessert. We loved it!
(5)Isa R.
I LOVE KOBE. Kobe beats any other Japanese steakhouse in my book. I've been to Tanaka of Tokyo and Benihana, and although they're good and they look nicer (better for tourists I guess), the FOOD at Kobe is the best. I always get the Emperor's cut (what can I say, I can eat)! The sauces they give are amazing. I'm not a huge fan of the sauces at Benihana. If Kobe sold these sauces in a bottle I'd buy 5 and stockpile them in my dorm refrigerator. The mustard sauce is the best. The fried rice is amazing as well, especially because they put beef and garlic in it. I really recommend paying the additional $4 to upgrade to garlic fried rice. It's the best fried rice I've ever had. I'm hungry just thinking about the food here... Service is usually limited to getting your drinks refilled, since the chefs prepare your food in front of you form start to finish. Drinks can take a while to get refilled sometimes, especially if you're dining upstairs (since the bar is downstairs). My favorite chef is the handsome Southern guy that's from the mainland. I can't remember his name, but I've had him as my chef twice and he's really engaging and puts on an original show. Some of the chefs are much better than others, and he's great! I feel bad for the valet guys that work here. The wait for the valet can sometimes be a few minutes because Kobe doesn't have their own parking located on site. You can see the valet guys having to run across the street to get cars. Tip them well!
(5)David A.
Horrible. Sat us 45 minutes after our reservation. While waiting, drinks at the bar during happy hour were full price because we had reservations for dinner. Ribeye was tough and flavorless.
(1)Melanie K.
First time to Kobe but have been to Benihana and Tanaka of Tokyo. Compared to the others, Kobe is good. Defintiely better than Tanaka, maybe same as Benihana. Actual restaurant area is a little outdated n wear n tear ia evident. Air is a little musky but tolerable. We had the togarashi fries ($5), not worth it. We had the Rainbow Roll ($15), definitely worth it n suggested. For dinner I had the teriyaki steak which was perfectly cooked n teri sauce was tasty. We also had the steak n scallops which was also very good. Tepenyaki experience was ok. Definitely recommended. Maybe not a must have but if can, u should go.
(4)Jeff G.
Truly an experience. We've been to Benihana multiple times, but this was far more fun and the food was great! It ain't cheap, but luckily we had a Groupon that saved some $$. The kids really enjoyed it, too. Came home with enough leftovers for lunch the next day in the hotel. Way recommended.
(5)Pua L.
Worst Kobe experience we've ever had & we've been to many all over the mainland. The furniture/appearance is outdated, greasy, smells old. From soup (gully water my husband calls it) to the main meal the food was AWFUL!! The chef was so sloppy when cooking the fried rice, egg got in my cup of water, splatter of oil got on my shirt, the portions were very small, no taste, just awful awful awful. The mustard sauce tasted old...WILL NOT BE BACK or suggest to my worst enemy!! The other 2 couples at our table were just as disappointed. So, obviously it wasn't just how we felt. There are far more better Japanese Steak Houses on the Island. But thought we'd try the Groupon deal.
(1)D M.
Yeah....I'm giving Kobe a 1 star. Food was prolly a 4.5 for us; a group of 4. Between my girlfriend and I, we shared the Kobe Jumbo and Kobe's Emperor Steak. Like I said the food was bomb. Good size portions although I put away all of mines. My girlfriend and our two friends had no chance. I'm a meat eater so of course why wouldn't I enjoy the food? Vegetarians or vegans you prolly want to go elsewhere. Should be pretty obvious since it's a steakhouse. Now why I'm giving a 1 star....while cooking, the chef inadvertently happened to splash some oil, HOT oil, on my girlfriend. I know he was aware of it. Pretty sure everyone at the table noticed. He didn't say anything. No apology. OoooooOooooo I wanted to say something or smash his face in but kept quiet. I just continued on enjoying my food. Anyways....it wasn't just a lil oil. Girlfriend has one good size blister on her arm. I had to ask a waitress for burn jel or something, which was provided. Waitress was super nice btw. Wish I got her name and give her a shout out. When done, the chef just said thank you to the table and left. Once again no apology. Again, I wanted to smash him in. Oh...the food was good but absolute worst teppanyaki/hibachi show EVER! Chef straight up sucked. I could have done his performance. No tricks no show. He got the orders right. Thats about it. In the end the waitress spoke to the manager and discounted my girlfriend's dish by 50%. Not the bill for the two of us but only hers. I didn't think that sufficed. I feel like a manager should be expected to apologize for the chef and for the incident but we were never approached by the manager. Manager FAIL. Chef FAIL. Good job waitress. Keep sharing the kindness and aloha. Lucky we don't file a lawsuit on you, Kobe Steakhouse. Overall: good food, nice waitress, piss poor customer courtesy by chef and manager
(1)Lilian R.
Come here 3 times, 3 times the chef repeated the same mistake: I ordered extra shrimp "shrimp-lover", he give my shrimp order to everybody on the table, why do I have to pay extra and don't get anything extra?
(1)Cliff P.
Mediocre as best. Chris did his best but overall we've been to much better Hibatchi's. The show was sub par, several of the dishes were burnt (garlic in the fried rice, steak, scallops). The "salad" was maybe an ounce of lettuce, the butter/oil was overused, and the mix of vegetables was unique (80% mushrooms). Service was great, order was taken promptly and refills were quick. The fried rice was tasty with some in house ground sirloin which was a first for us (and delicious). Don't forget to grab a coupon from one of the many travel guides.
(2)Christine F.
My husband and I LOVE hibachi and their steak is the best we have had. We really like the atmosphere and we have always had great service each time we go. I like that all the chef's have their own way of making the experience unique so each time we go back the routine is a little different. It is pricey so though so we only go when there is a groupon. We just went last week and I can't wait to go again!
(4)Ryan P.
I have been to Kobe Steak House many times and I am sad to say this might be my last. With my nephews (2 twin boys, age 6) I figured the show of teppanyaki, comedy of the chefs and fun environment would be entertaining for everyone young and old. The whole experience started with a bad vibe, and had a feeling of inexperienced employees. With not to many customers in the restaurant I thought it was wrong for us to be seated upstairs in the attic with the storage, but we went along with it. Next problem was half of the group was sitting directly under the air-conditioning that blew hard enough to cool the whole building down, which of course chilled the food once it was cooked and served. During the presentation, the chef did not show off his cooking ability, due to the fact that he was pushing 80 (maybe). The show that you would typicaly expect from Kobe's was inexistent. Next, as a kama'aina I always ask if they have a local rate, which they did, but I left my I.D at the hotel. *Just to be fair, I'm not blaming them about the fact that I had to leave my family (who was visiting) at the restaurant, but it was just the topper on an already unpleasent experience.
(2)Tracy P.
I have gotten a few groupons for this place and if you do the groupon it says 1 per couple or 2 for 3-5 people. Using two groupons for 3 people is a great deal. Weekends can get crowded so reservations are recommended. The food here is really good, I usually get Chicken and Steak. I've gone a few times and some of the chefs are not as entertaining as others - they just prepare the food and that's it where others do the little 'show' as they are making your meal. I've seen this plenty of times so I don't get overly excited but some people may come for that. They have a photographer there to take your picture and try to sell it to you afterwards for $20 ( I think). I guess because it's in a tourist area but I don't even think a lot of tourists come here at least the times I've gone. I don't know why I find this odd they have a photographer. I guess just another money making tactic.
(4)Moala P.
Food was okay.I wasn't all crazy for it.But I sure did like the Poke and the Alcohol Pinacoloda drink.I just like watching the chef cooking it up and doing his tricks lol.Kinda Pricey though.I always go there with families.
(3)Garrett P.
I went here late in the evening (around 9:30) while on vacation in Hawaii, and found it completely deserted. Odd, since they have pretty good reviews, but it's unnerving to find yourself in a place that doesn't guarantee high turnover. Makes you wonder how long they've had the steaks back there before they serve it to you, right? Aside from an expired beer (remember, turnover?), the experience was pretty decent. Food was well-cooked, and the chef was friendly.
(3)Joseph Y.
Kobe Steakhouse Rocks! Our family really enjoys going here and the kids eat absolutely everything. It has become a tradition every time we go to Honolulu on vacation. Friendly staff and great quality food. Enough said.
(5)Jonathan P.
While driving from Ala Moana into Waikiki, you can't help but notice the Kobe Japanese Steak House on your right hand side. For several years I've been meaning to try it, but I've never had the chance to. I'm a huge fan of both teppanyaki and Kobe steak so when a friend asked if I wanted to eat there I couldn't resist! My friend made reservations for the two of us around 7:15. Prior to my visit I was bad and didn't do my research on Yelp. Little did I know we had to wait for four additional people before we could go up stairs to be seated. Apparently you need six people to get seated, due to the seating arrangement of each table. When it came to the food both me and my friend ordered one of the set dinner's which comes with soup and tsukemono yelp.com/user_local_phot… , shrimp and veggies yelp.com/user_local_phot… , and your choice of steak. My choice was the Kobe's emperor steak yelp.com/user_local_phot… . We also ordered the garlic fried rice for an additional $4. The soup and tsukemono was pretty bland. It tasted like they just got hot water and tossed in salt and bits of mushroom in it. The shrimp and vegetables were okay. But the biggest disappointment of the night was that the "Kobe Emperor" had no Kobe beef! Apparently Kobe Emperor is just the name of the dish...great. Personally I believe the only reason why each dish costs so much is for the little show you get where your chef cooks your food. I have to admit the onion volcano was pretty neat and that his making of the garlic fried rice was super cool yelp.com/biz_photos/OAf9… (I think he was making me!) But I was a little envious of the other tables. I saw that the other tables had flashy chefs who would juggle their spatulas, or do fancy tricks with their knives. Our chef couldn't do any of that. He just kept pretending to throw the shrimp tails and fat into my friend's water... What ruined my dining experience was that the chef mumbled what was in each dish and at the end of dinner the four strangers sitting with us were offered ice cream for part of their dinner set. My friend and I were still eating our main dinner so they only brought out 4 ice creams. They devoured the ice cream, paid, and left. When we did finish dinner we weren't even offered ice cream! In fact the waiters just kept starring at us as if we did something wrong. Eventually we decided we didn't want their ice cream, so we paid and left. Later the next day I saw that they offer a kama'aina discount...the chef even asked where we were from and since we replied "we are from here" he obviously knew we were locals... But no, we weren't even offered the kama'aina rate! To top things off, the restaurant has no parking and you must valet park your car outside of the restaurant for $5 not including gratituity. When I left my car I had the AC running, but when I got my car back all the windows were rolled down with the AC still on...come on! Kobe, I feel like you're a tourist trap. You may be able to fool the tourists but don't dare think you can fool us locals! Treat us like how you would like to be treated, because what goes around comes around.
(2)Es L.
I'm not that big of a fan of the teppanyaki here, it's ok, but happy hour is great. Starts at five, and isn't listed on happy hour apps. 20% off all sushi, so awesome. Gotta get my uni fix. Sushi seems pretty fresh, even though this place doesn't usually get packed which might worry me normally. The amaebi was a little slimy for me, but my friend loved it. I'm not into the big fried head with the eyes looking at me, but different strokes for different folks ~ They have daily drink specials, Mondays are my favorite because I love their flavored sake (Fuji apple, white peach, and lychee). The appetizers are so good. For $11 you can get two big steak skewers, just like they do upstairs, but on a stick without the fanfare (or all that oil) Kobe scallops taste really great too ($9). Deep fried soft shelled crab was $10. Small, but tasty of you're into that kind of stuff. I've got to really be in the mood for it. I've had the teppanyaki but it's not that good. Everything is doused in butter and oil. Really, so much better just to stick to sushi and appetizers in the lounge. Five stars if this was just a sushi place. On discounts.. 20% off sushi for happy hour, 10$ kamaaina and military for dinner upstairs, and 20% off teppanyaki dinner with IDcard. I think Maui kamaaina is 25%, if you ever fly over there, lol.
(4)Remee A.
I have grown up going to Kobe and it has always been magical to me! Watching chefs prepare your dinner in front of you and getting to dine with others. This last visit our chef was unenthusiastic which made the experience not that awesome. There was also a $5 charge for parking which did not include gratuity, I think that this is silly because you are dining there. I am sad to say this, but I guess this place is a hit or miss.
(3)Jessica P.
We went there for dinner. It seemed like a slow night for them. The taste of the food was pretty good, much better than Tanaka. The fried rice and shrimps were delicious. In vegetable choices, there were far too many mushrooms and onions. Bean sprouts were good. The only problem was the hygiene and cleanliness. The carpets and tables smelled really damp and bad. Everything seemed unclean and dirty. This place needs a full remodel or over hall from inside. The servers should use better and cleaner cloths to clean grille where cooks make the food.
(3)Elise K.
Always so yummy!! :) It's pretty expensive though, but whenever I see a groupon offer, I can't resist!! The last two times that I've gone have been amazing!! My boyfriend and I valet our car to save the trouble. We've found that the best thing to do is to have one person order the fried rice & the other the white rice that comes automatically with the meal. Then split an order of Filet Mignon & an order of Shrimp! It's perfect and so yummy :) You leave feeling SOOOO full!!! And they are really generous with their portions of Filet Mignon & it melt is your mouth!!! Love it.
(4)Chad A.
I love the tasty food that is prepared here. The only downside are the prices and are not college student friendly. I came here with a friend because we had a groupon and finally was perfect for my budget. Our chef was excellent and made us feel special. We were so happy that we also got a complimentary bowl of garlic fried rice. Sooooooo tasty. I will be coming here every time groupon allows me to.
(4)Trish P.
i'm on the fence about this one: here is what you get in a meal in this order: - mushroom broth soup and cabbage tsukemono - appetizer of shrimp and vegetable medley consisting of onions, zuchini and button mushrooms - your main dish (steak, chicken, seafood, etc.) - bean sprouts the mushroom broth is extremely salty, the cabbage tsukemono is barely pickled, and we had a side order of garlic edamame (over $4, and very small portion) which did not taste garlicky at all, but did taste more vinegary which was weird. with the edamame, they bring you a plate and some small bowls to throw away the shells. the server did not clear these plates or bowls until after we were done with dinner, but DID come by to clear our soup bowls and re-fill our waters. we had to maneuver around the edamame dishes all night long b/c they were in our way. i ordered the chicken and steak combo ($26.95) which comes with about 3 oz each of chicken and steak. you also get a small bowl of rice. while this was barely enough food for me, i have to question if it is enough for the large eaters? probably not. they do have an Emperor steak, which one of my dining mates did order, however, it did not look that much bigger than the hibachi steak..... and the Emperor is advertised as "The Supreme steak specially selected for the hearty appetite". not so sure about that statement.... all the food, with the exception of the mushroom broth, is perfectly seasoned. this is b/c our cook - JET - did a good job. he was personable, didn't mind talking to everyone, made jokes, and cooked up some good food. the other servers however could use a bit of work (remember my edamame dishes? yeah.... what the heck happened there?). also, $3.00 sodas, and no refills? WTF?! talk about over-priced...... the parking situation, from what i checked on, is kind of bad. yes there is valet for $5, but i heard different things about the Hilton... sometimes you pay $25 b/c they don't let you validate, and some other people have gotten validation with no problem. either way, your best bet is to just check with the restaurant regarding parking BEFORE you go there. would i go back? i'm leaning towards no..... but if a friend really wanted to come here, i would not say no.
(3)Cheryl K.
Kobe Steak House. I have many a pictures from my childhood taken with my family in this place. It almost felt like Kobe Steak House was the only existent restaurant in Waikiki when I was younger coming from the other side of the island. Needless to say our visit to Kobe was due to a groupon that was expiring soon. We walk in and it a little hot and smokey. Well duh! It's a teppenyaki grill place and there are grills everywhere. I love the ladies dressed in kimonos but not the low ceilings. We sat in the back corner with a about four other couples. Four out of the five of the couples were local and we all had groupons. I was like phew, I didn't want to be THAT girl with the coupon. Of course we ordered beers while we waited and I ordered the shrimp and steak and the husband ordered the chicken and steak combos. Our cook as awesome. Even though I am not a fan of Hello Kitty. He made Hello Kitty out of rice and other ingredients. It was cute. And he had a Hello Kitty hat too. Anyway I forgot they gave shrimp as an appetizer so I doubled up on he shrimp and forced myself to eat the rest of my steak and shrimp. I was so full! Anyways, Kobe Steak House will always be the old school teppenyaki place to eat. Not a fan of the smokey air and the low ceilings that make you smell like a piece of teriyaki shrimp when you walk out. Service was good and staff were always pleasant.
(4)Lisa B.
Great place for late night sushi (or anytime really). Sit downstairs at the sushi bar; wonderful service and amazing sushi (I have only eaten at the sushi bar so I cannot comment on the rest of the restaurant, although many of my friends do eat in the Teppan dining room and like it). If you like sushi, but don't always know what to order, let the sushi chef know your tastes. I find them to be quiet, as they are usually very busy and working diligently, but they are very knowledgeable and happy to make you something you will love. Yes, it's dark and maybe a bit dated, but it reminds me of old Waikiki and I love that. I have been coming here since the mid 90's. Don't pass it up because it is not on the beach and doesn't have a great view. Take a cab or walk from your hotel. If you drive, be patient as it is valet parking only. They do a good job though, even when busy, which is most of the time. Just give them a few minutes.
(4)Brenda G.
This is to the restaurant since their website link to get in touch witH them does not exist. I usually don't write to restaurants, but thought I needed to about my experience last night. We had 8:30pm reservations and had a Japanese couple who were placed at our table as well being just the 4 of us. The preferred treatment was definately shown to the couple who was next to us. From them receiving their appetizers and drinks first after they arrived 15 minutes after and ordering after us, to having a special amuse brought to them from the waitress who spoke Japanese. Our experience was below our expectation and disappointing. I would like to speak to someone , please call me 702-985-2284. There are many choices here in Honolulu and was shocked by our treatment. Thank you for taking the time to read this. Sincerely, One unhappy customer
(1)Deano G.
It's good. Not great, but good. Sushi was fresh, rolls were yummy, beer was cold. The service was decent... The decor needs some help. Maybe a little redecoration and some fresh paint would help a lot. And a little word of advise, turn off the rap music in the bar...
(3)Bernz B.
I got a couple of Groupons for this place because I was celebrating my birthday with family and friends. Let me tell you after having dinner at DK steakhouse the night before, this place didn't really deliver. I was expecting KOBE beef - of course, savoring a big chunk of meat...so, admittedly I was disappointed it was basically a teppanyaki restaurant. The cook, was not as engaging, he tried though. Food was ok.
(4)Russel M.
Having walked past Kobe Steakhouse over 200 times + it was finally time to try it. We were a little apprehensive considering it's a chain and pretty touristy. What a Pleasant surprise! We ordered Sashimi , the Lobster Tail ($47-) and the Combo ($67-). Both were very good and the Fried Rice was above average. The tip of the day is request CHEF JASON who is light years better than the other Chefs we saw based on presentation and cooking skills. We will return. The benchmark (best quality Ingredients) for this type of dining is still SUNTORY in RHC but KOBE was definitely more entertaining.
(4)Audrey A.
Came here to use a groupon before it expired and was reminded as to why i haven't come here since the first time 10 years ago. Kobe Steakhouse is in a prime location with a captive audience of tourists as it sits next to the Hilton Hawaiian Village. Because of that, they are still doing the same thing as they were probably doing when they first opened over 30 years ago? Why change anything if it's working? Including the chef?? The only great thing about this place was the happy hour in the downstairs lobby. Cheap drinks and pupus. Who doesn't love that? The actual teppanyaki epxerience left much to be desired. We were seated, orders were taken and then we waited for what seemed like forever, espeically with a hungry 3 and 9 year old. This was their first experience at a Japanese steakhouse and we had built up such anticipation to watch a "show" of flashing kinves, fire and fast moving action... The normal teppanyaki experience anyone would expect. What we experienced was completely the opposite, wah wah... except for the fire. (More on that in a minute). To start off the meal, we were served what I could only guess was mushroom water posing as soup, and cabbage that was rinsed with salt water... bland and bland. Then the chef finally arrived and from what we heard, he was one of the original chefs, working there over 30 years. I'm sure back in the day he was full of flare, but it was all he could do to slice the meat up on the grill. As I said, opposite of what we were expecting. Now, where it got exciting, bordering dangerous, was when he stacked the onion and pored a ridiculous amount of oil to light. It wasn't just a little fire, it was a very hot fire which splattered oil onto all of us. Too much energy uncle! What was left after that bonfire display was greasy vegetables as the second course. Chef redeemed himself with well prepared steak, chicken and calamari. As we were eating our meal, a chef in training came to clean the top. He was what we were expecting in a teppanyaki chef: fun, energetic, added as much flare as he could to washing a hot grill top and even flashed knife around for our little ones. All in all, I would not go back there again except for the happy hour. If you want the whole teppanyaki experience, there are better restaurants.
(2)Leslie S.
The first time I went to Kobe's it was only okay, but I thought perhaps it was an off night and I like to give a second chance. My second and last time I will eat at Kobe's, my boyfriend and I had a $25 Groupon for $50 worth of food and I now feel that I can give an accurate review of the place. First, the building is older, decorated nicely inside and has a comfortable atmosphere. Now for the part of my review that explains why this place deserves a single star. It is very hot inside, yes I realize that you are sitting in front of a hot stove, but that is why you use air conditioning. The cooks seem nice enough, but they put on no "show". Perhaps I am incorrect in assuming that the cooks are supposed to engage in some theatrics and audience engagement? If you're not entertaining, the food better make up for it and Kobe's food does not make up for it. A cool looking old building is not a reason to charge a lot of money for mediocre food. It seems an unfortunate loss with this place having so much potential with location and the cool building. My recommendation would be to spend your money elsewhere.
(1)Nathan F.
Just like others before me, I went to Kobe because our groupon was expiring lol. So we made a reservation for 5:30 pm. I parked behind Ilikai in the public parking as it's cheaper than valet and only a 5 minute walk away. My fiancee and I got there around 5:20 and asked to wait in the lounge. We ordered a lychee sake which had a flavor that reminded me of the fruit jelly in a cup I used to slurp down as a child with a bit of alcohol. Note: The lounge is separate from the main dining so you have to pay for your drinks/pupus that you order from the lounge separately. It's quite dark inside so pictures don't come out well without flash or a dslr. I even remarked to her that I felt like I was in a bad neighborhood and could get stabbed at any moment lol (considering there are chefs with pointy knives it's possible, j/k) Wished we got there a little earlier as we would have joined the first round of people that went in, we were part of the third round. It doesn't sound too bad but the wait is a little long when it comes to ordering as we know what we want pretty fast. I ordered the fish (a pacific cod) and steak while she ordered a 10 oz rib eye (she loves her beef lol). Hint: The meals come with hot tea so you can order it before they serve it to you at the end of the meal. We started off with what I assume is a mushroom broth with mushroom and onions in it. There was another flavor in there I couldn't figure out. Anyways, if they started off with a miso soup I believe it would have been better than salty mushroom water lol. Pickled veggies (mostly cabbage) came out in a small dish as well with it. Could have been more pickled. Our chef was young compared to some of the other chefs I saw that night. In general I think he was good but needs some improvement in knife throwing skills. I believe it was because our table weren't talkers so he didn't do a whole lot of talking compared to the table right next to us so I can't blame him for not saying a whole lot besides a joke every now and then. He gave us 2 sauces, a sesame mustard and ginger sauce. They both looked similar in color so he put whole black sesame seeds in the mustard sauce (in a slightly decorative form of X's, O's, and hearts so points for being "cute") to distinguish the two. The mustard sauce was more for the meat and the ginger sauce for veggies and seafood. We started off with shrimp cooked with butter and lemon juice. A little overcooked but nicely seasoned. Veggies were cooked afterward and had no flavor at all so I guess that's why they give you the ginger sauce as it did go well with it. Came with your standard flaming onion volcano show too. No shrimp tail flipped into his chef's hat, too bad. White rice was served at this time but a family with 2 young girls had fried rice so the chef cooked up the ingredients and laid rice on top of it and proceeded to make a Hello Kitty face with it (more points for cuteness). He did a nice egg spinning trick as well and cracked the egg with only his spatula with centrifugal force to back it up. I enjoyed the rice with the ginger sauce. He started to cook my fish at the same time as the rib eye. He really give it a nice crust so props for that and it was hot and flaky. Her rib eye was cooked medium rare and it was evenly cooked and soft. My steak came a little bit after. Nicely cooked but being a normal steak it was a little tougher but still enjoyable. If they softened it through an amino acid method I believe it would have come out more enjoyable. I got more rice (no extra charge) to soak up the meat juices from the steak. Finished off the meal with bean sprouts cooked in meat juice. Standard lol. Hot tea came around afterward and we were quite stuffed (extra rice helped) so no dessert for us. Another "show" came out after the chef was done where a guy cleaned the grill lol. When the cleaning liquid (just water?) went on the cooking top and smoke billowed out like a near erupting volcano lol. Most of the smoke went into the ventilation ducts above us. As we were walking back to the car I suggested walking through the Hilton and through their man made beach/cove as sun had just set so it made for a nice walk back. So the bill before tip was $69 even and with the $50 groupon we essentially paid $44 before tip. Not bad for a dinner and "2" shows. Btw, if you google map Kobe steakhouse you can see inside the restaurant which I thought was pretty neat.
(4)Jennifer L.
We were super excited to use our Groupon since it had been months since we first purchased it! We arrived at 6pm on a Thursday evening and were warmly greeted by the hostess at the front door. Food breakdown: Salmon Nigiri - $7 for 2 pieces Fresh salmon! Very delicious! The pieces were small though but I guess you cant expect large pieces of fish at a steakhouse. Steak Sukiyaki - Around $25 They were generous on their portions but some of the pieces were fatty so I guess it equals to a normal portion. The sauce was pretty good but I think it would have tasted better if was a little sweeter. So sad there wasn't an egg on top though. Kobe Steak - Around $40 It was a simple salt and pepper steak. I thought it was a little dry though. Fried Rice - $4 Lots of vegetables! Very healthy and tasty. But I thought my steak sukiyaki was a little too salty so eating it with white rice tasted a lot better than the fried rice. Our chef was a great entertainer and he didn't drop anything once! Hooray for him! Parking is valet only - $5 They do not have a parking lot. Just pull your car to the front of the restaurant for valet.
(3)Nat N.
I am a big fan of teppanyaki style dining. Nothing can beat having your food prepared right in front of your eyes! The food is always guaranteed to be hot, since you get to eat your food right off the grill. We had a 6pm reservation for 6 people on a Saturday evening, and we got seated on time. Since there were 6 of us, we didn't have to share a table, which is always nice. The service is pretty quick, probably because they want to turn over the table as soon as possible. After you place your order, the soup arrives fairly quickly, followed by the chef and the trays of raw food. The dog and pony show is similar to places like Benihana and Tanaka of Tokyo. In fact, the shows are so similar that I often wonder they all train at the same teppanyaki school of cooking. As for the food? Well, it was just ok. I had to add salt and shoyu to my food, to add some flavor, which the chef probably did not like. The prices are pretty steap ($35 for steak and shrimp) and it does not include dessert. I always only come here when we have some sort of discount (either from the Entertainment Book or more recently those half price vouchers). I would never come here and pay full price. Valet parking only ($5 plus tip) - boo.
(3)Grace C.
I'm just going to say what is obvious, but shouldn't be said out loud... YOU PAY FOR THE SHOW. Okay, now that I've said that, let's move on: Food -- ok...Got the ahi poke, definitely not fresh and disgustingly over sauced. Too much mayo and cayenne? No thanks. Got the teriyaki chicken -- was like any other chicken, definitely had better. Fried rice -- too greasy, bland. Show -- amazing! Fire, onion volcanoes, cool things done with a shrimp and a hat...You'll have to go to see what I'm talking about. Price -- overpriced. Like i said, you pay for the show. Would I go again? Probably not unless I feel like watching a man catch a shrimp tail in his pocket.
(2)Lee Ann H.
My family and I had an amazing meal tonight at the Kobe Steakhouse. We will definitely be back. Our food was delicious and the chef was great, I am still thinking about the delicious sauce I dipped my steak in. My kids especially loved the show the chef put on.
(4)Kasey M.
Kobe used to be my go to teppanyaki restaurant. Mostly because I thought their shrimp tasted better than Benihana's and Tanaka of Tokyo's. However, after my last visit, I have to say this place has gone down hill. We visit Kobe yesterday to use our Groupon before it expired. I had hoped to maybe split and entrees and get an appetizer to stay around our Groupon value but they don't have any appetizers, first negative. So my husband and I each got an entrees which is too much food. The people next to me took home a full entree worth of leftovers. Anyways, we both got the steak and scallop combo. All entrees come with shrimp appetizer, soup, tsukemono, grilled vegetables, rice and tea. So lets start from the top... First comes the soup. It is a broth with mushrooms inside. Everyone at my table remarked about how bland it was. I tried adding shoyu but that couldn't help it. If I had to guess, the soup is made of water, dashing packets and throw in some mushrooms and green onion for garnish. Well they probably should have put 3 times more dashing packets. Maybe they should consider switching to miso soup. The shrimp is yummy. The appetizer portion that comes with the meal is 2 shrimps cut in half (so you get 4 pieces) and is seasoned with salt and lemon. Usually this is a highlight of the meal, but I felt last night's shrimp could use more lemon. Next comes the veges, onions, mushrooms and zucchini, grilled on the hot plate with butter. A nice accompaniment to your entrees. Now the entrees, steak and scallops. The entrees comes with 5 generous sized scallops cut in half and a small steak. The steak was cooked perfectly and was nice and tender. The seasoning was good, they cook it with salt and pepper, butter and shoyu. The scallops were a bit of a disappointment. They were very bland. The chef used a lot of oil to cook them so I had an oil puddle on my plate, and could have used more lemon again. Last is the grilled cabbage and bean sprouts. They are nice but don't add much to the meal. They provide 2 sauces that go with the food. There is a ginger sauce to go with the veges and seafood and a mustard sauce to go with the beef and chicken. The ginger sauce is great, I used it with everything. The mustard sauce was intolerable. There was something way too strong in it and I couldn't use it at all. The woman next to me heard me talking to my husband about it and she remarked "I thought it was just me...that sauce is horrible." Okay so food was mediocre at best but really you go to teppanyaki for the entertainment. Our cook was not entertaining at all. He made the typical onion volcano but that was about it. No shrimp tail tricks, nothing different. That has been the case every time I've been here. Service was poor. Our appetizer shrimp was done before we even received our rice and the rice only came after someone at the table asked about it. And unless you had an alcoholic beverage, the waitress never came by to refill our drinks. I think I'm going to stick to Tanaka of Tokyo from now on. Better food, better service, better parking...
(3)Allen K.
THE RESTAURANT IS FILTHY! The premises are unkept and the floors and carpets are sticky! The paint on the handrail on the stairway is grossly chipped and sticky as well as the bathroom door. The bathrooms are extremely dirty...makes you wonder how clean the kitchen is! The food was good but we will not return here again. It was late and we stayed for dinner....but we should have gone elsewhere. The food was good and we made friends with our table mates. There are many other teppan style dining restaurants in Honolulu.
(1)Laney P.
I read some pretty rough reviews! We went tonighr for my birthday. My experience there was great. We made reservations for 6 and was promptly seated. Our waitress came and made sure all of our waters were refreshed almost as soon as my glass was empty. We waited for a half hour for our chef, but thats standard for wait times anyway and I've waited longer before. So no big. Our chef Jeremiah was awesome. Told jokes, made us laugh. He cooked my steak (medium rare) to perfection. My only complaint would be that it was hot in there. Then again to be fair, we were stitting at a stove.
(4)Ryden Ayden V.
Love the garlic fried rice!!
(4)Nayana C.
My kids favorite steakhouse. The staff badly needs to know about good customer service. It will greatly make a huge difference. But I guess it should start from the top.
(1)Jessica P.
Dear Kobe, For a party of 3, we spent $150 (including tip) for dinner. I really hope that a portion of our payment will be placed into the "restaurant improvement" bucket, because you are in a serious need of a facelift. The last time we were patrons at your restaurant was on our honeymoon 19 years ago. Just for kicks we decided to make a reservation to celebrate my husbands birthday and to introduce your restaurant to our 18 year old son. It doesn't look like anything has changed - the place is run down now. I'd have to say that without having an awesome Chef, Taka, the dinner was not worth the amount we paid. It doesn't even include a view of the ocean, a birthday song to go along with the scoop of ice cream and candle to blow out, or a souvenir photo. The decor and ambiance was a disappointment. The staircase is hideous (my shoes were making a "sticking/sucking" noise as I was making my way downstairs because it's filthy). The stench while standing at the main entrance and waiting area was disgusting. I had high hopes, but that was diminished as soon as I walked in to check in for our 6:30pm reservation. The food was good. A big part of that was because Taka would give us a small sample to ensure it was made to our liking before he placed the rest of the serving onto our plate. He was also very entertaining and had good stories about where he was from and how he became a chef at Kobe. So, 1 star for Taka and the food!! Our waiter did his job well. He took our order in a timely manner and our food was delivered in a reasonable time. We didn't have to wait until the rest our table was full (there was 3 open seats), so our chef started right away. 1 star for service! Valet service was great! I was glad to see the service available for $5 right in front of the store. But, it would've been nice if it was free plus gratuity. 1 star. Kobe, unless I hear you've remodeled, I'll just see you off of the road as I drive on by. Take care!
(3)May L.
Three tips on going to Kobe. 1. Buy gift cards at Costco, $75for $100. 2. Ask for Kamaaina discount, it's $5 off every dinner item. 3. Request for the white Teppan chef. Last night a party of 8 of us had a good time at Kobe. The inside of the restaurant was slightly outdated. The service from our waitress was sloooow, but our white teppan chef (sorry I forgot your Japanese name) was super awesome! 5 stars just for him and I hope most of the tips were shared to him as well! The food was good, portion was ok for the price since you'll be paying for the experience. Unfortunately they seem to try to milk you on everything: $5 for valet without tips, $4 for fried rice, on top of already pretty pricey menu. So make sure you get the gift cards!!!
(3)Lisa S.
My all time favorite TEPPANYAKI house, between 5pm-6:30pm early bird special dinners $16.95-$26.95, so worth it! The staff here is always so welcoming, get ready to get entertained oh and Don't forget to request the Garlic Rice instead...Mmmm' Oishii
(4)Helen N.
Our first time at a Japanese steak house that just hands you a bowl of white rice with your meal instead of making fried rice on the grill... Food was decent, small portions. I don't think we'll be coming back here
(3)Richard H.
Marquee location in the heart of Waikiki, just past the Ilikai and Hilton Grand Waikian tower on Ala Moana Blvd. The entrance, bar and seating areas are in dire need of a renovation, especially in comparison to the more popular Tanaka of Tokyo or Benihana. The ventilation at our table was poor, causing our guests to get "smoked out" during our Teppanyaki presentation. Best item on their menu was an appetizer - Seafood Dynamite Great service and skill by our table chef. Similar cooking show as the other restaurants, but our chef was very friendly and attentive to our needs. The food prices were high, but the quality and taste were very good.
(3)Tammy R.
Love sitting in the bar/ sushi bar. The sushi chef is super friendly. LOVE the Kobe scallops, spicy tuna & steal skewers. No waiting!!
(5)Brian B.
We used to love coming here when we are in town, but it was an oily mess of a dinner this time. It's dirty and the bathroom seemed like it should have been down on the beach than in the restaurant...
(2)Lisa K.
I feel like a place that charges $25+ a plate needs to have carpeting that isn't stained and worn. There's just a very real disconnect that makes you think you're over-paying before you even sit down to eat. The theatrics of the teppanyaki was fun for my kids, but the food was a bit mixed-bag. Let's start with the soup, which was watery beef broth with rehydrated mushrooms. (I'm guessing on that, but Kobe, feel free to tell me if I'm wrong.) In short, it wasn't particularly good. I'd rather have miso--as would my 7yo who was rather disappointed after her first sip. Try for yourself, but I wasn't a fan. I did love the veggies though - it could be because they were so salty, but I sure liked it. On to the entree. For the quantity, the price is great. I had beef & chicken and I really enjoyed it! It wasn't dry, like I sometimes feel happens with teppanyaki chicken, and the sauce was satisfying. But. Maybe I've had too many lunches at Suntory, but the garlic fried rice (at an additional $4/serving) was not very good in comparison (heck, at all). I probably wouldn't be so dissatisfied if I wasn't paying so much extra, but c'mon, it wasn't worth it. Should have stuck to the plain white rice. Our chef was very gracious and even made small talk with my 2yo who wanted to share his edamame with him. High marks for service. On the way out the door however, we encountered the rudest, most abrupt hostess/server. One of those with the attitude that customers are just kinda getting in her way. Well, unfortunately that was the lasting impression on our way out the door and it wasn't a good one. All in all, I think "mixed bag" sums it up best. I'd certainly go back if someone wanted to go, it's just not going to be a first choice for me. Maybe once they renovate we'll try it again.
(3)Kelli S.
I went to Kobe Japanese Steakhouse (Kobe) once with the BF and it was such a fun experience. It reminded me a lot of my experience at Tanaka of Tokyo, which I really enjoyed. Though we normally stick to a lower budget when it comes to dining out, the BF had bought a Groupon for a Kobe dinner (I forget what the price was, but it was something discounted), so we had to use it before it expired. The BF had gone to Kobe several times, but this was my only trip so far (for dinner). I'd definitely return to Kobe for another meal, thanks to the excellent service, delicious food and "dinner show." If you've never been to Kobe before, it's definitely an experience. While you may gawk at some of the entrée prices, dining here is more for the show -- you get to see knife-welding teppanyaki artists prepare fresh steaks and seafood combos right before your eyes atop a teppanyaki grill table. They usually do all sorts of tricks while preparing your food, so you can just sit back, relax and watch their "performance" while your food is custom-made. No need to ask questions about what's going into your food or about the seasoning -- you get to watch EVERYTHING made fresh tableside. Here's what we got during our visit: "Teriyaki Chicken": I prefer chicken over steak, so I went for this teriyaki-coated option. The chicken was soft and tender--easy to chew--and it was covered sufficiently in teriyaki sauce. The sauce itself was piping hot, fresh and subtly sweet. This is a great choice if you're like me and not super into steak. "Sukiyaki Steak": This is what the BF ordered, and it featured steak coated with teriyaki sauce. He always enjoys watching the steak cooked fresh right there on the grill, and he, too, enjoyed the teriyaki flavor. "Kobe's Emperor Steak": If we ever returned to Kobe, the BF said he would order this entrée next time. This supreme steak is specially selected for those with hearty appetites, and the BF said if he were absolutely starving on our next visit, he would want to try this cut of premium steak. "Teppan Shrimp": I debated ordering the "Teppan Shrimp" as my entrée, but I was hungry--and wanted something heartier--so I went for that protein option instead. However, I really would want to order this shrimp as my entrée one day. I love seeing the shrimp (based on my experience at Tanaka of Tokyo) prepared right before my eyes, and it tastes especially good when coated generously with garlic butter and lemon! "Chicken and Shrimp" combo: If I can't decide between the teriyaki chicken that I really liked and the succulent teppan shrimp, I would opt for this entrée because you get the best of both worlds! All teppan meals came with rice and tea, as well as the eatery's "Shabu-Shabu" soup. I can't remember much of what the soup tasted like, and I ate half of my bowl of rice and gave the rest to the BF. I was just glad that tea came with the meal -- it provided the perfect way to wash down everything, and I loved how the tea tasted fresh (not that type of tea where you can really taste the powder!).
(4)Acasia H.
The service was just meh. We started off in the lounge where we were told we'd have time to have a drink before our table was ready. We got called for our table and then we had to take our OWN drinks up to the second floor to the table. It was a bit clumsy since we had hot sake...but whatever. We got up to the dining area and it was hot as hell! I know that a bunch of grills were being used simultaneously but dang, I was literally sweating! What saved this review with a rating of 8/5 stars was our chef, Jeremiah. He was polite, funny, and cooked our foods very well. I would come back only, and ONLY if he was our chef again.
(4)Phuong M.
My fiance and I had a groupon so we decided to hit this place for a nice dinner at half the price! for $25 you get $50 worth of teppanyaki, how can that go wrong you ask? NOPE it can't! The parking is valet, you don't really have a choice, so you have to spend at least $5 for the valet, and another few dollars to tip. I think it's absolutely crazy that the guys run across the street jaywalking to get your car! It's an insurance company's nightmare to know that the employees run across the street in a fast moving Ala Moana street to get customers cars! The entire restaurant was smoky filled of smelly morsels of cooked meats and seafood. I was starving so right off the bat, my stomach growled in anticipation for my food to be cooked, while the table in front of us was getting their entertainment and dinner on. Finally, it was time for us to eat! My partner in crime ordered the Teriyaki chicken for this meal and I ordered the Habachi Steak for mine! Both of the meats turned out perfectly cooked, moist and flavorful! The chef was a sarcastic kinda guy, which of course is always my favorite kind, we bantered back and forth and had some good laughs! I even told him that I may challenge him one day on his knife skills, but knowing me, I may end up with a finger or two on the grill if I tried to cut as fast as he does. He found that rather amusing and as I'm sure he would kick my butt with his eyes closed! I loved it so much that while eating there, I booked another groupon right at the table to make sure I got in on another Groupon deal so I could be back for another date night dinner! It's great place with free entertainment while you get your food cooked right in front of you! Can't go wrong for $25 when you get double the food! I will be back soon!
(4)Liam C.
Honestly, I've had some good memories here back in the day and so I thought I'd come back here because it's always been good as far as I remember. But coming back here I'm sad to say that I was overall disappointed with my experience. We had made a reservation for a group of seven for a birthday party and because I hate valet parking, I dropped off my mom to get the table while I self park and I'd meet her inside. They told the five out of seven people of our party that was already there that they can't seat until the entire party is present, which I understand. But when the rest of the party arrived, they had us continue to wait another 15 minutes before we were led to our table. Were you guys just making us wait because the table wasn't ready and you used the fact that 2 of the 7 people in my party wasn't present as an excuse? Additionally, none of the staff seemed very happy to be serving anyone and even the man who I spoke to at the front of the restaurant answered me with short answers and walked away from me while I was still talking. I'm sad to give this place such a low rating because I really had higher expectations for my experience here. But until some of the staff fixes their attitude, it's gonna be hard to keep people coming back.
(2)Alec F.
C'mon Kobe. I wanted this to be a good experience. And I feel like I'm fairly easily impressed. Some really nice McDonalds have blown me away. But when I go to a restaurant that is charging $30+ for a plate, my expectations rise juuuust a little bit. We went in for my boyfriend's mom's birthday and after waiting fifteen minutes past the time we had our reservation for, we were taken upstairs to the dimly-lit dining area where there were maybe a handful of other customers. I'm still not entirely sure what the wait was about. What irked me from the get-go was the ambience - no music, a run down aesthetic, and a waitstaff that could seem to care less whether we were going to tip or not. I couldn't even get them to crack a smile. I ran into broken tiles and graffiti in the men's room and (graphic designer moment) the menus were old and laid out haphazardly, not making much sense at all. Once again, I'm far from high maintenance, but... $40 for my meal. C'mon Kobe. The one positive side was our chef, who did some fun tricks and tried to lighten the mood of the entire room, but he still did not seem overly joyed to be working or talking to us. Don't get me wrong, the food wasn't bad. But I go to restaurants to eat food I couldn't prepare myself, or food that would be rather difficult to prepare myself. And my meal was quite literally grilled chicken and shrimp with rice. Nothing fancy, plain and simple. $40. C'mon Kobe. No refills on sodas (so $3 a pop), unfriendly staff, and seemingly unhappy customers all around except for the very drunk tourists behind us - all tucked into a run down building in Waikiki, where you have no choice but to valet or walk pretty far. If you're looking for the Benihana-grilled-in-front-of-us-onion-volcano-Âtrick kind of place, this is definitely like that. But there are better elsewhere. Even if you're a tourist - you can step up your game. C'mooooon Kobe.
(2)Sasha L.
Had birthday teppanyaki here with my parents. Ordered the steak and scallop set and was not disappointed, the scallops were on point and so tender! If you go, definitely get the garlic fried rice! I wish they made the happy face fried rice that I saw in yelp photos, but it's okay, all in all had a good time!
(4)Chavah A.
Worst service ever. They made us wait an hour, seated us at 9:15, made us wait 45 minutes (after only serving drinks and taking our order) then told us that the chef was closing down and wouldnt be out to make our food. Seriously? We were obviously, furious. After a little resistance from our table of 3 different parties that have now grown inpatient and cranky from hunger the manager finally came out. He would make our food after all and only give us a discount. Seriously? Worst service ever, horrible decor, ridiculous environment. And it was a Saturday night. Wow.
(1)Ryan N.
No free refills. Nuff said. Food is poor. First off, the chicken "breast" is actually anything but. Not frozen, by not breast meat. They hide it on the grill under cabbage. The price is ridiculously high for the quality of food prepared. Lastly, we were told we were the last reservation. This place is empty and now I know why. As I told my party, "eat fast so we can end this pain!" On the positive side, this food will make a turd. In addition, this place is filthy. Also, for those that have been to Kobe Steak in Addison, TX, this is not even close.
(1)Juliet M.
Hmmmm...where do I begin. There is nothing worse than going to a restaurant that is supposed to be Japanese and see a Caucasian fellow cooking. I am not saying that this is authentic old world Japanese food, but at least pretend? We are in hawaii not central Pennsylvania- it should not be difficult to find a few extra Japanese folks. At another table the chef was talking about him how his po...yes probation officer wanted him to be a dishwasher but he 'got into cooking.' The helper-ness in me liked that a bit, but this ain't no social service agency - this is a restaurant that charges 38 bucks for some steak and shrimp. Let me enjoy my food and pretend I am at Disneyland for an hour or so! Also, time for new chairs! Come on! ...or at least wipe them beasts off, their is buildup on their that seems to be fossilizing. The food was - exactly how it tastes at tanakas and benihanas, eh! Maybe a little greeezy-er! A good treat for my tummy to have a fit shortly after!
(2)Jessica-Nicole U.
So, I went here through groupon with my bf. It was my first teppanyaki experience at a table in front of a chef preparing our meal. I've been to these places but not in front of a chef. The idea of waiting for your food to be prepared AND COOKED seemed unappealing to me, but I thought it would be a fun little adventure as it was both of our first times there. Parking (valet) was easy. $5 not including tip. Not bad but I ALWAYS hate paying for parking at a restaurant. Like gah damn can't yall make that complimentary (I should start saying this in all my reviews hehe). Anyways, the valet guys are cool, fast, efficient and deserve good tips. We had reservations but there was a bit of a wait. Longer than I had hoped for as it's just added wait time to the extra wait time after we order. We were sat with a group with kids who was celebrating a birthday. Not too bad at all. Friendly people. I swear the wait time seemed to be forever and it minuses a star from 5, maybe even a half star. Maybe more. Because my stomach started hurting and the experience started just getting aggravating. Esp since the prices are high, I wasn't trying to pay an arm and a leg. What they give you for the meals aren't that much either. But I'm not sure I have good judgement (I can eat more than two people combined). So why the four stars? -The waiters were just sooooooo freakin' wonderful, professional, fast, and friendly. -The service -The offer promotions (to help beat the high prices) -I'm in love with the location for some reason. -The chef was pretty cool. Not as talented as the one at the other table we were watching but COOL! -I love the ambience, experience and decor. -The food was actually REALLY good! But honestly the experience itself would've been memorable if my stomach wasn't grumbling so much
(4)Ash K.
I went here with my boyfriend and really enjoyed the tepinaki experience! Our Chef was very talented. He was also friendly and made lots of conversation with the group at our table, which was was fun! The food was excellent, I had the fillet mignon and it was cooked to perfection. My boyfriend had the emperor steak and it was also delicious! Garlic rice was yum too. I had a pina colada which I didn't think was great but the Hawaiin beer was good. The decor in the place itself is a little dated, but I would not let that deter you. Overall a good experience!
(4)Gina M.
Service: there was a guy, I think he was the manager, and 2 ladies...1 out of 2 seemed to know what she was doing; the other one...not too sure why she was there...really. Another part of service...when they bring the food out, almost like just plopping it on the table in front of you. Also, they take away the plates and drink even though you're not done with it... (my mother's tea was taken and she was not done yet). Food...Just like most of the reviews here, the food was bland, except for the soup and pickled cabbage...which they were salty...and bland. Did I mention bland?
(2)Cindy L.
I am a big fan of teppanyaki because it's entertainment and dining all-in-one. So when Kobe Japanese Steak House had a Groupon, I was ecstatic! I thought that my kids would love the cooking show put up by the chefs. We sat down, service was so so. We ordered our food, everyone was ready to be entertained. Well, there's no show, the chef barely talk to us. There was none of the Ala Wai joke, flying shrimp, and bouncing eggs. Okay, he did the volcano, but it barely erupted. My kids were not impressed, nor was I. What happened??? It used to be such a great experience.
(2)Bret K.
Guys at front desk not interested and when asked for a table for 2 taken to a family style table that was packed. When we asked for a table for 2 was told Very direct this is a table for 2 this place may be good for families or groups not for couples wanting a quiet private dinner left without tasting food or drinks so no comments on them
(1)Anna W.
This complaint was a long time coming. Haven't had time to set up an account on here BUT here's my experience. A couple friends, my mother, her boyfriend and I went out to celebrate my new job. We were sat on the bottom floor with a few other tables. This restaurant is supposed to be smokey since they cook by your table BUT that night was ridiculous!!. I couldn't breathe nor could I stay inside the restaurant with all the smoke. I missed the cook, my food was old by the time I got back. I was NOT wanting to eat after inhaling tons and tons of smoke, so I took my cold food home. paid about 400$ for all of us and was completely unsatisfied. I WILL NOT BE COMING BACK NOR WILL I RECOMMEND THIS PLACE TO ANYONE.
(1)Steve W.
Wow. Wow. Wow. Why do people choose to STILL dine here is WAY beyond me. To preface, the staff was great. What failed was the food, atmosphere, and facility. The food was beyond bland and for the price, mediocre at best. The mens restroom did not have any paper towels for me to dry my hands! NICE! I had to use my pant legs. (It was a Tuesday night! Not busy!) I'm sorry but this restaurant needs to be leveled. Shout out to Restaurant Rescue! Hard rescue, but it's in Hawaii!!!
(1)Mitchell H.
Food was good but the problem is that you may get fraudulent credit card charges of you eat here. I had it happen and so have many other people. Our situation wasn't as bad because they just added an additional 40 dollar tip but other people have had issues with new charges from other institutions, such as Walmart and gas stations. We called the owner about the issue and he told us that it was impossible for his employee to lie. Umm, ok. I guess the receipt we had was a forgery. Anyways, we called the credit card company and had it reversed. I would strongly advise not going here.
(1)Serena O.
I love this place!! Super fun! Must see the onion volcano! And try the fried rice and filet mignon. It's bomb!!! Just FYI, valet's $5.00 and they take reservations. We were seated in 15minutes on a Saturday night. Not too busy!!
(5)Kim P.
We had a great experience here. The wait was a little bit long, even though the restaurant wasn't full, but I think that's because they need to have a chef available before they seat a table. Once we were seated, the food was super good and the whole thing was lots of fun. The kids really enjoyed seeing the chef work. For kids, a place like this is a blessing because they're entertained the whole time. And the food is kid-friendly, mostly chicken teriyaki and things they're willing to eat. :) My favorite is the fried rice, prepared right in front of you. The ginger sauce was also pretty good. Another plus for this location is the valet parking. Thank God. Parking in Waikiki is pretty tough.
(4)Kalahn H.
Sushi was vey fresh and we really enjoyed the laid back atmosphere. It felt more local and less touristy. My only complaint was that our edamame came out cold instead of warm.
(4)Rebecca M.
David "the hot white chef" is AMAZING!!! So hilarious and seriously cooked the food to perfection. He made the restaurant have an amazing vibe!! Hard to believe he is so young and so successful. We will be back and requesting him!!
(5)Ole Skool Hawaii O.
First time Kama'aina and military family of 5 visited Kobe Fri 18 Apr. The young chef was great. However, the steak was bad. It was not fresh. The meat had sat out raw too long prior to cooking. First and last visit.
(1)Melissa S.
My family and I are visiting here in Honolulu and came here for a nice dinner and had the worst experience and meal I have ever had at a restaurant. This place is dirty, overpriced and has dishonest servers. The restaurant itself was filthy, and the chef was unsanitary wiping sauce off the counter with his fingers and putting it back in the bowl. I had shrimp added to my vegetable meal and it costed an additional $13 which only included 5 ridiculously small shrimp! And the salad that came with the meal wasn't even recognized as a salad.. it was no joke the size of a quarter and limp and salty. Don't waste your money on this place, you will be disappointed! By the way, there was no show put on by our so called chef. I think they must have taken the dishwasher and put him to cook. It was so bad we were shocked.
(1)Mari E.
Thank you Chef Jet! Honestly, I was a little skeptical because of all the negative reviews but I went and it was awesome! Definitely get the garlic fried rice with your meal, it adds to the food! If you're allowed to request chefs, ask for Jet! Very friendly and even made accommodations for my friend that's a very picky eater! Our Busser was amazing as well! I didn't catch his name but we dined tonight on the second floor! Local guy! Super nice and very friendly!
(5)Michael T.
The hour long wait was a little awkward considering we had a reservation. The setting was pretty neat; it felt like we were in Japan. The food was very good too, though pretty expensive for tepenyaki. We used the Hot Deals Hawaii coupon (Pay $30 for a $50 gift certificate). They come out with those sorts of deals all the time. 4 stars because of the wait was long even though it was not crowded and the parking was not free.
(4)Aimee T.
On my recent trip to Hawaii, I went to this amazing teppanyaki-style restaurant called Kobe Japanese Steak House. Kobe Japanese Steak House is located in the Waikiki side of Honolulu. For those of you who have been to a Benihana restaurant chain, you will love Kobe Japanese Steak House. When I first entered the restaurant it was decorated with a beautiful Christmas tree, where my husband and I took a photo in front of. My in-laws made reservations for 6pm, and since we got there a little early, so we ended up at the bar to get some drinks while we waited for our table. I ordered my first Blue Hawaiian drink of the trip, which they served with a delicious piece of Dole Pineapple, and a cute umbrella. We started off the night ordering some sushi since my husband loves his sushi. I ordered some Yellowtail tuna with green onion, and he ordered some Bluefin Tuna and Tobikko aka "flying fish roe." We then went upstairs to go to our seats, where we were seated with 2 other people. I ordered a filet mignon with fried rice, and shortly after the show began. Our chef was cracking eggs with the spatula with one hand, to even creating a volcano with onions. I ordered my steak medium rare, and it came out so perfect. The meat was so tender, that it just melted in my mouth. The fried rice was definitely one of the best fried rices I've ever had. It had soy sauce, onions, garlic, egg, and something else I can't seem to put my finger on it. Wait a second. He cooked it in lots of butter, and boy was it amazing. Overall, it was an amazing experience to spend the remaining days of 2015 with my in-laws and my husband.
(4)Brad S.
Hi all, Yes- I know that the place needs to be renovated and the vents need to be modernized. However, the steak and seafood quality is much better than its competitors (ie Benihana and Tanaka) and the service is quite good. Plus, the price is right - especially if you have the ID card (20% off plus free upgraded fried rice and dessert). They also do Kamaaina and Military discounts. If you're eating with family and loved ones- this place is great. However, if first date maybe not the right place due to the smoke. Tip- sit upstairs if possible; better vents. All in all, we still enjoy eating here and will continue to return. Mahalo!
(4)Michael M.
Love this place. We've been here a few time, mostly when we have family in town and want to do the tourist trip and eat downtown. A tight place to drive into and the restaurant is somewhat small, but that has not stopped the staff from giving you such a great experience and great food!
(4)Amber W.
Not feeling to eat after seen the foods. And they are pretty expensive . Not worth the price. They add too much oil. The worst Japanese BBQ I ever had.
(1)Christopher C.
OUR CHEF CALLED MY MILITARY FRIENDS WHITE TRASH THE DAY BEFORE VETERANS DAY Wanted to celebrate 2014 Veterans Day with a few friends. Our party had reservations at 7:30 and were seated at 7:50. Strike 1: Chef did not show up to our table until 8:40 almost an hour after seating. He appeared distraught and unmotivated to be cooking. My friend and our wives made known to the chef that we were unhappy about the tardiness in service. Our chef tried to improve on his demeanor asking where everyone was from. We told him that we live in Hawaii. In return we asked "John" where he was from. He responded that he lived in 6 to 7 different states before moving to Hawaii. A friend asked if he was in the military. He responded no....... She then jokingly asked him if his mother is an escape con running from state to state.... Strike 2: The Chef turns pointing his cutlery blade at my friend and said, "You white trash, You have no right to talk about my mother that way." We quickly tried to defuse the situation, but the Chef continues to scream "You White Trash!!! I don't care if you are military, military can be white trash too. You have no class" Looking confused and stunned the entire restaurant watches our idiot chef rant for a minute until a co worker attempts to calm him down. Strike 3: The worst thing about this experience is that the Owner/ Manager blamed my friend for harassing his staff. This blew me away.... with no apology he firmly took his Chef side. Of course I did what every sane person would do.... I called that manager a stupid idiot . The manager/.owner inability to reconcile the situation speaks volume to his intelligence. Total Fail in crisis management .... So if you go to Kobe Steakhouse expect to be seated an hour late.... and please refrain from banter with your chef.
(1)RAYNELL L.
Went there with my family, got to sit onna table area all to ourselves.. Ventilation sucks but the food is tasty and the chefs have personality... Ambiance was too dark and smoky for me but I got over that quickly once the cooking began.. Only downfall was the shortage on Chefs that night, so there was a wait as the guys rotate out between tables... Strong Suggestion: Order Pupu's in the beginning + have some drinks and the wait won't matter but we totally understood... FAVZ: Scallops, Ribeye Shrimp, we gotta try the Lobster & Hello Kitty Fried Rice... Really FILLING wait till the cooking is done then pound the food... Some of us ate as they cooked because it seems like the natural thing to do, but hold back and wait till the end of the presentation... Walked out feeling like giving birth again... Soooooo full rolling out!
(4)Jonathon Q.
Our chef was hilarious and gave us great tips and recommendations for our time in Honolulu. The steak and chicken were delicious and prepared to the highest quality. I would definitely recommend every one to go and try it!
(5)Nicole K.
The meal was good but wish our chef was a little more interactive. This place needs some freshening up because it looks pretty run down. My bf was excited to get the seafood dynamite app but it was mostly sauce with raw zucchini and mushrooms (yuck). I was glad there was a special menu for children under 10 which was about $10 less than the regular menu but the same portion. we mAde good use of the gift cards from Costco ($100 with of gift cards for $75) and I have an IDcard that got us 20% off as well so I'm glad I didn't pay full price. Didn't walk away wowed but we were full and didn't pay as much for other teppanyaki locations.
(2)Dane K.
Service was great. Waitress took away finished plates and refilled drinks. Positive attitude even when asking her silly questions about the menu! Our cook was very cool, he made us feel comfortable and related to everyone at the table! Apologized for the wait although there was no significant wait time to me. Gave a theee stars because quality of meat wasnt worth the cost. Got the emperor kobe steak and it was nothing special. I guess youre paying for the experience. More of an experience than for food typa place. Divide the cost by two and thats the predictable quality of the food! A 40$ kobe steak was worth only 20$ to me!! Come for the experience rather than expecting high quality food! Good place though! Lol sorry i contradict myself just trynna be fair to both parties!!
(3)Curious A.
Waited 35 minutes, no chef, no food, finally asked where our chef is. Omg! Manager said. 5 minutes later, waitress came and said the chef on other table is going to cook for us. R u fking kidding me? He hasn't even cooked their steaks yet! The kicker is we ordered 2 beers still with full glasses and we left and they charged us! Worse service ever! I know things and people in Hawaii move at a slower pace, but give me a fking break!
(1)Joni L.
To say the least, the food was disgusting, the atmosphere was very poor. The smell of old grease and did i mention the film of grease on every surface was not appetizing. The chef that was cooking had nothing to say, absolutely no entertainment other than the onion volcano. I give them 1 star because i just have to for the lack of effort.
(1)Sweetz M.
Food was awesome!! First time experience and they gave a really good impression for me and my family!! Customer service is a plus!! Nice and friendly and someone is always there to help you out!! Most definitely will come back!!
(4)Aly T.
The food was good! I would probably choose Tanaka of Tokyo if I had to decide between the two, unfortunately... Mainly because the atmosphere is a bit more exciting. When I went to use the bathroom upstairs, it seemed a lot better to be up there. Anyway, I thought our chef was a very nice, cute old man! Lol I didn't mind that he didn't talk to us much, especially cause cooked a good dinner!
(4)Darci N.
I have been throwing my Mr.'s surprise dinner here for the past three years. Luckily Groupon or CrowdSavings always has a coupon around his birthday so I am able to tell the guests that they can purchase the coupon. With an average of 25-30 guests the staff always accommodates my large group, the only downfall is that we are not seated until the entire party arrives which is rough because they don't have a big enough waiting area and most of my guests end up waiting outside which doesn't have that much room either. The food is fantastic, I especially love their Dynamite appetizer. A seafood medley drowned in like a butter-garlic, mayo sauce that is so yummy alone or poured on rice. I have always received an entertaining chef, each one has their own personality but they each have put on a show for us. Kobe looks as though they have been around for quite some time, I think they need serious updating and cleaning from top to bottom and maybe some new carpet and furniture, technically a total renovation would be good. The parking sucks but the valet does a great job hustling and moving cars quickly so the guests don't pile up at the entrance. Would I return, of course, with a coupon only.
(5)Bud N.
This place was delicious. If you are in the Honlulu area you should stop in and experience this place, a little expensive but great service by experienced and attractive waitresses.
(5)Lyle F.
Always a great time here with the family. The food is consistently great and we always had a great chef entertaining us. Emperor steak rare with garlic fried rice and extra shrimp made me grinning ear to ear. The fresh spicy ahi poke and ama ebi shrimp hit the spot too. Will be back as always..
(5)Dave F.
A group of us went to Kobe the other night for dinner. We all ordered some drinks and the waitress came around to take our orders. It was really smoky which is expected because of the close proximity to the grills. We all pretty much ordered different things which was good. Got to try the fish, Teri chicken, steak, shrimp... I was kinda disappointed this evening because I always thought the highlight of a Teppan meal was the chef and his skills preparing the meals. I think we may have offended the chef?? We were joking about the fish and I hope he didn't take it in the wrong way!!! Oh well, he wasn't too enthusiastic and I just shrugged it off and tried to enjoy my meal. It was actually much more entertaining watching the other chefs do their thing!!
(3)Daniel C.
I like how they have valet here because parking in Waikiki is atrocious. Food here was about average and nothing special. Ate here with friends and we were all disappointed when we left. If you want to try it then you're welcome to but there are other options available to you.
(2)B N.
The food here was good, but you are mainly paying for the whole teppanyaki chef experience. I'm not sure if it was just a bad night for them (being my first visit), but the wait was RIDICULOUS! We were told it was a one hour wait to be seated for a group of 4. One hour and fifteen minutes later... we get seated and have our orders taken. Another hour passes... the chef finally starts setting up.
(2)Scott D.
This place is right at 3 stars for me. Have always driven by Kobe and told myself that I need to try this place. 2+ years later fate would have it (little slow fate), I saw the Group on for Kobe., the kick I needed to try this restaurant. So on to the experience. First you need to know parking is non-existant. They have valet for I believe $5. For cheap parking you can park behind the Illikai only 3-5 min walk from the restaurant, $1/hr. The food is Hibachi grill with your basic red meat, chicken, shrimp items to be mixed and matched. You get your soup, salad, and appetizer shrimp with your meal. Food is as good as any of the other Hibachi places I've eaten before (Benihana's). I would go back if someone I was with wanted to go there (or I got another Group on), but if I am going for this type of meal I'll go to Benihana's.
(3)Jerry E.
What a dark and smoky house, rival that of an old yakiniku eatery; the ventilation system in this place must be antiquated. After having a dinner there once, our outfits had to be aired out for numerous days, and still need to be washed. I could tell how greasy the place was by the grease coating on my glasses. So. if what I just described is your kind of place, then have a blast. The foods were average. Their steaks came in many grades, so do avoid the cheapest. Price wise, they were on the above average range. Their waiting area was not impressive, and the welcoming mat placed on the entrance was repulsive because it looked filthy. Good experience for one visit.
(2)Jade P.
I brought a Groupon a coupon days ago and decided to take my bf for Kobe for dinner tonight. I called at 6 to ask for a reseversation for 7:30, thinking they would say 'sorry we are booked for tonight.....' but the rep said 'sure' and I thought must be not busy. We showed at on time and waited for ten minutes before being seated...we got seated in the back..then came two more group....the room was dark and gloomy....our chef showed up after the lady took out order. As the chef was cooking, I noticed he heavily used oil and butter....I ordered steak and shrimp and bf got scallops and steak. Like most people said in here scallops are large but shrimps size is very small. By the time the chef cooked the bean sprout, he must have poured half a cup of oil...I got full...there was no trick or show...our chef is old ..I felt bad that he even have to work at this age. Oh, while we were eting, I noticed another old man in the back was painting ie doing in some repair working. Overall, our experience at Kobe was average.....too much oil and butter in cooking...made me feel like I should double my exercise for the week to make it up for all the oil.
(3)Aristotle M.
Only been here once. The chef was very lethargic and the food bland. I think he forgot the salt altogether. He went through all of the classic teppanyaki stuff. Shrimp volcano etc., but with zero enthusiasm and nerry a smile. After a very hurried preparation, he left with little fanfare and we were left alone for the rest of our meal until the bill came. No waiter attention at all. For the price, I expected a bit more than a chef on quaaludes, a cardboard steak, and an empty glass of water. I've only been here once, so it is quite possible this was a rare occurrence, and for that i am giving 3 stars instead of 2. Either way, I wasn't at all impressed.
(3)Tinamarie L.
I had such a blah experience at this place that I felt compelled to sign up for yelp to review it so others could be warned! I got a groupon for this restaurant and I thought it would be a great opportunity to try a restaurant that has been around for years at a great price. Why the low rating? The chef. OMG - It was like someone forced him to go to work that day and he absolutely did not want to be there. He did the whole thing with the "dancing shrimp" with little to no enthusiasm. I felt the need to say "ooh.." and LOL a little, but at the same time felt awkward because it wasn't clear if he wanted us to laugh based off of his grumpy demeanor. He built his onion volcano and then realized his lighter was broken so there was no "wow" factor in that. The food was bland and I needed to ask for salt. No entertainment at all. No conversations with the chef... NOTHING! Would not go back again, even with a coupon. Thank God we were with good company and they made the experience tolerable. I'm sure all the chefs are not bad, but I wouldn't want to take the chance.. I thought the food and chefs were much better at Tanaka of Tokyo.
(2)Mary K.
Bought a groupon made a reservation and it was pretty good, really enjoyed our chef but it took over an hour to be seated and place orders with a reservation! I have a toddler who's a busy body, plus they charged $4 more for fried rice, which is lame!
(3)Kaiulani K.
The trick to enjoying Kobe is knowing ahead of time that even if you have reservations, you're going to wait. Also, that the cost of your meal will probably come out to more than you anticipated- especially when sake is involved (and in my case, it always is). Kobe's food is delicious and the chefs are awesome to watch. If you interact with the chefs and others at your table, you'll have a great time. Sure, your chef may not get it perfect every time, but if he did he'd probably have his own show and wouldn't be there serving you. Anyway, I love the food but the prices seem a little unrealistic to me. But that may be because I usually stick to places that are great deals, whereas this is considered the norm for a Waikiki teppanyaki place. I suggest the garlic rice, the beef and any of the seafood. You do get some normal rice, shrimp and veggies with whatever you order, so keep that in mind.
(4)Bronwyn J.
This was one of the best tepanyaki experiences I have ever had. The staff were very attentive and polite. The chef was very friendly and skilled with many exciting tricks up his sleeves! The food was delicious and definitely value for money. We had chicken, steak and scallops between us and all were excellent. Also definitely worth paying an extra $4 for the fried rice. Cocktails were also yummy and value for money. The restaurant isn't the flashiest place i have ever been but it is cosy and accommodating. Thank you Kobe!
(4)Jared V.
To start with they have valet parking for $5 ($7 with tip) but it's the best choice as they don't validate if you chose to park in the adjacent parking structure, which costs more. I would like to see free valet parking as restaurants of similar prices often have this service. The entertainment portion of the "cook in front of you" restaurant was a little lacking (at least with our server) in comparison with Beihana's who puts on a much better show and have some seriously talented staff. The food was very good. I had the Emperors Steak which is a very large cut. I was impressed with the tenderness of the meat and the sauce that comes with it was very good. My wife had the chicken and she had no complaints. All entrees cam with mushroom broth soup and cabbage tsukemono, and an appetizer of shrimp and vegetable medley consisting of onions, zucchini and mushrooms They have a pretty good wine list and a decent beer selection but I would have liked to see wine/entree pairing recommendations in the menu. The service was good overall and our waters were always full (which is impressive as we drink a lot of water). The lady that cleared our plates seemed to be trying to rush us out of there so they could get the next customs in and she didn't really respect personal space.
(3)Clarence A.
5 stars due to location and do to group I was with First off this aint no Benihana, all the chefs are Japanese literally, haha been here once and if in the same city I would go back in a heartbeat, as a sed in the beginning this place is made for groups I think it was 2 days before I got married we invited our entourage and some of the family and friends to eat here. My tastebud mite have been a lil numb due to all the alcohol we ordered at the bar waiting for our guests to appear they do have kobe steak, they have lobster, and boy do they do have a show, alot of people would say this is another chain like benihana but I didnt get that vibe when I was here, chefs were really friendly waitresses also really friendly and helpful, we did have a huge party come out it was total of 40+ folks if I remember correctly, so being quiet was not on the menu for us haha drinks were poured all through the nite, friends and family conversing between each other about the wedding to come and the food very flavorful and filling, everyone left with a smile on there face which is what me and the wife wanted so in total I would definitely hit this place up with a group preferably large group haha the more the merrier.. food **** emperor kobe steak and lobster tail must have (butter lobster, steak juicy n tender med rare of course) price $$$ you will be spending close to 30-50 per head ambiance ***** looks and feels better then any benihana's again my review about this place may be skewed due to the alcohol intake before my dinner but having a group of friends and family all at the same level is priceless.. haha
(5)Michael D.
I gave three stars because the food was decent but let's face it..... When I go to a Japanese teppanyaki steakhouse I want to be mesmerized by the chef which that did Not happen. He started talking to the group of tourist that was sitting beside us about how bad traffic is in Honolulu. This was the highlight of the dinner. His skill as a teppanyaki chef was lackluster at best. O
(3)Dito N.
Been here twice and both times I've left feeling like I overpaid. The first time I was here I had a steak dish and the steak tasted like it was going bad. This time I went and had the shrimp which was good but for what you pay you definitely expect a little more. The thing is that the chefs don't engage you in the least. They literally just cook and that's it, no conversation at all which makes things awkward when you're sitting on a table full of strangers. The way I see it you're paying for a whole package (food and entertainment) and they haven't delivered yet. So basically gave it a second shot just to be fair but won't be back to this location again. On the other hand the one in Orlando, FL has always been amazing! To be fair though the valet guys are on point! They jump that hedge and get your car within 5 minutes!
(2)Daniel W.
Wow my worst reasturant expierance ever only a couple table we waited for ever the service at the Sushi bar was over priced the spicy tuna rool was not spicy just Mayo with color blah we kept drinking because we had to wait so long did I tell You there was only a couple tables we finaly sit down then it's a rush job chef starts cooking shrimp flicks the tails onto table all over the place so bad WTF disgusting tails alll over the place not into his hat or plate all over the table never seen it b4 we hook up the people with drinks at our table we started to cheers then 5 min later the waitress comes up and tell us to keep it down you are too loud. it's a festive resturant where people drink really ? so went up the manager and he said if i did not like it we could leave and we did Chart House around the corner was delicious Would go to Tanaka of Tokyo or even Beni Hana after that expierance never walked away from a meal B4 WOW first ever Review had to get it off my chest WTF REALY KOBE STEAK HOUSE YOU SUCK You almost ruined my Friends B-day so glad we Left ! The Table that complain had finished their dinner when they complained walked out the same time we did. POOR management could have averted all with better service and attention to good local customers i live here not the tourist family sitting across from that had finished their dinner already never coming nor any of my many friends if I can help it Thanks YELP
(1)Michael T.
Got a groupon for this place the other day. I'm really glad I got the groupon because I would never pay full price for this place. Food was okay, a bit overpriced. I was more disappointed with the service. It took forever for them to start cooking, overall service was slow, and the waiter also messed up our check. Overall, I did not feel like I was a valued customer at this restaurant. I don't understand how there are so many 4s and 5s for this place. But hey, to each his own. Will not repeat .
(2)Angelique Q.
The first night in Waikiki, the group decided to have dinner out together and this is where we ended up. Not everyone was in town yet but we all wanted to celebrate our first day in beautiful Hawaii. The place itself is pretty shabby looking but nothing majorly gross was noticed. We waited in their little seating/lounge area downstairs and when our table was ready we were led upstairs. Dim lighting but we all it comfortably around a teppenyaki grill. I ordered the Sukiyaki steak (with teriyaki sauce) and I think mostly everyone ordered the teriyaki chicken. It comes with rice, appetizer shrimp, shabu-shabu soup, and vegetables (onions/mushrooms). The food was okay. Pricey for the amount of food you get but you do pay or the "show" too right? Watching the flames slightly buzzed was a bit funny. I think the chef got annoyed with us because we weren't responding to this antics. haha Then he stopped responding at all. All in all it was a good time with friends. static.px.yelp.com/bphot… If you want something more adventurous and "different". Someplace else would suffice.
(3)J K.
I have been here twice. Service was good especially Chef Hwang was great he was friendly and kind. Food taste good but don't have to wear fancy clothes here cuz your clothes gonna absorb all grill smells.
(5)Jenadale H.
The only reason this is not a 5 start review is that you come out smelling like Kobe, which should be expected. The food was GREAT! Nothing was over or under cooked; it was perfect. I ordered the chicken and shrimp and my boyfriend ordered the scallops and steak so we could share everything!! We left with a big box of leftovers that we plan on eating for lunch today, Yummy! , Our chief was great too. We could tell he has been there for ever, super cool, waitress was very friendly and on top of things. All and all it's was wonderful so I don't know why there are so many bad reviews lately. We loved it and will be back. P.S. We got $10 off each meal , military discount.
(4)Albert F.
I took my wife here for our anniversary. She enjoyed the tableside preparation at Hy's, so I thought she'd like this. A groupon sweetened the deal, $50 gets you $100 - so we splurged and got the steak and lobster ($50 x2) and the Kobe sushi platter ($20). The sushi platter was mediocre for the price. I meal was okay but iI thought it was overpriced without the groupon. Overall it was okay. We would have ordered more drinks, but the waitress never came around to check on our drinks.
(3)Sophia L.
This place is AWESOME! SO much better than Benihanas. The service is always superb and the food is excellent. Each time I have come here I have gotten a different chef, and each chef has their own personal style and way of doing things. You are not only paying for dinner, but also entertainment. The steak is amazing- always so tender. HIGHLY RECOMMEND!
(5)Dee Z.
When I come to Honolulu I have driven past this place every time visualizing KOBE beef - of course, savoring a big chunk of meat...so, admittedly I was disappointed it was basically a teppanyaki restaurant. Sorry, but I've never been a big fan of sharing a table with a bunch of strangers - not that I'm not a sociable person but it sure cuts into your conversation with whoever you're with...so it's a great place if you're alone and feel like socializing over food. There is the option of eating on the first floor but it seems that people are drawn upstairs for the teppanyaki. It says a lot for the place that it's been around forever - which you can tell from the tired ambiance. It's dark and feels a little sticky. I was surprised that the teppanyaki was on the second floor since it's a little warm to begin with. The tables seem kind of small for teppanyaki. Especially so when the cooking starts and the fans may be a little slow (or need to be cleaned) because the smoke ends up flying into the faces of the patrons. You get a couple of those grills going and the heat begins to accumulate. Along with the dark atmosphere - it's like you can't wait for dinner to be over so you can at least go downstairs for some air... The wooden restroom handles are actually worn down to the wood so watch out for splinters. The valet parking stays busy and the restaurant seems to have a steady flow of customers so its age does not deter...which is significant when you think of all the restaurants that are competing for your money. Food is typical, prices are moderate, but not a place I would feel "WOW" - I need to go back, Definitely needs some kind of remodel.
(3)Ryan M.
This was my first time here after passing here many times when I head into Waikiki. Finding the place is not hard, it's on the corner of Ala Moana and Kalia road, you can't miss it as after you pass the Ilikai Hotel. Parking isn't the greatest, you only have valet parking. However, you can park at the Hale Koa for a reasonable rate and an even better rate if you're in the military, civilian, or contractor. When I first walked in, it was seemed a little dark, but I guess it's the ambiance of the old style Japanese house. The first thing you do notice is the smell of ono tenppanyaki cooking! On the walls, great mural paintings of old Japan are all over. I thought that was pretty neat, since you don't see that type of artistic work very often. The seating is around a big flat iron griddle that seats about 8 people. Now to the all important food! I had the emperor's special which was very filling and my girlfriend had the rib-eye special. After we ordered, we had this soup with mushrooms and I thought it was pretty good and the first time I had that type of food. It also came with a side of tsukemono. After I polished off that, the chef came and repeated our order to make sure we had the right order. He then proceeded to do some pretty neat acrobatic tricks with his utensils. I thought he was pretty skilled because if I did that, I would be hitting things and people! The first thing he cooked iwas our appetizers which included shrimp and some veggies (onions and zucchini). After I finished that he started cooking the entree! The meat was cooked to perfection and was delicious (not in the league of Ruth Chris's delicious). The last thing to be served was the bean sprouts which complemented the steak very well. I also forgot to mention we had two types of dipping sauces, a ginger based sauce and a hot mustard based sauce. Both were very good, but I think I liked the hot mustard based sauce better. Overall, I would say you have to eat here once for the experience, food is good, staff is friendly, and the ambiance is good!
(4)Milton K.
What is there to say except FOOD - EXCELLENT, Service - EXCELLENT and ATTENTIVE, Prices - VERY REASONABLE for what you get! Personally - I ALWAYS order the Steak and Chicken Combo, with "additional" shrimp on the "side" - no need for the Fried Rice, although if you want it - it is also great! The ONLY thing that can be a bit of a "pain" is the parking - it is VALET ONLY, but believe me - it IS worth it! IF you feel "Adventurous" - then go for the GUSTO - "The Steak and LOBSTER" "King's Special"- whew! I saw it (didn't order it) and it looked INCREDIBLE - but me being me, I try to stick to my "budget"... Oh, and have a "slug" or two of the Plum Wine.... Now THAT is DELICIOUS - ESPECIALLY for you ladies! VERY "elegant", not TOO "sweet", but smooth....
(5)Lindsay C.
Last night we went to Kobe - using the Entertainment Book coupon. We were sat right away and the restaurant was about half full. There was one other couple at our table. The restaurant was VERY dark - made us think they were hiding something because you could barely see the walls above the mirrors that line the restaurant. We ordered a Shrimp Tempura sushi roll to start - the waitress warned us that the sushi bar was very backed up and might come out after the chef does. We said ok because we were hungry! I ordered the Shrimp and Scallops combo, and Tony ordered the Filet Mignon. We both stuck with the steamed rice (you can get fried rice for an extra $4 per person). The chef came out to the table, was very nice. This place is not very "showy" with their hibachi tricks. He did some knife tricks when he first came out... and made some music on the grill with these drumstick type things and that was it. No shrimp throwing... although he did make an onion volcano but didn't say or do anything with it. When you go to a hibachi grill you expect to see a show, and a show we did not see. After the shrimp appetizer was served (two shrimp per person), our sushi roll came out. Although it tasted REALLY good - it was not made correctly. The rice was falling off of each piece as you picked it up, leaving one side not covered with rice, but stuck to the plate. The rice wasn't sticky enough to stick to the sushi, but sticky enough to stick to the plate, it didn't make much sense at all. Our food was served to us, as it was cooked - with my food being put on my plate, before Tony's steak was even on the grill. Back in Maryland we used to go to Sakura (a chain hibachi grill) and Nichi Bei Kai (in Columbia, MD) often - we love them both for different reasons, and always left happy. I think that we may be used to the sauces that are served at both of those, because neither of us were impressed with the ginger sauce or the other sauce with black sesame seeds. The scallops were a funny consistency - not chewy, but slightly rubbery. The shrimp were ok, but nothing to write home about (but something to write on yelp about!) When the bill came out we couldn't believe it was $100 (before the entertainment discount) for what we had gotten - and we vowed to make that a first and a last at Kobe Japanese Steakhouse! We will try the other Japanese Steakhouses on the island next!
(2)Jamieee D.
Much better than Benihana and cheaper. Our chef was really nice, local guy. Food was good and portions were fair. Would definitelu go back as soon as groupon has that $25 for $50 worth of foof special! :)
(4)Maxwell L.
If you been to Benihana, then this place is the same teppenyaki style. Made reservations, got there and they placed my group of 6 in the back room...looked like the supply room. Ambiance was a thumbs down. Asked if we could have another table in the main dining area which was almost empty by the way and the hostess said no....wow Ok so going on...our chef was cool with a Hello Kitty hat which did please the kids. He did entertain us and he was nice. Food was ok...same as Other teppenyaki restaurants...nothing stunning....but again, you go there for the entertainment and ambiance. Ambiance = thumbs down like I mentioned. We were leaving after dinner and still noticed it was not that busy...so not sure why they put us back in the supply area. Next time...if we decide to do similar dinner...we will be going to Benni's.
(3)Jessica d.
Not bad. It was kind of weird and dark and old inside, but the food was pretty good. I would NEVER pay full price and was glad for my Groupon because it wasn't THAT good, but it was worth the Groupon price. I had the steak and lobster. Well cooked, tender and flavorful. My husband had the steak and chicken, and by God I wish I had ordered the chicken! It was GOOD!!! I really liked the pickled vegetables they served with the meal. The people who worked there seemed utterly bored and uninterested, but I came to eat not to make new friends. They were polite and professional and I think everybody at my table had a vibe that we just weren't terribly interested in a showy chef. Honestly, the best part was the lady at my table who looked so seethingly angry and went out of her way to tell anybody who would listen she was a "regular" like that meant she would get a special kind of merit badge or something. She was pretty funny to watch. But that's me being catty.
(4)Barry L.
This place is a bit spendy, but worth it once in a while. Food is awesome!! It's a must go.
(5)Lois C.
We had a rather sedated chef. Did the bare minimum. No interaction with the customers at all except to confirm the orders. Food was decent, nothing to write home about. If you are from Hawaii, make sure you use your kamaaina discount, $5 off each adult entree.
(3)Jennifer C.
If you're from the bay area, it's like a Benihana but in Hawaii! The food is okay, but good especially if you're tipsy from SAKE BOMBS. It's a majority of older people in there so when you have 7 youngsters coming in loud and wild, you know where the party is at!! We of course had too much fun with our cook Joe and a friend ended up picking him as her Valentine. He fancied us with some tricks and faces in our food as he cooked. OF COURSE we had to see the usual onion volcano. He didn't, however, do the flipping of the shrimp trick into his hat. He did show us how he tossed an egg a little and chopped it to crack it open! The food has POUNDS OF BUTTA (like Paula Dean does it) and thus, it tastes relatively good at the moment. You get what you order (around 25-40$) plus some veggies, a bowl of rice, soup, and ice cream with plum alcohol. Most of all, we spent $20 each for SAKE BOMBS! That was the best part, having fun and socially drinking with one another. They said we could be as loud as we want, but no pounding on the tables. All in all, it was a fun time with a group of friends, but the restaurant in general was a good host, but not really the best restaurant of choice for food. Thanks, Kobe! I'm glad I didn't stay sobe!
(3)Meghan C.
The prices were right...I think I got a glass of champagne for $4 and my husband got a Goose martini for $6? Something ridiculous like that...the sushi was good (although, I couldn't find a single bad piece of sushi or sashimi while in Hawaii) and the hibachi was satisfactory. Super salty. Everything is Hawaii is super salty.
(4)Aimee C.
Food here is yummy...I always like the fried rice. Our chef wasn't too exciting, but since I've seen the "show" before, doesn't really matter to me. I got the steak and fish and my bf got the hibachi steak. Both done nicely! Everything was good. I definitely recommend Kobe. Hate that you have to valet, but we just parked by the Ilikai beach area for free. Had to move by 10:30 though. For HI locals, the entertainment book has BOGO coupon. So worth it!!
(4)Tracy M.
Went here one night for dinner, and while I think all teppan places are pretty much the same, this place was pretty good. I ordered the steak and scallop dinner with some mirugai sashimi and sparkling sake. While I'm not a big fan of sake, the sparkling sake was AMAZING!! Very nice and sweet. I didn't really understand why the nigiri and sashimi were pretty much the same price when you only get 2 pieces of nigiri vs. the multiple pieces of sashimi they give. If you can do without the rice, seriously, go with the sashimi, you get way more for only like a $1 or $2 more. Steak was great and the portions are huge, but I don't think the server heard me when I asked for extra garlic for my fried rice. Oh well. I was a little disappointed that there was no show aside from the onion volcano. I don't know if Kobe does a show or not, but if I'm going to pay for someone to cook in front of me, I want to be entertained. :( All in all, I had a nice experience, though. :)
(3)Noelani M.
Kobe Steak House is the best! Meal might be $30 bucks but it comes with everything! We love the garlic fried rice, and boyfriend recommends the lychee sake haha. Chef cooks in front of you, its entertaining if you've never seen it before. Highly recommend it for anyone looking for a good meal.
(5)Timmy F.
I am giving this 4 stars on a strong basis that it's pretty hard to mess up Japanese Hibachi, especially because I love it. I have been here probably 4 times when on vacation in Hawaii. The interesting fact about this location is the Beni Hana a stones throw away. I have frequented both. One person in our group forgot their ID and could not order any drinks and the waitress was not budging although the person in question was over 30 years old. Being that most of these places are the same barring MUSASHI'S in Las Vegas being far better than your standard teppan both in food quality (serving actual KOBE beef) and originality of tricks. But that is a whole other review. The lighting at KOBE's is like a dark tunnel in which I don't really have problem with, as a matter of fact I think it makes better looking. The mushroom soup was brought out and it is tremendous, not too salty and fresh mushrooms. Alot different from BH as it doesn't contain the fried onions and has alot less salt. I started off with the nigiri salmon and it was brought out fast and was of high quality. I ordered the filet and wife ordered the lobster tail so we could share. The chef was not all that impressive, he was moderately into it which is understandable but every now and then you run into the chef that really makes it worth it (Musashi's especially). The rice is good but has alot less garlic and butter then BH, ultimately, BH wins the rice showdown here at the expense of being more unhealthy, however. Food is done and my filet isn't medium at my request but borderline well done, being that I am not picky I didn't complain. It was still delicious and tender as all hell. The lobster was also spectacular as were the veggies. So, whom wins the trendy chain teppan vs the mom and pops local staple? Well, ol Beni takes the cake on this one!. I have visited both places numerous times and sorry Kobe's your good..but you lose this battle on slight taste varation and atmosphere.
(4)Boad A.
This place is disgusting the chefs were cut rate didn't know the difference between medium rare and well done, plus we saw a cockroach running across the floor and I had to kill it! Plus another roach in the women's bathroom! Stay away! Cockroach city!
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